The first World Forestry Congress was held in Rome in 1926 and has generally taken place every six years since then. Gatherings serve as a forum for governments, universities, civil society and the private sector to exchange views and experiences and to formulate recommendations for implementation at national, regional and global levels. The Congress also provides an opportunity for the sector to produce an overview of the state of forests and forestry in order to discern trends, adapt policies and raise awareness of issues among decision-makers, the public and other parties concerned.

Its functions are advisory, not executive, and participants attend the Congress in their personal capacity. The implementation of recommendations is a matter solely for those to whom they are addressed in light of their own particular circumstances - governments, international organizations, scientific bodies and forest owners, among others. The outcomes are brought to the attention of the FAO Conference which may consider endorsing, through a resolution, any declaration emanating from the Congress.

These prestigious events produce high quality papers, are recognized for their insightful deliberations and are known for reaching broad consensus on authoritative, although not binding, policy and technical advice to governments and international organizations.

The Congress:

• brings together knowledge and experience to give guidance on the formulation and implementation of forest policy;
• expresses views which may help research organizations to identify future areas of study and international organizations to plan future work;
• promotes the elaboration and world-wide acceptance of technical standards such as an international forestry terminology, a uniform classification of forestry literature, and consistent research methods.