The FIAP Congress is the most important event in the structure of FIAP. It meets every two years in one of the member countries. One or more Operational Members prepare and present proposals at a Congress regarding the location, schedule, and management of the next Congress. The Operational Members present vote on the proposal(s), identifying the best proposal. The selected host Operational Member has two years to implement a plan for the next Congress with the help of the FIAP Board.
The results of the previous two years Biennial Competitions are displayed during the congress, and the Recipients of the Best of the Best Award for the last two years are invited to the Congress and officially presented with their recognition. PAA has participated in every FIAP Congress since 2018 when elected a member of FIAP.
The FIAP General Assembly is the meeting where official business is conducted and it meets once a year between August and December, every two years during the Congress. The 2019 FIAP General Assembly was held in Spokane, Washington in conjunction with the PSA Photo Festival.
FIAP Photo Meetings are events organized by Operational Members and approved during the General Assembly. A FIAP Photo Meeting is planned to be held in conjunction with each FIAP Congress. FIAP Photo Meetings are hosted by photographers for other photographers, a one-week workshop.
Both the Congress and the Photo Meetings are an opportunity to be with other photographers: shooting; talking about photography; comparing different cultures and techniques; analyzing images; discussing international juries, exhibitions, salons, and workshops. It is a celebration of photographic art.