Opening Session — Sunday, 20 September 2026
Romanian Athenaeum
One of Bucharest's most iconic landmarks. The ceremonial opening on Sunday evening will take place in its historic concert hall, followed by a welcome reception.
Religions 360°
Six Days of Global Dialogue
Bucharest, 20–25 September 2026. With nearly 800 accepted papers from scholars representing 58 countries, 227 cities, and 315 institutions on six continents, this promises to be one of the largest such Congress ever held in Europe, featuring keynote lectures.
Inaugural Session & Welcome Reception
The 2026 edition also coincides with a series of important milestones for Romanian culture and scholarship: 170 years since the birth of Moses Gaster, 160 years since the founding of the Romanian Academy, 150 years since the first Sanskrit course taught at the University of Bucharest, 145 years since the birth of George Enescu, 40 years since the death of Mircea Eliade, 35 years since the death of Ioan Petru Culianu, 30 years since the establishment of the first professional association dedicated to the history of religions in Romania, and 20 years since the previous EASR & IAHR congress held in Bucharest.
The ceremony will be livestreamed and archived on the Congress website and its YouTube channel. It will feature the opening keynote lecture, alongside a special surprise.
- Where?
Romanian Athenaeum
- When?
17.00 – 19.00
Monday
21 September
Day 2
Tuesday
22 September
Day 3
Wednesday
23 September
Day 4
Thursday
24 September
Day 5
Friday
25 September
Day 6 & Closing
The General Programme, with all panel, paper and room allocations, will be published in August in the Congress App for participants and then on the website.
Venue
Conference Venues
All sessions will take place in central Bucharest, within walking distance of each other. A detailed venue map will be provided at registration.
Main venue — Sunday 20 – Friday 25 September
Faculty of Law
University of Bucharest. The Congress headquarters - home to keynote lectures, plenary sessions, EASR and IAHR assemblies, the registration desk, and parallel sessions.
Panels & workshops — Monday 21 – Friday 25 September
Faculty of History
University of Bucharest. Seminar rooms and lecture halls for some parallel sessions, workshops, roundtables, and book presentations throughout the Congress week.
Banquet — Thursday, 24 September 2026
National Theatre
The Congress Banquet will take place at Aria, the rooftop restaurant of the National Theatre, offering panoramic views over the city. A separate ticket is required (€75).