The prestigious 23rd International Congress of Aesthetics (ICA 2026) opened at the University of Prešov on 20 July 2026 with a solemn ceremony in the Auditorium Magnum. Running until 24 July, the week-long event brings together leading international experts, scholars, philosophers, and artists to address the shared challenges of a rapidly changing world that connect us across continents.

This year’s central theme is Aesthetics Today. The programme covers a broad range of areas essential for understanding the contemporary world, from the aesthetics of everyday life and urban environments to the impact of artificial intelligence and broader social, cultural, environmental, and technological transformations.

The keynote speakers include Maria José Alcaraz León, who opened the congress with a lecture titled Aesthetic Reasons and the Personal Dimension of Aesthetic Appreciation; Yuriko Saito, who explores The Aesthetics of Care: Our Relationship with the Artifactual World; and Wolfgang Welsch, who presents the thesis We Have Always Been Transcultural.

The event is held under the auspices of the Mayor of Prešov, František Oľha, who personally welcomed attendees alongside RNDr. Marián Reiffers, DrSc., and Assoc. Prof. Martin Blaho, PhD. The main organisers are the Society for Aesthetics in Slovakia, the International Association for Aesthetics, and the University of Prešov.