Destination - Rwanda

DESTINATION RWANDA - FIGO

CONNECTION CO-ORDINATION: MANAGING AN INTERNATIONAL HYBRID EVENT DURING THE PANDEMIC

Local PCO: SRC Agency Rwanda

SRC Agency Rwanda was the local PCO that worked with FIGO and ICS to make the congress a success. The event, initially scheduled for June 2019, was postponed and re-modelled into a hybrid congress with a hub in Kigali. This was the first hybrid conference for FIGO.

How were the cultural aspects and touches added into the event experience for both online and in-person guests of the Congress? Being a hybrid event it was important for virtual delegates to get a true feel of Rwanda’s culture. The live streamed Opening Ceremony was the highpoint of the Congress, with traditional Rwandan décor, including the mesmerizing traditional Rwanda Dancers.

How did Rwanda showcase itself as a destination throughout the Congress? The iconic Kigali Convention Centre is a replica of the former traditional King’s Palace and was the backdrop for the website landing page. Onsite décor was typically Rwandan and hostesses were dressed in Rwandan attire known as Mushanana. H.E. First Lady Jeannette Kagame was the Guest of Honour at

the Opening Ceremony and, within the programme, some of the keynote speakers were Rwandan professionals in the field of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

As many delegates would normally travel to a destination for a meeting, how has the perspective changed or expanded with a hybrid event? Delegates would still want to experience the destination and the challenge for event organisers would be to design “visual” and “sound” virtual experiences for the delegates. Organisers now have to develop TV production skills to bring to life this element of events. The event has to be seen as a TV production. Now that’s a challenge!

Feedback from onsite conference management team Handling onsite management for the FIGO congress was an unforgettable experience. The challenges that come with technology are always there so it is vital to have both a strong virtual as well as a technical partner on the ground. It is definitely a collaborative effort as we are now not only co-ordinating the onsite delegates but also the online delegates.

| April 202123