The 4th International Congress on Education in Botanic Gardens was held in Thiruvananthapuram, India, on 8-12 November 1999 and hosted by The Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute. The theme of the Congress was “The Power for Change – Botanic Gardens as Centres of Excellence in Education for Sustainability.”

Throughout the congress, delegates from 22 countries took the opportunity to share ideas, and resources and discuss concerns relevant to the congress themes: Education for
Sustainability, Beyond the Limits: Rural and Community Outreach, Development Education and Environmental Ethics, Teaching our Traditions, Medicinal Plants and Ethnobotany, and New Trends in Science Education.