The 2016 International Shibori Symposium will be held in Oaxaca, Mexico, co-chaired by Alejandro de Avila Blomberg, director, Jardín Etnobotánico de Oaxaca, and Yoshiko Wada, president of World Shibori Network. The theme of the symposium is "Shibori, Ikat, and Sustainability: Land, Culture, and People / Jaspe, shibori y sostenibilidad: un acercamiento a la tierra, la cultura y la gente a partir de los teñidos de reserva.”

The symposium is a collaborative effort between the World Shibori Network and the directors and architects of the Fundación Alfredo Harp Helú (FAHH), Jardín Etnobotánico de Oaxaca (JEOax), Museo de Textil Oaxaca (MTO), Centro de las Artes de San Agustín (CASA) and Centro Cultural San Pablo in Mexico.

The main symposium is a six-day program that includes a plenary session with keynote performances; presentation of scholarly papers; international exhibitions; short seminars; discussion forums; intensive workshops; artisan demonstrations and a Mexican artisan craft fair.