Congress

A congress is a formal meeting where representatives from different countries, states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups come together to discuss important matters. These meetings help people share ideas, make decisions, and solve problems that affect many people.

The word "congress" started being used in Late Middle English. It comes from a Latin word, congressus, which described a meeting between enemies during a battle. Over time, the meaning changed to refer to peaceful gatherings for discussion and decision-making.

Congresses can happen at many levels. Sometimes, they involve leaders from many nations, like when countries work together on global issues. Other times, they bring together people from a single country, state, or organization to talk about laws, policies, or shared goals.

Representatives in a congress are chosen to speak and decide for the groups they represent. This way, many different voices can be heard, and decisions can reflect the needs and wishes of many people.

Political congresses

International relations

The following congresses were formal meetings of representatives of different nations:

• The Congress of Aix-la-Chapelle (1668), which ended the War of Devolution
• The Congress of Aix-la-Chapelle (1748), which ended the War of the Austrian Succession
• The Congress of Aix-la-Chapelle (1818)
• The Congress of Berlin (1878), which settled the Eastern Question after the Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878)
• The Congress of Gniezno (1000)
• The Congress of Laibach (1821)
• The Congress of Panama, an 1826 meeting organized by Simón Bolívar
• The Congress of Paris (1856), which ended the Crimean War
• The Congress of Troppau (1820)
• The Congress of Tucumán (1816)
• The Congress of Utrecht (1712–1713)
• The Congress of Verona (1822)
• The Congress of Vienna (1814–15), which settled the shape of Europe after the Napoleonic Wars
• The Congress of the Council of Europe

Legislatures

Presidential and semi-presidential systems

In the mid-1770s, the British colonies that became the United States of America adopted for their joint convention the word "Congress" - to emphasize each colony's status as a state in its own right. The term has been adopted by many countries to refer to their legislatures.

• The United States Congress is the legislative branch of the United States federal government.
  • The Continental Congress (1774–1781) was a convention of delegates from the Thirteen Colonies that became the Congress of the Confederation (1781–1789).
  • The Confederate States Congress of 1861–1865 operated in the Confederate States of America.
• The Congress of Guatemala is the unicameral legislature of Guatemala.
• The National Congress of Honduras is the legislative branch of the government of Honduras.
• The Congress of Mexico is the legislative branch of the Mexican government.
• The Congress of Paraguay is the legislative branch of Paraguay.
• The Congress of the Argentine Nation is the legislative branch of the government of Argentina.
• The Congress of the Dominican Republic is the bicameral legislature of the Dominican Republic.
• The Palau National Congress is the legislative branch of the Republic of Palau.
• The Congress of the Federated States of Micronesia is the legislative branch of the Federated States of Micronesia.
• The Congress of the Philippines is the legislative branch of the Philippine government.
• The Congress of the Republic of Peru is the legislative branch of Peru.
• The Congress of Colombia is the legislative branch of Colombia.
• The National Congress of Bolivia was the national legislature of Bolivia before being replaced by the Plurinational Legislative Assembly.
• The National Congress of Brazil is the legislative branch of Brazil.
• The National Congress of Chile is the legislative branch of the government of Chile.
• The National Congress of Ecuador was the legislative branch of Ecuador before being replaced by the National Assembly.
• France:
  • The Congress of the French Parliament refers specifically to when both houses of France's legislature sit together as a single body.
  • The Congress of New Caledonia is the national legislature under the semi-presidential system of the autonomous sui generis collectivity.

Non-presidential systems

• Spanish Congress of Deputies is the lower house of the Cortes Generales, Spain's legislative branch.
• The National Congress of Belgium was a temporary legislative assembly in 1830.
• The legislature of the People's Republic of China is known in English as the National People's Congress.
• The Congress of People's Deputies of the Soviet Union was the legislature and main institution of state power in the Soviet Union.
  • Congress of People's Deputies of Russia was modeled after the Soviet Union's and existed in 1990–1993.
• The Congress of Cuba was the legislative branch of Cuba from 1902 to 1959.

Parties

Many political parties have a party congress every few years to make decisions for the party and elect governing bodies, while others call it a party convention. Congress is included in the name of several political parties, especially those in former British colonies:

• India

  • Indian National Congress
  • All India Trinamool Congress
  • Kerala Congress
  • Nationalist Congress Party
  • Tamil Maanila Congress
  • YSR Congress
  • Janta Congress Chhattisgarh
  • All India N.R. Congress

• Canary Islands

  • National Congress of the Canaries

• Eswatini

  • Ngwane National Liberatory Congress

• Fiji

  • National Congress of Fiji

• Guyana

  • People's National Congress

• Lesotho

  • Basotho Congress Party
  • Lesotho Congress for Democracy
  • Lesotho People's Congress

• Malawi

  • Malawi Congress Party

• Malaysia

  • Malaysian Indian Congress

• Namibia

  • Congress of Democrats

• Nepal

  • Nepali Congress

• Pakistan

  • Peoples Revolutionary Congress Pakistan
  • Pakistan Christian Congress

• Sierra Leone

  • All People's Congress

• South Africa

  • African National Congress
  • Congress of the People
  • Pan-Africanist Congress

• Sri Lanka

  • All Ceylon Tamil Congress
  • Sri Lanka Muslim Congress

• Sudan

  • National Congress (Sudan)

• Trinidad and Tobago

  • United National Congress

• Uganda

  • Ugandan People's Congress

• Iraqi National Congress

Political organizations

• National Congress of American Indians
• Congress of Racial Equality
• Continental Congress 2.0

Labor congresses

Some workers meet together in special meetings called labor congresses. These meetings help workers talk about their shared goals and plans. Examples include the Congress of Industrial Organizations, the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines, the Trades Union Congress, and the Canadian Labour Congress.

Religious Congresses

Religious congresses are special meetings for people who share the same beliefs. These meetings help bring together followers of different faiths to talk about important ideas and celebrate their traditions.

Some examples include Eucharistic Congresses, the 1947 Marian Congress, and Subud Congress. These events let people come together in unity.

Non-political congresses

A congress can also mean a big meeting for learning and sharing ideas. For example, the World Congress on Men's Health is a yearly meeting about health topics for men.

Some sports groups use the word "congress" too. In bowling, groups like the American Bowling Congress and the Women's International Bowling Congress came before the United States Bowling Congress formed in 1995.

A chess congress is a chess tournament where many players come together in one city to compete over a few days or weeks.

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