Back in the summer of 2016 a small group of 21 experts came together to write the first consensus paper ever on bronchiectasis.

The following day, almost 250 committed clinicians and researchers led by the visionary Professor Tobias Welte (Germany), gathered in Hannover, Germany, with a shared ambition – to shine a much-needed spotlight on bronchiectasis, a chronic lung disease that for decades had remained under-recognised, under-researched and under-treated.

That first meeting marked the birth of the World Bronchiectasis Conference (WBC), and the beginning of a global movement.

Since the inaugural 2016 event, WBC returns to its birthplace in Hannover, Germany (June 24-27, 2026) – marking 10 years of breakthroughs in bronchiectasis research and treatment.

Over the past decade, WBC has grown from a small scientific gathering into a leading international conference – moving bronchiectasis from the margins to the mainstream. Today, this pathology is recognised as the third most common chronic respiratory disease – after asthma and COPD.

WBC continues to bring together a passionate, committed and thriving global community of clinicians, researchers, allied healthcare professionals, industry partners and patients, united in a common goal – to improve the lives of people living with bronchiectasis, everywhere.