One year after the initial postponement of the 2020 International ArtScience Olympiad (IASO) amid the global COVID-19 outbreak, the IASO Organizing Committee now faces a continuously complex pandemic landscape. The rapid spread of COVID-19 variants – including the highly transmissible Delta variant, which has become dominant in over 100 countries – has posed new and severe challenges to international pandemic control. In unwavering commitment to safeguarding the life, safety, and health of all participants, and in strict adherence to global public health and epidemic prevention guidelines, the Committee has made a prudent decision following weeks of comprehensive assessment and consultations with global partners. We hereby issue the following official announcement: