(ANSI: New York) -- The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has announced the dates for World Standards Week (WSW) 2010. The week of forums, meetings, and ceremonies will be held Sept. 21–24, at the Crowne Plaza National Airport Hotel in Arlington, Virginia.*

The WSW is an annual event where members of the standards and conformity assessment community come together in the spirit of cooperation and collaboration. A number of gatherings are scheduled for the week, including meetings of several ANSI groups and committees and ANSI’s Annual Business Meeting and Luncheon.

The 2010 ANSI Awards Banquet and Ceremony will also be held during WSW on Sept. 22 at the Sheraton National Hotel in Arlington.

“For many years, World Standards Week has provided the diverse members of the standards community with the opportunity to meet, collaborate, celebrate our successes, and plan for the future,” says S. Joe Bhatia, ANSI president and CEO. “We welcome all participants, new and returning, to this year’s event, and look forward to working with you all.”

In conjunction with WSW, the U.S. celebration of World Standards Day (WSD) will take place on Sept. 23 at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, DC.

Celebrated annually, WSD serves to raise awareness of the importance of international standardization in regard to the world economy and to promote the means in which standardization can help meet the needs of business, industry, government, and consumers worldwide. The global celebration is coordinated by the principal international standards organizations: the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

The U.S. celebration of WSD is organized annually by a planning committee consisting of representatives from across the standards and conformity assessment community. The event is co-chaired by ANSI and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) will serve as the administrating organization for 2010.

*Because this is a very busy week for events in Washington, D.C., ANSI suggests that you book your rooms as soon as possible; and ANSI has arranged a room block for WSW attendees at the Crowne Plaza National Airport Hotel, reserved for the nights of Sept. 20–23 at the rate of $229, plus tax. Click here to make your reservation online, or call the hotel directly at (800) 227-6963. In order to secure this negotiated rate, all guests must mention “ANSI World Standards Week.” All reservations must be made by Aug. 14.

More details on WSW and WSD, including a full schedule of events, registration information, agendas, and accommodations, will be posted to ANSI’s meetings and events page as they become available.