The International Public Relations Association (IPRA), the world’s most influential professional association for senior international public relations executives, has named Nigeria’s Prof. Wole Soyinka – the first African to win the Nobel Prize for Literature – among speakers at the IPRA Public Relations World Congress, a two-day Summit & Exhibition which will take place on 27-29 September 2015 in Johannesburg, South Africa.

A statement issued yesterday in Johannesburg said that other speakers at the event include John D. Graham - Chairman FleishmanHillard, Robert Holdheim – CEO of Edelman South Asia, Middle East & Africa, Colin Byrne – CEO UK & EMEA Weber Shandwick, Jeremy Galbraith – CEO, Europe, Middle-East and Africa, Global Chief Strategy Officer, Burson Marsteller, Rod Cartwright, Global Partner and Director of the Global Public Affairs Practice, Ketchum, and more.

“We are pleased to partner with APO in this important year for IPRA with the World Congress in South Africa. We believe that this event will be important for the PR community in Africa as well as in the rest of the world,” said Dr. Amybel Sánchez de Walther, President of the International Public Relations Association (IPRA).

The IPRA Public Relations World Congress is a major event in the PR calendar, bringing together PR agencies, in-house PR managers, public affairs directors, marketers from the corporate sector, government officials, NGOs and academics.

The 2015 IPRA Public Relations World Congress is the first ever to be held in Africa. It is expected to attract around 600 – 800 participants from all corners of the globe, with a large number coming from Africa. It will run from Sunday 27 September to Tuesday 29 September 2015 at the Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, under the theme: “Leadership in Communication – the Way to Trust.”

A unique addition to the 2015 Congress will be the hosting on the Monday evening of the IPRA Golden World Awards for Excellence awards ceremony. This event is the annual Oscars of the PR world, honouring the very best PR campaigns from around the globe.

•Photo shows Prof. Soyinka.