The IIW White Paper is a booklet produced by a panel of 80 experts of the IIW, aimed at providing reader with a picture on welding and allied technologies dated 2012, but mainly focused on the challenges and direction of these technologies for the next 20 years. Statistical data on value added by welding and welding related occupation are included in the first part, while the main content is devoted to evaluating technologies, processes, materials, inspection and testing techniques, standard and codes which can potentially become state of the art in the next years. A section is also devoted to identify those changes in the industrial world that can impress a driving force to welding and allied technologies. The article is a non-exhaustive resume of the IIW White Paper, while the full document is available for free on the IIW website (www.iiwelding.org). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]