The PCO - December 2022

This is Athens.

This is Athens.

The World's Leading Cultural City Destination 2022.

The World's Leading Cultural City Destination 2022.

The world is beginning to share our excitement about Athens. The Greek capital was crowned the World's Leading Cultural City Destination 2022 – our first global distinction at the World Travel Awards (WTA).

The world is beginning to share our excitement about Athens. The Greek capital was crowned the World's Leading Cultural City Destination 2022 – our first global distinction at the World Travel Awards (WTA).

In fact, Athens scored many wins during the 2022 award season. This is Athens-Convention & Visitors Bureau was recognized as Europe's Leading City Tourist Board, a culmination of the city’s upward course in the global meetings industry.

In fact, Athens scored many wins during the 2022 award season. This is Athens-Convention & Visitors Bureau was recognized as Europe's Leading City Tourist Board, a culmination of the city’s upward course in the global meetings industry.

International awards follow from investment and action, like the recent launch of “Athens: The City is the Museum” in partnership between the Greek Ministry of Tourism, the City of Athens, and Google Greece. The campaign highlights the city’s cultural

International awards follow from investment and action, like the recent launch of “Athens: The City is the Museum” in partnership between the Greek Ministry of Tourism, the City of Athens, and Google Greece. The campaign highlights the city’s cultural

identity and shows visitors how to experience Athens as a sustainable, year-round destination.

identity and shows visitors how to experience Athens as a sustainable, year-round destination.

Athens has a cultural heritage that is also a unique global heritage. Our job is to ensure it will be here for future generations. That’s why the City of Athens has a destination marketing strategy that prioritizes cultural management, accessibility and sustainability.

Athens has a cultural heritage that is also a unique global heritage. Our job is to ensure it will be here for future generations. That’s why the City of Athens has a destination marketing strategy that prioritizes cultural management, accessibility and sustainability.

Scan the QR code to visit our official website and discover the wealth of Athenian cultural experiences.

Scan the QR code to visit our official website and discover the wealth of Athenian cultural experiences.

Reach out to our team for an in-depth presentation and guidance around the city’s local tourism and meetings market.

Reach out to our team for an in-depth presentation and guidance around the city’s local tourism and meetings market.

Destination - Hamburg

President & CEO column

IAPCO Council Experiences the Best that Dubai has to Offer Net Zero Carbon Events: An industry initiative to address climate change IAPCO at IBTM World Barcelona 12 Simple Sustainability Swaps

Destination - Japan European Congress of Pathology – Challenges and Opportunities of a Hybrid Congress The Earth is Exclaiming and the World Leaders are Responding Back... How Can the Events Industry Leave a Sustainable Legacy?

EUROASIA22, a success story. A case study for organising a successful Congress in difficult times

ECCV Client Story

Destination - Rwanda Members' News

Destination - Dubai Our Partners

Editor: Nadeem Ahmad / Design: jo-harrison.co.uk

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Sustainability: Where are we now and where do we need to be?

There is no doubt that the events and meetings industry has a significant impact on the environment - from the resources used to produce events to the waste generated during and after. Moreover, delegates and organisers travelling to attend the events worldwide contributes to CO2 emissions.

The industry, as it stands, is not a very sustainable one. There is so much that we can do for our planet and the next generation who will inherit it. Sustainability must be an increasingly important issue. Our industry has been talking about this burning issue for a long time. The pressing need affected by the impact of climate change means we need to see more practical actions sooner. It is time to “walk the talk”.

I should add that sustainability is not only about climate change. United Nations has identified 17 Sustainable Development Goals which include quality education, gender equality, inclusiveness, diversity, and affordable clean energy to name a few.

The events industry through its scope, reach and impact has the responsibility to raise awareness about sustainability goals by incorporating educational elements into their events. This can include showcasing sustainable products and services, hosting workshops and presentations on sustainability, and recognizing and rewarding attendees who take steps to reduce their environmental impact. If we all work together –all industry stakeholders - we can gain better results.

This edition of The PCO focuses on sustainability with insightful contributions from our members in the form of case studies and ideas on the topic. I hope you will be inspired by reading it and join us in our efforts to create a better, sustainable world.

As the microscope continues to be focussed on issues of environmental sustainability and what the meetings and events industry can do to address, not only net zero events but also regenerative meetings, we have seen great strides being taken by many with the likes of the JMIC Net Zero Carbon Events initiative, which IAPCO supports and endorses.

Such initiatives and commitments will continue to drive innovation and creative thinking when PCOs and the meetings industry supply chain collaborate to deliver events for their clients. Acknowledging the purpose of why people gather at business and professional events must be clearly understood and communicated as we continue to discuss both the sustainability and value of our industry.

There are, without doubt, contributions and innovative models and practices that PCOs can directly influence positively, however, other industries like transportation providers must continue to push innovation and technology to create more environmentally sustainable options.

I was very intrigued to read earlier this month about the innovation coming from the airline industry and manufacturers. Aerospace giant, Rolls Royce, recently announced the successful ground test of a jet engine that uses hydrogen produced from tidal and wind power. With hydrogen engines producing near-zero trace amounts of CO2, this could be a game-changer for global travel and our meetings and events industry, if and when such a technology can be implemented on a grand scale.

At IAPCO, we encourage our entire industry to continue discussions and testing innovative solutions that provide purposeful outcomes and support net zero targets and I hope you will enjoy reading about some of the great initiatives from our community in this edition of The PCO.

IAPCO Launches a Global Meetings Industry Wellbeing and Connection Survey

IAPCO and the 14 National PCO Association members of the IAPCO Strategic Association Task Force have combined forces to create a team of academic and scientific researchers, a first of its kind in our global congress and events industry, to gather data on employee and team member wellbeing and feelings towards work, connections to others and perceived belonging to the meetings industry.

The research team is backed by academics at The Manchester Metropolitan University in the UK and expert social scientists from across the globe.

This unique research team, not seen before in our industry, combines specialised experience and training in adult mental health, team dynamics and academic research.

This is a milestone project that ties into IAPCO's ongoing support for talent in the global meetings industry and will drive a better understanding of what we all can do to generate a greater sense of belonging within the workforce and in turn, help to shape the recruitment and retention of talent for years to come.

the wider global meetings and events industry.

"We have heard how workplace and team dynamics have shifted over the past couple of years as people returned to offices and to delivering in-person events, but we are lacking significant and accurate data on it from a global perspective. Without such data and specialist analysis of the data, we cannot begin to provide solutions.

"The analysis of responses gathered from the survey will not only help to form a clearer picture of factors influencing our workforce and what they are looking for from their employers and connections, but it will also, more importantly, help IAPCO and others in the industry to create educational, personal and professional programmes to support workforce development globally."

Why should you take part?

Your responses will not only help to form a clearer picture of factors influencing our workforce but will, importantly, help IAPCO and others to create educational, personal and professional programmes that support workforce development globally.

Martin Boyle, CEO of IAPCO stated: "This team of researchers and academics has been in the making for several months and is a result of sentiments relayed to IAPCO to carry out such study both from the IAPCO member community and also from

Take the Survey

mmu.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9nx3j1GsfikDH8i

The survey will close at 0900 hours GMT on 23 December

IAPCO aims to publish the results of the survey in Q1 2023.

IAPCO Council Experiences the Best that Dubai has to Offer

The International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO) Council met with stakeholders from the business events sector in Dubai on the 3rd of November 2022 to discuss the professional and business events landscape today and what it will look like in future as part of the Council's 4-day Dubai meeting and strategy workshop programme.

Dubai has hosted some of the most influential professional conference organisers on the planet, and the IAPCO Council meeting at 25 Hours Hotel and World Trade Centre was another occasion to bring together prominent professionals from the industry.

Securing professional and business events are deemed a critical driver in the region’s economic recovery post-Covid and are one of the key strategic priorities of the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET).

Steen Jakobsen, Associate Vice President of Dubai Business Events, the city’s official convention bureau and part of DET, said: “As part of the collaborative approach we have always taken with the global meetings and events industry, our partnership with IAPCO has been a vital one, and we have been delighted to build on this by hosting the IAPCO Council in Dubai. Our stakeholders from across the city have had an invaluable opportunity to gain insights into global trends and priorities for the sector, and also to network with industry leaders. The continued growth of the business events sector is a priority for Dubai, and we look forward to continuing to partner with IAPCO to strengthen our expertise and capabilities in the city.”

The busy 4-day programme saw IAPCO Council members meet in a closed-door Council Meeting, presentations and roundtable discussions with local stakeholders and partners and experiencing the many varied and international attractions on offer to delegates in Dubai.

Ori Lahav, IAPCO President commented: “The economic impact and social legacy that results from people gathering for business and professional events can never be underestimated. Our members delivered over 21,000 meetings and events worth over €13.5 billion in economic impact in the cities they worked in in 2019, and although the Covid Pandemic hampered this considerably last year, commercial and delegate support continued extremely strong with almost 12,000 events organised. It’s important for IAPCO and our members to collaborate closely with destination stakeholders to ensure this remains a fundamental driver in the years to come. All of our attending Council members are delighted to have experienced, first-hand, what Dubai can offer to their clients, whilst connecting with one another and sharing experiences and insights.”

The economic impact and social legacy that results from people gathering for business and professional events can never be underestimated

Net Zero Carbon Events: An industry initiative to address climate change

Sustainable development has long been a focus of the events industry. We know that our customers and other stakeholders – including governments – are increasingly concerned about carbon impacts, not just from an industry perspective but as a critical factor in shaping our overall global prospects.

The Joint Meetings Industry Council (JMIC) hosts the Net Zero Carbon Events (NZCE) – to connect the events industry globally to the rapidly growing movement towards net zero by 2050.In November 2021, world leaders met in Glasgow, Scotland at COP26 to present how their countries will achieve a 50% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030 to deliver on the Paris Agreement. At this meeting, the Net Zero Carbon Events Pledge was launched with over 100 first signatories, setting out the events industry’s commitment to play its role in addressing climate change.

IAPCO is part of JMIC and is one of more than 300 signatories in support of the NZCE initiative.

The NZCE initiative provides an opportunity to demonstrate a positive action plan for addressing this global concern while at the same time acting in solidarity with some of our most important client communities in an area of long-term, mutual interest.

This initiative aims to link all stakeholders in the corporate, professional, academic and destination communities worldwide that have also committed to engagement in what is one of the biggest collective challenges we all face today, and to invite those that have not done so yet to join.

As a complex network of many organisations around the world, it is important that the whole events industry is represented in the drafting of the commitment and development of the initiative.

All companies in the events industry are invited to participate in the initiative. Operators and Supporting Associations will become signatories of the Pledge, whereas Partners because they do not actively deliver events, will join as supporters. Find more information and join at: netzerocarbonevents.org

Net Zero and the Events Industry

Net Zero refers to a balance between man-made greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and their removal from the atmosphere. To achieve this balance, GHG emissions must be reduced and the non-avoided ones must be compensated or “neutralized” through the use of long-term carbon capture solutions. The events industry is a complex network of stakeholders including companies who are directly involved in delivering events, such as venues, event organisers, exhibitors and their suppliers who provide food and beverage, onsite equipment and signage, among other things. In addition, many events include the requirement for visitors and exhibitors to travel to and stay at a location.

Addressing the carbon emissions across the whole value chain is complicated and challenging, and many elements of an event (such as transportation and hotel stays) are not directly under the control of those putting on an event. Therefore, quantifying the impact and defining responsibilities need to underpin any ambition for the events industry to become net zero.

In addition, many companies from the event industry have already implemented strong strategies to reduce their carbon emissions and the solutions often rely on the reality of each local environment and the size of the organization. This initiative recognises these challenges and through its collaborative nature will seek to drive alignment across the different players so that a common roadmap can be developed.

Pictures from IAPCO's participation at IBTM World in Barcelona - the annual gathering of events and meeting professional from around the world.

IAPCO team had busy 3 days at the exhibition, meeting lots of new people and catching up with the familiar friendly bunch from the IAPCO community.

12 Simple Sustainability Swaps

Event professionals have made great strides towards sustainability in recent years. Regardless of whether you are starting out on the sustainability journey or already producing carbon neutral events, your next meeting can be more eco-friendly with many simple swaps.

1. Hard copy posters >> digital poster terminals

Use digital screens to show a library of research posters instead of a hall filled with printed posters. One terminal could save hundreds of posters from being printed and thrown in the bin at the conclusion of the event. If digital is not feasible, consider printing posters on recycled paper with environmentally friendly ink.

2. Printed programs >> a mobile app

A mobile app is a great solution providing all the event information in one accessible location for attendees. A mobile app not only saves the environment but has so much more functionality. Instantly find program information, view papers, contact attendees and make live updates to your program.

3. All-inclusive registration >> opt-in options

Give attendees the option when registering for a conference or event, to select if they want a printed program and satchel included. Not only do you reduce waste but those who require one will use it.

4. International >> local suppliers

Support local and small businesses who use local sustainable products and even organic produce. Local suppliers also travel less miles, reducing their carbon footprint.

5. Branded satchels >> online library

Reduce waste and carbon emissions by swapping branded bags for an online resource library. Contents that normally go into the bag can be available online. This eliminates waste but also the paper and production to produce the materials. Display a QR code on digital signage at the event to communicate how to access the information.

6. Plastic name badge pockets >> durable name badge paper

Multiple suppliers have recently emerged offering alternatives to plastic pockets and lanyards. Use recycled cardboard or paper that can be repurposed. Consider seeded paper where attendees can plant their used name badge after the event. By adding water they can watch their name badge come to life with herbs or a tree.

7. Meat focused catering >> plant-based catering

Meat products have a larger carbon footprint over vegetarian and plant-based food. Consider a vegetarian morning tea, lunch or dinners and make sure the venue has a food waste program.

8. In-person planning meetings >> online meetings

Save emissions by reducing the number of in-person planning meetings and replace with online meetings. This reduces transport costs, additional power in a large space and negates the provision of food catering costs and waste.

9. Plugin charging stations >> people-powered charging stations

Add a fun element to your event with a pedal powered charging station for attendees to charge their mobile devices. More and more suppliers are coming up with fun and unique ways for sustainability at events and it is worth asking local suppliers what they can provide.

10. One-use exhibition MDF board >> reusable board

Use a stand builder who offers a recycled board and signage option. Avoid polystyrene, single-use plastics, polyester carpets and use energy efficient lighting and non-PVC vinyls.

11. In-person international speakers >> virtual speakers

Save carbon emissions, time and money by allowing international speakers to present virtually instead of attending in person. By removing flights, accommodation, travel and meals, you reduce the event’s carbon footprint significantly. If budget allows, you can also consider global speakers as holograms to create an impact.

12. Gifting VIPs with bottled wine >> donations

Donate to a local charity or community organisation that is giving back to the environment as a VIP gift. Some ideas include a tree planted in their name or purchase carbon credits for a rainforest restoration or clean energy project.

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) consist of many issues that developed countries, including Japan, should take the lead in addressing. These include global warming, biodiversity, sustainable urban development, employment and economic growth, and clean energy. In order to ensure that the MICE industry, which brings local employment and generates economic ripple effects, has a long-lasting positive impact, the efforts of local governments and businesses involved in MICE are crucial. The following are some examples of Japan’s pioneering cities.

1 World Expo 2025 in Osaka and the SDGs

World Expo 2025 will be held in Osaka. Also known as the SDG Expo, this event establishes a platform for the achievement of the SDGs and shares issues and solutions from around the world. The hosting of the Osaka Expo has also provided an opportunity to raise awareness and commitment to the SDGs in Japan. As MICE organizers increasingly demand sustainability from their events, the SDGs for MICE Sustainable Event Evaluation System has been launched by the Osaka Convention & Visitors Bureau as the first evaluation system and guide of its kind in Japan. This system is focused on “visualisation of efforts and results” and “support system by advisors”. This certification system enables organizers to show that their MICE events have addressed the SDGs.

2 Sustainable MICE Facilities in Yokohama

Yokohama is one of the top hosting facilities of international conferences in Japan and aims to be Asia's No. 1 sustainable MICE facility. For example, rainwater collected on the roof of the exhibition hall is used to conserve water. The accumulated rainwater is used as cooling water for private generators and as drainage water for the toilets in the conference center, significantly reducing water consumption. In addition, electricity generated from the incineration of industrial waste generated at the associated incinerator is reused to power the neighbouring Rinko Park. Organizers who wish to do so are provided with a waste report that enables them to understand recycling rates, increase or decrease in waste volume, etc. So far PACIFICO Yokohama has achieved a 93% recycling rate, the highest among MICE facilities, as well as an overall reduction in waste.

3 Hokkaido, Coexistence with Mother Nature

The city of Sapporo, located in western Hokkaido, was one of the early adopters of the GDS-Index framework and has been working on sustainability measures for many years. Thanks to the high snow fall in winter, the city uses snow and ice melt to reduce its CO2 emissions. An example of this can be found at the Glass Pyramid in Moerenuma Park, a unique venue in Sapporo. Snow is stored in a warehouse on site in the winter, and from June to September, the cold water from the snow is used to cool the glass-walled atrium area using a heat exchange cold water circulation system. In 2023, the Adventure Travel World Summit, the world's largest business meeting for experiential tourism, will be held in Hokkaido. It is expected to provide a great opportunity to present Hokkaido's natural, culinary, cultural and adventure tourism attractions to the rest of the world.

4 Kitakyushu, Rebirth from its Past Kitakyushu has transformed itself from one of Japan’s leading heavy industrial cities to a “Green Growth City”. Industry, academic institutions, government, and citizens have been working together to overcome pollution-related issues. This experience became the driving force for Kitakyushu's later promotion of the Future Environmental City, including international environmental cooperation, and for the creation of a city advanced in the SDGs. Kitakyushu was recognized by the OECD as the first model city in Asia for urban green growth, and its efforts have been highly acclaimed both in Japan and abroad. Kitakyushu is now promoting its industry as a comprehensive supply base for a variety of renewable energies, including wind power, mega solar, and biomass power generation.

European Congress of Pathology – Challenges and Opportunities of a Hybrid Congress

The European Congress of Pathology (ECP) is becoming more successful every year.

For CPO HANSER SERVICE

it is a pleasure to cooperate with the European Society of Pathology (ESP) to embark on new ventures. After two years of living with the pandemic and two successful virtual congresses, the ECP finally took place on-site again this year. Although a significant amount of the congress was offered in presence, a large chunk was also made available in hybrid format.

need to be found to cover the sometimes extremely long congress days. Additionally, qualified technicians are difficult to hire at short notice.

During the four days of the congress, CPO HANSER SERVICE streamed 177 live sessions in 5 halls and performed recordings in the remaining 4 session halls. All speakers were required to be on-site, with pre-recordings being organized in case of last-minute unavailability.

Even with hybrid congresses, speakers should definitely be onsite, as this allows for a consistent image and smoother execution, as well as avoids additional costs. “Hybrid” should be defined clearly: Hybrid, but only for participants.

The information that the ECP would also be taking place in a hybrid format was announced at relatively short notice to ensure that most participants would be on-site.

Prior to the congress, the maximum costs of the hybrid component were calculated and analyzed accordingly to figure out how these could be counter-financed. Ideally, all expenses should be self-supporting, but these tend to be very high. This results in congress organizers having to determined what extent live sessions and recordings can be included.

The pandemic has caused many changes – some within the job market – which CPO HANSER SERVICE has had to adjust to. Employees willing to work in the event industry, specifically the tech part, have become scarce and are less likely to be willing to work up to 12 hours or more. This results in hybrid congresses becoming more expensive, as creative solutions

In the end, everything worked out wonderfully and the budgeted expenses were covered by the virtual registration fees. Considerable extra sponsoring revenue from livestreamed or recorded industry sessions did not hurt in this context either....

Basel and its congress center, though on the expensive side, proved to be an excellent choice: located centrally in Europe, offering a compact venue, with professional service providers and many potential sponsors in the region.

The Earth is Exclaiming and the World Leaders are Responding Back...

Climate Change had been one of the main concerns of world leaders for decades, believe that the less we do to address climate change, the more regulations we will have in the future. It’s a storm that’s being silently prepared, causing new and threatening circumstances that all-earth creatures face daily. Since 1906, the planet is warming, from the North Pole to the South Pole and this is not the only disaster we’re facing but also the presence of extreme weather events, shifting wildlife populations and habitats and rising seas. Between 3.3 billion and 3.6 billion people, more than 40% of the world’s population, live in places and in situations that are highly vulnerable to climate change. Those billions of people receive negative impacts of natural disasters, especially for their public health. As per the “Global Climate Change - NASA” The global average surface temperature has increased by more than 1.6 degrees Fahrenheit, the arctic sea ice extent had a 13% decrease per decade, and the sea level raised 4 inches since 1993. The numbers are in a viral increase causing tons of impacts that are unavoidable anymore.

region. The COP27 is committed to supporting an inclusive, transparent and party-driven process to ensure timely and adequate action, willing to have an ambitious transformation that may serve the climate change disaster and lessen its impact. In this year’s November, Sharm Elsheikh will witness this outstanding gathering, with a view to building on previous successes and paving the way for future resolutions and solutions and taking urgent actions to address the climate crisis and to strengthen the implementation of response for a resilient planet. It’s a golden opportunity for all stakeholders to rise to the occasion and tackle effectively the global challenge of climate change.

“The Egyptian Government recognizes the huge responsibility of organizing a successful 2022 UN climate conference (COP27)] Conference,” said Dr Samir Tantawy, a climate change expert at the United Nations Development Program.

This year's international gathering aims to establish legally binding commitments for developed countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, such as adaptation and climate finance. This change is created to move from the negotiations and planning phase to an implementation one seeking to accelerate the global climate action, creating a work program for mitigation, enhancing global action on Adaptation, making significant progress on the crucial issue of climate finance, and finally facilitating agreements and negations for wider collaborations. All of that shall happen for the African Continent in particular and developing countries in general. Egypt had been taking viral steps towards solving climate change through other initiatives, it launched the “Live Green Initiative”, also setting up a parallel action plan through cooperation protocols with “Egypt’s Orthodox Church” and “AlAzhar Institution” to participate in raising awareness of climate change impacts. As well as preserving marine life at COP 27 to link climate change and biological diversity. And one of the most important steps is that Egypt signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the “Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency” (EEAA), “the Industrial Modernization Center” (IMC) and the “Association for a sustainable quality of living” (Estidama) to give an award on fight the impacts of climate change in Africa.

And as a response back to the climate change issue, “The United Nations Climate Change Conference” in its 27th edition will be held this year in Egypt, representing the whole African

“Egypt launched an initiative to get rid of single-use plastic bags 3 years ago, and the state aims to reduce the use of plastic bags from 700 to 50 plastic bags per capita annually by 2025" said Ali Abu Sena CEO of Egypt’s Environmental Affairs Agency.

Between 3.3 billion and 3.6 billion people, more than 40% of the world’s population, live in places and in situations that are highly vulnerable to climate change.

And as a leading business provider through consecutive 24+ years, ICOM Group totally supports COP27 and the whole region and looking forward for a changing point due to this meet-up, giving all the trust in the leaders working on this event and wishing for a successful version. On another hand, ICOM Group had made a shift in its strategy as a response to the environment and the climate change crisis. For the sake of a better environment, ICOM since 2020 had an 80% increase in its hybrid templates and an average of 40% in its virtual ones! Running an event online is undeniably greener and more sustainable than any in a physical venue, the environmental benefits of hosting online events are extremely effective as only business events generate more than $1.07 trillion in waste globally. In addition to applying the virtual strategy to ICOM meetings, almost 95% of the internal and external

student” initiative, jointly with Rotary. We believe that we need to give back to the community and the world as a whole, so we donated 1K+ bags for less fortunate students, not only as a CSR activity but also as an activity to recycle our bags rather than turning them into a source of greenhouse gases that eventually will affect the ozone layer.

meetings happen in a virtual template as it’s an extremely effective way to lessen food waste, paper and CO2 too! Based on ZDNet innovation; Two people spending an hour on an online meeting will generate around 0.0037kg of CO2, which is the equivalent of driving only 0.01 miles. Furthermore, to avoid the greenhouse gases released from plastics exposed to heat and reduce the energy used to manufacture and as we do generate tons of bags annually, we’ve decided this year to recycle the conference bags. We’ve created “A bag for each

A further step we’ve taken this year to support the climate change obstacle was in CardioAlex.22, the largest and most important educational conference specialized in the cardiology field for 20+ years that aims at gathering Cardiologists. We’ve moved most of the procedures and information needed into an online version, created generic designs for easier recycling, and raised awareness about being an environment friend to more than 6k attendees. As well as creating hundreds of eco-friendly conference bags to eliminate the need for single-use plastic bags that have proven to harm the environment. And in parallel with COP27, ICOM Group is preparing a fully integrated online awareness campaign, to increase the knowledge about eco-friendly events in the whole region.

“We have a responsibility towards mother nature, we’re obliged to save the planet by changing our perspectives, our attitudes, updating our strategies and adapting to the new

shapes of business. What we’ve achieved is not the end, it’s just the start line of our long marathon against the climate change crisis” Dr Ahmed El Shal ICOM Group Chairman.

Summing up, from a global perspective, the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events are impacting the lives and livelihoods of millions of people. Rising global average temperature and rapid global warming are causing alarming consequences for human beings and all other forms of life on earth. All of these changes are emerging as humans continue to add heat-trapping greenhouse gases to the atmosphere and continue in the reckless attitude some are having. We all need to ride on the same boat and fight the climate change disaster as the future will be either green or unfortunately, there will not be one.

We have a responsibility towards mother nature, we’re obliged to save the planet by changing our perspectives, our attitudes, updating our strategies and adapting to the new shapes of business. What we’ve achieved is not the end, it’s just the start line of our long marathon against the climate change crisis

How can the events industry leave a sustainable legacy?

The conversation on sustainability is ever-growing, and the constant news can make it easy to take a glass half empty approach to sustainability and the adoption of more sustainable practices within our industry. However, there is a lot we can remain optimistic about. Conferences and events have undergone a huge shift in the past three years, and despite the industry’s fatigue, it proves we are ready to progress and can make overnight changes to our practices. With a view of the triple-bottom line (people, planet, and profit), we can make a fitting comparison between each of these elements and the journey our industry has taken on sustainability over the past few years and forecast our future needs for progress.

The events industry has moved a long way from its profitdriven practices of the past, where a lack of consideration was made to the planet or to the people involved and our impacts on our communities whilst building serviceorientated businesses in a booming economy.

In the present day, we are in a time where the economic value in events has been established, and the focus has shifted to the planet. We are producing far less single-use materials

for our events, providing options for delegates to attend our events virtually, and there has been a real focus in the plastic-free movement. Some excellent strides have been made that has allowed for some innovative change-makers to develop solutions that provide more sustainable options, at a convenience to event organisers.

Many PCO’s have made their commitments to Net Zero, ISO certification, or even B Corp status. This is a great first step, but it seems the industry does not quite know where to go from those commitments. Change does take time, but these actions need to keep momentum and propel the industry forward at a considerable speed to counteract the vastly impactful major events we are increasingly seeing as a result

In the present day, we are in a time where the economic value in events has been established, and the focus has shifted to the planet

of climate change. Net zero will become achievable when we start looking at the bigger picture: there will always be single-use items in circulation at our events, and so we must commit to offsetting the deliverables that cannot yet be altered to a more sustainable solution.

As PCO’s, we have one of the largest platforms out there to influence behaviour change across the masses. Our events can influence the behaviours not only whilst our delegates are within the four walls of our venues, but they hold the power to transform behaviours once delegates get back home.

Our next step as event organisers, suppliers, or associations is to bring into the focus the final element of the triple bottom line: people. Having now navigated through the

experiential economy, and a huge change in how we deliver our event experiences through the pandemic, we now provide a well-rounded, human-centric approach to event processes and delivery. The UN SDG’s provide such an allencompassing overview to sustainability, comprising not only the environment and the economy, but the people, too. Look beyond the RFP and build legacy into all your events and find ways to impact not only your event’s direct stakeholders, but its community. Our role is vital to driving growth of destinations and supporting their local economy, infrastructure and community development through collaboration. The biggest legacy our event can leave is not only on the environment, but in being inclusive of our diverse communities and supporting each other and our environment, together, by bringing everyone into the conversation.

As PCO’s, we have one of the largest platforms out there to influence behaviour change across the masses

EUROASIA22, a success story.

A case study for organising a successful Congress in difficult times

The organisation of a successful congress is a hallmark event for any scientific society, showcasing the solidity of its research work and community reach. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has posed new challenges to such physical gatherings. Therefore, the EuroAsia 2022 congress recently held by ISCCM and ESICM stands out as a case study to be examined for successful medical congress organisation, from the conception of the idea to execution, and the following steps were undertaken.'

Planning

The planning for the event started in November 2021. Still, due to a second wave of COVID-19 in India, the ISCCM National Congress, Criticare, had to be postponed until early April 2022, thus affecting the planning and scheduling of the joint EuroAsia conference, which was postponed to 30 June - 3 July, 2022.

Nonetheless, three weeks after Criticare, the preliminary plan and communication resources (website, flyers) to promote EuroAsia were prepared and sent to potential delegates and industry partners.

Registration

Registration opened the last week of April.

Flyers were distributed by both courier and mail, and " key opinion leaders" in the critical care field in India were contacted: in each state, a key person was appointed as a "brand ambassador" to spearhead the dissemination of the message about EuroAsia to all interested delegates and small pharmaceutical companies that do not routinely attend a critical care conference.

In addition, the strategy of multiple paid Facebook ads helped register nearly 1/3 of delegates who were not ISCCM or ESICM members.

By the end of May 2022, we had reached the satisfactory quota of 200 registrations. Meanwhile, we had finalised the scientific sessions and educational workshops programme. These were also adequately promoted through individual flyers and the Congress website. Thanks to this latest massive

promotion, we were able to reach another 300 delegates in the run-up to the congress.

Finance

The conference was scheduled to be held in one of the best convention centres in India. The ISCCM worked to contain the budget which allowed the best use of the time and space available to organise other ISCCM meetings such as the Toxicology Conclave, the Fellow Conclave and the Teachers Conclave.

This solution also encouraged more ISCCM members to take advantage of the added benefit of EuroAsia's simultaneous presence.

New knowledge partners

We had to look for new knowledge partners in the form of industries contributing with educational grants. While smallscale industry partners have contributed unconditionally in their capacity, some of the companies that operate in the chronic medicine sector provided unrestricted educational grants due to efforts made by our ambassadors.

Networking

Networking has played a valuable role in this conference. Social media, emails and personal phone calls were utilised for the expected delegates. But the most effective resource were the “Brand Ambassadors’’ who worked hard to get interested and enthusiastic people on board for a successful congress.

Workshop

Our workshops were designed in an interactive and informative way. All the senior faculties were constantly available to address the queries of the delegates.

Academics sessions

During the academic sessions, original research works were presented by keynote speakers. In addition, case-based panel discussions from Indian faculties have triggered immense interest, and we did witness highly interactive participation from the audience. After each session, ample time was given

to the delegates to discuss their ideas. For example, how to apply/implement the available research evidence into different healthcare systems across the globe with diverse challenges and country economics.

Research vs experience sharing

EuroAsia 2022 was the perfect amalgamation of original research and experience sharing. While the European counterparts delivered their best of the ‘’evidence’’, the Indian partners shared their ‘experience’, and on most occasions, there was concurrence among them.

A further confirmation of ESICM and ISCCM's common basis for validating research on bedside medicine.

Breaking the barriers

It was the first time the international faculty, the Indian faculty and delegates interacted freely at breakfast, lunch, dinner after and even during the academic sessions. In the future, interaction and mingling of senior faculty and delegates should be made possible at every juncture.

Brand ambassadors

The concept of brand ambassadors proved to be a winning move. We tapped into like-minded people who wanted to support the conference, while at the same time making them feel a part of the conference itself, motivated to contribute immensely with their efforts. This paid off and we were happy to recognise their efforts.

Venue

The venue proved to be an excellent choice. Close to the airport, it had a large single hall capable of accommodating up to 1400 delegates and 10 different small rooms with seating for up to 50 delegates and ample space for interaction during lunch and dinner.

All delegates appeared satisfied with the smooth running of the sessions and the excellent hospitality provided by the ISCCM and ESICM. The ‘feel-good’ factor was tremendous for everyone.

Time management

Time management and on-time sessions at any conference are the key to success and the most important denominator of success. We managed to keep 100% of sessions on time, from

morning to late evening, and each participant had plenty of time to share their views.

Quality parameters for a successful congress – may consider number of delegates

Ser N Quality Parameters

Points

Session time - on time +2 2

1

Session time - Delayed / out of time -2 for 30 minutes and add -1 to each 30 minutes delay 3

Topic selection - as per audience +1 4

Topic selection out of sink -2 5 Faculty - original researcher +2 6 Faculty - clinician with practical experience +1 7 Quality of talk to convince the audience +1 8 Venue - accessibility & comfort +1 9

Audio - Visual quality & clarity -good +1 10

Audio - Visual quality & clarity -bad -2 11

Signage, direction & help +1 12

Food, beverage & hospitality -2 to +2 13

Number of delegates and their satisfaction <50% satisfied +1, 50-70% +2, 7090%+3, >90%+4

SCORE : -9 to 0 - Bad , 1-5 Satisfactory , 5-9 good , 10-14 – very good, >15 excellent.

Conclusion

Organising a successful Congress has always proved challenging, especially in the current scenario. We have to rely on the intelligent management of available funds, paid registration from interested delegates, non-pharmaceutical educational grants, engagement of manufacturers and getting on board non-pharmaceutical stakeholders.

Some quality indicators must be kept in mind, such as intime sessions, original talks by original researchers, good presentation quality, practical clinical tips provided, good hospitality, comfortable venue, and ample time to interact. In addition, thorough and adaptable planning will prepare us to face unexpected challenges when organising future congresses.

Our Conference Partners:

ECCV Client Story

The European Conference on Computer Vision 2022:

The European Computer Vision Association (ECVA) chose sunny Tel Aviv as its destination for the 2022 European Conference on Computer Vision (ECCV), bringing internationals from over 76 countries to Israel for the most important European conference on computer vision technology and science. Over 6,000 researchers, scientists, and so forth were granted the opportunity to meet other industry experts to discuss the future of computer vision, AI, machine learning, and more.

The Challenge:

Organizing such a complex conference in Israel is a big challenge from many aspects, but during the time we were operating, we faced even more significant challenges than expected. Israel is a small country, and its conference and hospitality capabilities might be unfamiliar. The entrance to Israel requires visa confirmation to quit a few nationalities. An event this significant in scope and scale required efficient collaboration between four organizations simultaneously: ECVA, ECCV, Tel Aviv University, and Tel Aviv CVB. Managing an intricate program with multiple sessions – workshops, tutorials, poster presentations, demos, and more- required different handling. And on top of that and out of the blue, COVID-19 broke out, shaking our whole universe and leaving us facing dilemmas, such as postponing the original conference date and uncertainty about the number of attending participants. Additionally, we had to devise a solution for those wishing to join the conference from afar by establishing a virtual platform.

The Solution:

First and foremost, during times of uncertainty, it was essential for us to provide our clients with peace of mind that we were here! We connected closely with the international organizing committee, making it clear that we are always on standby for the opportunity to bring the project back to life. Finally, when the pandemic showed signs of regression, we

quickly set a new date for the conference and were ready to jump in! We held periodical meetings with the various committees, diving into the bits and bytes in every aspect to provide the best solution we could offer between suppliers and venues. We were receptive to our clients with anything and everything – from small details to significant changes. Obtaining friendly and transparent communication between all external parties kept us focused on investing time to learn the conference components and needs. We provided innovative solutions and a high-standard interactive virtual platform and invested time and energy to personally conduct long meetings with venues and suppliers/vendors, giving the utmost attention to everything up until the last moment. Managing such a massive number of internationals would have been impossible without our dedicated team, which provided 24/7 service to all attendees. We assisted with almost 400 visa requests, initiated contact with attendees who might have difficulties due to unfamiliarity with the conference destination, and offered assistance in booking flights, accommodations, transfers, and even tours. We were attentive and happy to provide every question with an answer within 24 hours. We also provided constant updates on the conference's Twitter account, updating our followers with every service and assistance we offer.

To provide attendees with the ultimate Tel Aviv experience, we negotiated the best prices with a wide variety of accommodations throughout Tel Aviv, ranging in price and star rating, knowing the importance of a perfect hospitality experience. Hotels were chosen with a particular emphasis on proximity to the cities' hot spots, restaurants, shopping areas, beaches, and other attractions.

For maximum comfort, we provided about 50 shuttles daily to and from the conference venue to the different parts of Tel Aviv so that our guests could stress less and spend more time enjoying the city.

Nothing was left to chance, and no stone was left unturned!

Outcomes:

ECCV 2022 TLV was a major success! Participants from all over the globe were thrilled for the opportunity to visit Israel (some for the first time) and see that our charming country was way beyond their expectations. It was an incredible collaboration with the Tel Aviv CVB, leading to over 300 group tours around Israel and over 450 hotel rooms booked in Tel Aviv. We worked tirelessly with 20+ suppliers/vendors, each bringing something unique to the table, ensuring that this would be a conference to remember. Even our lunch supply was in abundance, so we donated what was left to a nongovernmental organization that helps people in need.

Ortra managed 60 workshops, 13 tutorials, two tracks of in-person presentations (virtual presentations were accessed via the platform), two exceptional keynote speakers, two mentoring events (a brand-new component for ECCV), six demo sessions held within the exhibition, hundreds of poster presentations and one industry track –all as a part of ECCV’s extensive program. In parallel to the conference, a comprehensive professional exhibition was held with leading companies such as META AI, GM, Mobileye, Applied Materials, BOSCH, Google, HUAWEI, AMAZON, Hailo, Samsung, Snapchat, Baidu, Apple, GPU Hub, WSC sport, Dataloop, Weights & Biases, Telus International, Clear ML, 3dMD, iMerit, scale, RAFAEL, and more.

ECCV gathered an astounding amount of diversity, with attendees from over 76 countries, bestowing participants with valuable insights, perspectives, and experiences. We made it a top priority to guarantee that all voices were heard and that everyone felt welcome regardless of their identity.

As event planners, we know that the best way to open a conference is to host a welcome reception party – and we indeed went all out for ECCV! Our welcome reception event at the historic Tel Aviv Port entertained over 1,800 attendees who danced the night away along the Mediterranean Coast. We were joined by the Israeli Minister of Tourism, who came to this memorable gathering to welcome everyone to our city personally. The crowd was partying all night long! Many attendees also shared that it was the best party in ECCV history!

Client Testimonial:

An abundance of praise from participants was received throughout the week-long event, including numerous posts on social media comparing ECCV2022 to previous conferences and highlighting the striking difference in the organization's quality. The organizing committee was pleased to receive many positive and enthusiastic reactions complementing the conference content and organization. These comments are due to Ortra’s advanced level of care, determination, diligence, and attention across the board.

Meet In

Remarkable Rwanda

to

host

the Green Climate Fund

At the 27th United Nations Climate Change conference, COP 27 in Cairo, Rwanda was announced as the host of the 35th Meeting of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) Board in July 2023.

The Green Climate Fund is the world’s largest climate fund, mandated to support developing countries to raise and realise their climate action plans towards low-emission, climate-resilient development.

Participants include observers from civil society, the private sector, Nationally Designated Authorities and Accredited Entities to the GCF as well as board members are expected to attend the meeting in Kigali. Attendees will have the opportunity to witness first-hand Rwanda’s efforts to address climate change, through projects funded by Green Climate Fund.

For more information, visit; https://rcb.rw/35th-Meetings-of-the-Green-Climate-Fund-GCF

info@rcb.rw

www.rcb.rw

OIC

The partnership between OIC Group and Federcongressi&eventi was revealed as the winner of the International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO) Driving Excellence Collaboration Award 2022 at the presentation ceremony held at the Meetings Leadership Network at IBTM World on Monday, 28 November 2022 in Barcelona, Spain.

The Progetto Mentore initiative, which began in 2010 from the Federcongressi&eventi Learning Center and was supported for the third consecutive year by OIC Group, reflects the strategic objectives of focus on professional development, training and mentoring of young talents that are taking their first steps in the meeting industry. The initiative was created to give practical, concrete training, and every year the project offers young participants the opportunity to develop and enrich their know-how, not just from a theoretical point of view, but also with the requisite practical know-how.

The 20 selected students, from master’s and degree programmes from the main Italian universities, were given the opportunity to liaise with the leading figures from the meetings industry through focused meetings which centred around practical learning and coaching topics. The meetings took place in person during the Federcongressi&eventi Convention, and also online through a series of online meetings.

The objective was to establish a relationship between the students and meetings industry professionals, which on the one side can offer a knowledge enrichment pathway for professional development and training to prepare the future leaders of the sector, and on the other hand to understand the motivation and ideas to drive forward the new generation.

The focused meeting sessions were centred around relatable topics of a typical working day in the event sector, focussed on themes such as personal branding, project management and

strategies for creating value for the client.

The main motivation of the Progetto Mentore initiative was to give concrete answers to the student’s doubts, questions and queries.

“The research and continuous training of talents are two key elements of the strategy and positioning of OIC Group,” said OIC Group CEO, Nicola Testai. “For me, this project represents the pleasure of contributing to shaping the future: accompanying the next leaders of this industry on a path of knowledge and personal enrichment but at the same time better understanding – thanks to these meetings – the needs and stimuli that can come from a new generation of talents.”

"Giving value to the new generation’s personal development that wants to enter the meeting industry sector is an important objective for Federcongressi&eventi in a perspective of growth and overall growth of our sector. Progetto Mentore is surely one of the key projects from this point of view, and this recognition makes us very happy”, comments Gabriella Gentile, President of Federcongressi&eventi. Continued overleaf

Group and Federcongressi&eventi win the prestigious IAPCO ‘Collaboration' Award

IAPCO President Ori Lahav handed out the award to Nicola Testai and commented on the OIC Group and Federcongressi&eventi’s collaboration: “The IAPCO Collaboration Award celebrates partnerships that brings excellence to the meetings industry. It highlights the importance of effective relationships and recognises the achievement of organisations that join together to achieve a shared goal.

“The Progetto Mentore initiative tackles the most burning issue in our industry - attracting new talent. Connecting students with managers and executives from key companies and associations help to develop their theoretical knowledge into practical application. Thereby, bridging the gap between academic theory and industry practice and helping to prepare the next generation of leaders in our industry.”

This is the 10th year of IBTM supporting the Collaboration Award which is part of a trio of Driving Excellence Awards created by IAPCO to recognise excellence within the IAPCO member community.

Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (APMCDRR)

After a Covid-19-induced pandemic hiatus of 3 years, Conference Interpreter Services, (CIS) was privileged to win the provision of language and accessibility interpreting service at the Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction, held from 18 - 22 September 2022 at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre. APMCDRR was presented by the United Nations Office of Disaster or Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and hosted by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) Australian Government.

Dr Yvonne Hu, Managing Director of CIS, headed a large contingent of language professionals who provided simultaneous interpreting service covering English, French and Mandarin as well as Auslan and International Sign languages at APMCDRR in 3 streams/parallel sessions in addition to the plenaries and opening and closing ceremonies.

Nominated by IAPCO members, IAPCO Driving Excellence Awards are presented annually and have long been coveted by those who seek acknowledgement for their quality and contribution to the meetings industry by IAPCO.

The IAPCO Collaboration Award celebrates solid and dependable partnerships that seek to deliver excellence.

APMCDRR is the largest and most significant international conference held in Australia since 2019. It was attended by over 3500 delegates of which 2500 attended in person at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre. Official Ministerial delegations from 36 countries attended, as did 12 Australian Ministers.

Following the successful conclusion of the Conference, Brisbane-based PCO, Carillon Conference Management Proprietor and Director, Client Relations, Ashley Gordon, wrote to me:

“Please accept our sincere thanks for so efficiently organising and managing the interpretation of all major sessions into French and Mandarin as well as AUSLAN and ISL sign languages. This was a major undertaking, and we were pleased to have someone of your calibre in charge of language services at the Conference.

“We understand this was the very first conference in Australia to offer AUSLAN and ISL and thank you for making this possible.”

AFEA has been awarded with the Silver EcoVadis Medal for its CSR and sustainability practices

AFEA received the Silver EcoVadis Medal from EcoVadis for its Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility Strategy and performance, and as a result is ranked among the top 25% of companies from all sectors worldwide assessed by Ecovadis for their responsible business practices. To celebrate the completion of the assessment, EcoVadis will be planting a tree on behalf of AFEA through the organizations’ partnership with One Tree Planted.

Throughout the period 2020 - 2022, AFEA designed, developed and implemented an integrated Sustainability & Corporate Social Responsibility strategy, with the aim to identify and manage issues related to relevant practices. The results

Roslyn McLeod Awarded ICCA Honorary Membership

Roslyn McLeod OAM, Founder of Australasian Professional Conference Organisation Arinex, has been presented with an Honorary Membership of the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA).

The prestigious global award was announced at the 61st ICCA Congress in Krakow, Poland.

Presenting the Honorary Membership to Roslyn and another highly regarded industry leader, Christian Mutschlechner, ICCA President James Rees said the status is reserved for a small number of retired individuals who have given particularly strong service to the association.

“Usually, they have served on the Board, often for extensive lengths of time; always they have volunteered their expertise, time and energy; sometimes they have contributed vital strategic insights that have helped guide our association forward,” Mr Rees said.

of AFEA's intensive efforts in the field of Corporate Social Responsibility are significant, accredited by third-party assessment platforms such as EcoVadis.

EcoVadis is a collaborative platform enabling companies to monitor sustainable performance of their suppliers. Its methodology covers annually over 100,000 companies from 200+ sectors, 175+ countries and 21 CSR and sustainability performance areas. The system analyzes and evaluates a company’s performance over four major categories: Environment, Labor and Human rights, Ethics and Sustainable Procurement. READ MORE

“Occasionally they have played host to one of our Congresses, perhaps the most stressful responsibility a member can undertake. And always, they have been influential advocates on ICCA’s behalf and great friends of this association.”

READ MORE

Sustainability in Focus for Cultural Heritage Conference

Australasian PCO, Arinex, is working with ICOMOS Australia to deliver the General Assembly of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS GA2023) in September 2023. With a commitment social and environmental responsibility, here are seven ways Australia ICOMOS is acting on sustainability.

1. Achieving Carbon Neutrality

Australia ICOMOS aims to make GA2023 a carbon neutral event. This means that action will be taken to minimise the carbon footprint in the first place. Then, net carbon emissions caused by the event will be offset by purchasing carbon credits.

GA2023 Corporate Patron, EarthCheck – the world’s leading scientific benchmarking certification and advisory group for sustainable travel and tourism – will manage ICOMOS GA2023’s carbon neutral calculations.

Congrès Inc.'s sustainability education utilizes SDGs Game designed in Japan

Like many other fellow IAPCO members, Japan’s Congrès Inc., headquartered in Tokyo, has been proactively tackling environmental issues at meetings & events and at the facilities it operates, for many years. Now that the United Nation’s Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) have gained attention in many sectors and society in general, on a global scale, Congrès decided that the time was right to organize more in-depth workshops to enhance each employee’s sustainability knowledge, plus serve as a catalyst, as a part of the company’s 4 materiality themes (priority issues or key challenges) to promote the sustainable growth of its business and employees. NISHIMURA Ikuko, IAPCO representative and in-charge of the international convention division, commented, “Our company designed the workshop aiming to have each person think of the SDGs as an integral part of his/

Arinex – Australia ICOMOS’s event management company –is already certified carbon neutral. This will deliver significant time and cost savings in calculating the event’s overall emissions because Arinex’ carbon emissions are already offset. ICOMOS is encouraging attendees to purchase carbon offsets for their travel to and from the event, to use public transport during the event or stay at hotels within walking distance of the venue. READ MORE

On 5 and 8 September 2022, the first 2 workshops were held for employees in the Tokyo area at “Congrès Square Nihonbashi,” a meetings & events facility produced by Congrès. It is planned to have all employees, in headquarters, branch offices and those working at the facilities managed by Congrès nationwide, attend the workshop by January 2023, combining onsite and online formats. READ MORE

C-In Successfully Concluded this Year's Congress Season

Prague – C-IN organised 33 conferences and congresses this year all around the world. To our long-term clients we also realised Czech Presidency in the The Council of the European Union, within which we brought the Prague summit at the Prague Castle, some events in the Parliament diction and informal meetings and conferences of ministers at the Prague Congress Centre. Thanks to such a special and unique event as Czech Presidency we organised more than 100 conferences and congresses.

C-IN started this congress season in the end of March with smaller seminar in Popovičky near Prague. In April C-IN organised 5th International Seminar on Earthworks in Europe in the Prague Congress Centre.

In May followed 21st ESPD Annual Meeting in Munich. "We have organised ESPD for the fourth time and this year´s was such a success, that we will see the client once again next year, this time in spanish Malaga," adds project manager Alena Foltýnová.

Greek Meetings Alliance: a Groundbreaking Partnership That Will Grow the Greek MICE Industry

Τhe Hellenic Association of Professional Conference Organizers & Destination Event Specialists, Τhe Athens Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the Thessaloniki Convention Bureau join forces to support the meetings industry in Greece.

Three major stakeholders from the Greek MICE industry have joined forces to promote Greece as a destination for high-quality conferences and events. The Alliance is designed to boost the economic impact of the meetings industry by connecting the regions of Greece, creating jobs and promoting investment.

June was pretty busy for C-IN. In Denmark there was the 14th European Evaluation Society Conference. In Prague Congress Centre took place congress called Water Loss 2022. Part of the C-IN team flew to Athens, where they organised the congress of European Employment Lawyers Association (EELA). „We have organised EELA for the fourth time, from which it was twice online due to the coronavirus pandemic, we are already planning next year´s in Bucharest,“ comments project manager Karolína Tylšová. At the same time the preparations for the Czech Presidency in the Council of the European Union were at their peak. READ MORE

The new Greek Meetings Alliance will expand and amplify the long-standing informal collaboration between the largest organizations in the meetings and events sector: the Hellenic Association of Professional Conference Organizers & Destination Event Specialists (HAPCO & DES), the City of Athens/This is Athens Convention & Visitors Bureau, and the Thessaloniki Convention Bureau (TCB). READ MORE

OIC Group moving towards

24th October 2022. OIC Group strengthens its international growth, consolidating its presence in the Benelux area and relocating from their historical HQ building to offices in La Nazione building.

Starting from November 2022, OIC Group will become partner of Visit Brussels Convention & Association Bureau and will strengthen its international team with the entry of Edoardo Guglielmino, who is based in Brussels, and will cover the role of Business Development Manager.

Edoardo is originally from la Spezia, Italy, and has a degree in International Relations from the University of Genoa, which he

achieves in 2009. That same year he moves to Lyon and begins to work in the event industry, representing Italian societies at international event exhibits. In 2015 he begins working for GL events with the role of Business Developer, promoting Lyon as an international congress destination.

In the meantime, he becomes one of the founding partners of ICCA France Benelux Chapter educational committee and “interim Chair” of the 2019 summit. In that same year, Edoardo decides to enter the Visit Brussels Convention & Association Bureau team, with the objective of working closely with international associations and supporting them in organizing their events. READ MORE

The city on the Rhine has hosted numerous international congresses this autumn, including the European Congress of Pathology which was staged in the Congress Center Basel from 3 to 7 September 2022. And what was particularly gratifying was that, despite the conference being held as a hybrid event, almost 4,000 participants were welcomed in Basel in person. Basel is Switzerland’s third-biggest city and has 200,000 inhabitants and a surface area of 37 km2, it boasts a vibrant social and cultural life and has one of the world’s most productive economies. The appeal of this region lies both in its unique position at the point where three countries meet –offering direct access to all the key transport routes and the world’s oceans – and in its long tradition as a science and research location. . It is thus hardly surprising that those in charge opted for the city.

The choice also fell on Basel, however, because the Congress Center and Messe Basel are located in the heart of the city,

offering participants a high-quality stay. As Raed Al Dieri puts it: “Participants can reach the Congress Center in 5 – 10 minutes on foot or by public transport, giving us some exercise while ensuring we are environmentally-friendly at one and the same time.” Apart from an opening ceremony introducing participants to the customs of their host country, attendees benefited from no fewer than 177 live sessions. The ECP thus once again cemented its status as the most important European event within its specialist area.

Jonas Scharf, Head of MCH Venues which includes the Congress Center and Messe Basel, is also looking forward to the ECOC: “Such eminent events help us to further consolidate our position as a centre of knowledge and innovation.” Your advantages at the Congress Center and Messe Basel

When you hold an event in the Congress Center or at Messe Basel, you are booking a great deal more than just a well-equipped location. READ MORE

with a strong focus on international growth, with a new organization by relocating from their historical HQ base in Florence

In focus: record number of participants at the European Congress of Pathology in Basel

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