The PCO - February 2023

CONTENTS

Destination Toronto

President & CEO column

New Council

Council Elections

EDGE Geneva

Hero Award

Upcoming AM&GA

New Partnerships

Engage with IAPCO

IAPCO Annual Meeting and General Assembly 2023 in Jerusalem, Israel

Espresso Exchanges at Jerusalem 2023

Jerusalem 2023 Keynote sessions highlights

IAPCO Destination Partners share updates on their commitment to UN SDGs

IAPCO Strategic Partners Panel session

snaPCO

Creating and keeping collaboration alive

How to make an exhibition more attractive

Two Forces, One Goal

Destination Hong Kong

Curiosity and Cross-Fertilisation are the Keys

Destination Melbourne

Members News

IAPCO Partners

Theme: Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

Deadling for all contributions

2 April 2023

Share your inspiration

We are introducing a new feature in the next edition of the PCO and are looking for your contributions.

Do you have quotes, books, images, videos, podcasts, TED Talks or any other shareable content that have inspired and motivated?

Please send your contribution to nadeem@iapco.org and specify whether you would like to be acknowledged or not.

DREAMERS LEADER S CR E A T OR S

ALL ARE WELCOME IN TORONTO

We invite you to host your next event in Toronto. A place of diverse voices that always has room for more. Come and fill your event with new ideas, new thinking, and new perspectives.

WHERE CULTURE REMIXE S

Collaboration: The Power of Us!

Welcome to the first edition of the PCO for 2023, on the theme of Collaboration – the Power of Us!

I love collaborating, the joy of working together towards a common goal and the exhilaration at the completion of a project is a feeling of euphoria, even after being a PCO for the last 30 years. Over the past few weeks, I have had the privilege of collaborating with the IAPCO Council members, headquarters staff, and IAPCO partners and colleagues at our Annual Meeting and General Assembly in Jerusalem for a very memorable and impactful experience.

A very special highlight during the meeting was the opportunity to engage and exchange ideas and contribute collectively, with our IAPCO family, to pack food parcels for SAHI - an organisation that was set up to help teenagers better themselves by volunteering to help others. Everyone was committed and even took initiative to speed up the process by tidying empty boxes and setting up a satellite packing table, helping to complete the task in no time. This was a collaboration in its purest form, and upon reflection, it made me proud to be a part of this special community.

Upon returning to Melbourne, another great collaboration was in action, AIME (Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event) at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. This year, AIME celebrated its 30th year, marking 30 years of partnership and unity in the Asia Pacific region. Great collaborations don’t just happen. Like any relationship, it takes partnership and a sense of mutual purpose to make it work well, and then the “magic” happens. As I embark on this new journey of being President of IAPCO for the next two years, I welcome the opportunity to collaborate with you.

Please do engage.

Sarah Markey-Hamm President, IAPCO

As I travelled home from Jerusalem following our 2023 Annual Meeting and General Assembly, I reflected about the many conversations I had with our attendees with a combination of humility and encouragement.

It is true what Henry Ford meant when he said: “If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself.” This was no more evident than from those conversations and what I experienced onsite. Our IAPCO member hosts, Kenes and Ortra, demonstrated what it means to collaborate for the greater good, not only in the design, development and delivery of our programme and logistics but also through the experiences and knowledge we all gained from the diverse line-up of speakers and cultural experiences whilst there.

IAPCO continues to move forward with our community to achieve great success together. With a 100% membership retention rate in 2022, coupled with an increase in new priority programmes and heightened interest in membership and commercial partner enquiries we start 2023 with optimism and confidence. Similarly, our members have reported significant increase in current business activity and future opportunities across all regions as well as creating new alliances and collaborations that bring mutual long-term value to their clients and the wider meetings and events industry. Yes, there may still be some bumps in the road ahead, but with a collaborative mindset and the willingness to continue to push on, success is inevitable.

This edition of The PCO, features a number of articles and editorial contributions from our community that joined us either in-person or on-line in Jerusalem and represents a snapshot of the vision and determination of some, the collaborative mindset of many and the community that exists amongst all.

I hope you enjoy and are as encouraged as I am …

Martin Boyle CEO, IAPCO

IAPCO'S NEW COUNCIL Say Hello to IAPCO's Council 2023

Sarah Markey-Hamm President

Chair of Memberhip Committee

Keith Burton Treasurer

Mónica Freire

Chair of Ambassador Programme and Community Engagement Committees

Mathias Posch

Co-opted Council Member Chair of IAPCO Training Academy and Education Accreditation Committee

Sissi Lygnou

Chair of Publications and Advocacy Committees and Member of Marketing Committee

Re-elected to Council in February 2023

Ori Lahav Immediate Past President

Barbara Calderwood

Chair of webEDGE Sub-Committee and Digitisation Committee

Alejandro Ramírez Tabche

Chair of National PCO Association and member of Marketing Committee

Jason Yeh

Chair of APAC Regional Development

Nicola Testai

Newly elected to Council in February 2023

New officers elected to the Council at Jerusalem 2023

IAPCO 2023 was also the occasion for the elections of one returning Council officer and one new one for the available vacancies. IAPCO members present at the AM&GA in Jerusalem, as well as many joining online, voted through the AM&GA App and ballots to re-elect Sissi Lygnou, CEO of AFEA Travel Congress Services and elect Nicola Testai, CEO of OIC Group. In addition to leading AFEA, Sissi is the President of HAPCO & DES, an association representing meeting professionals in Greece. As a re-elected Council officer, Sissi will continue her role as the chair of IAPCO’s newly formed Advocacy committee and the Marketing committee.

“I feel extremely grateful to our members for their support, and I’m honoured and happy to be able to continue with my mandate as Council Officer for the period 2023-2025. Contributing to IAPCO and the development of our global Meetings Community is of high value to me. In this respect, I will continue doing my best with passion and in collaboration with my fellow colleagues, with the aim to raise IAPCO's profile and to advocate its key role in our Industry.”

New to the IAPCO council, Nicola has been the head for 10 years of OIC Group, one of the first PCOs in Italy. With an active role in the international association world, Nicola is also the Vice-President and PCO representative of Federcongressi&eventi, the first-level national association which represents both public and private companies that carry out activities connected to congresses.

Nicola said on his election to the Council: “I am honoured to be part of this important international organisation, and I shall try to contribute in the best possible way to fulfil IAPCO’s objectives, along with my fellow Council members. In my role as the Council Officer, representing IAPCO, I will work to prove the resilience of the events industry, independently from the unstable economic period that we’ve been experiencing for a while across the world.”

I am honoured to be part of this important international organisation

In the Picture (L to R): Nicola Testai (CEO, OIC Group and President, Federcongressi&eventi) and Sissi Lygnou (CEO, AFEA and President, HAPCO & DES)

A sold-out IAPCO EDGE Seminar in Geneva

Reflect, Reconnect and Reimagine was the theme for this year's European IAPCO EDGE Seminar which took place over 3 days in January in the beautiful city of Geneva, Switzerland. An EDGE Seminar is a highly interactive programme for meeting professionals who wish to network with peers from PCOs, convention bureaus, convention centres, and associations from around the world and enhance their careers in a practical way. The sold-out EDGE Geneva was hosted by IAPCOaccredited PCO Symporg and drew a record 86 attendees from 20 nations, including Canada, UAE and Australia.

EDUCATION

Nicky McGrane (CPI), Mathias Posch (ICS), and Oscar Cerezales (MCI Group), all recognised experts in the meetings industry, taught classes on bidding, international trends, people/ project/time management, budgeting, and risk management.

Highlights:

• Sustainability in event management - Mathias Posch, Chair of the IAPCO Training Academy, offered a fresh viewpoint on this pressing issue for the sector. “Sustainability encompasses much more than just environmental preservation. By conserving resources, expenses can be greatly decreased so budget is not an obstacle for change”, Mathias said.

• Mental health - “We place a very high value on providing quality and customer service in our workplace and yet we frequently neglect to take care of ourselves in our daily lives.”

• Guest panel discussion on collaborative bidding - Conducted by Nicky McGrane and centred on what associations anticipate from the destination and the PCO.

• Geneva Centre for Security Policy's head of leadership, Peter Cunningham Keynote Address - An illuminating session on leadership and personal development. Alvin Toffler's prediction that "The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn" served as his closing statement.

SOCIALS

Participants enjoyed a fabulous social programme and got to know each other outside of the classroom thanks to the support of the Geneva Convention Bureau, Manotel, and Palexpo.

Highlights:

• A typical cheese fondue dinner served in the setting of an authentic Swiss mountain chalet, complete with live music (accordion, cow bells, and Alphorn) set the stage for a lighthearted evening where people connected and shared stories on long trestle tables

• A tour of Palexpo

• Villa Sarasin - Newfound friends enjoyed an elegant meal and let loose on the dance floor in the opulent Florentine

• Attending an IAPCO Edge Seminar is a memorable experience. EDGE Geneva provided attendees with plenty of ideas to reflect upon and reimagine as well as a network of 86 new industry peers with whom they made connections for life

The IAPCO EDGE Seminar provided excellent industry insight, very well-thought-through content, and was easy to implement into daily work life. It was a great event for networking and bringing different peers of the industry together. I would highly recommend attending the EDGE seminar in the future.

- Esra Güler, MICE Director, Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency

IAPCO EDGE Seminar blew me away. From the knowledge and experience of the speakers to their openness and honesty with fellow industry colleagues. It was a powerful few days that gave me a fresh perspective on my role and the industry. Everyone should attend the EDGE Seminar at least once.

- Emma Slattery, Senior Account Manager,

Conference Partners International

next European EDGE Seminar will take place in Antwerp, Belgium

The

Register your interest at the link: www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/Z279NB2

Yoke Cheong announced as Winner of Driving Excellence Hero Award 2022

International Conference Services (ICS) Department Head of Projects & Operations Management, Yoke Chun Cheong was announced as the winner of the International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO) Hero Award 2022 at the Association’s Annual Meeting and General Assembly (AM&GA) held between 6-9 February in Jerusalem.

The IAPCO Hero Award is one of 3 unique Driving Excellence Awards given by IAPCO every year for which the association seeks nominations from across its member community. The winner of the Hero Award is picked from the nominations by a colleague, a client, or a supplier from any member of the team within an IAPCO PCO company.

Supported by IAPCO Destination Partners, the Hero Award recognises a team member who has gone above and beyond during a calendar year, shown an aptitude for advancement in the meetings industry and made significant contributions from their position within the company.

As the Department Head for the Project Management and Operations Team, Yoke manages the staff for both departments of ICS’s Singapore office, overseeing the implementation and execution of departmental procedures and processes, and is responsible for training and onboarding new team members.

Nominated by her own team, Yoke has proven to be an exceptional leader by creating a positive and supportive work environment and establishing a level of trust that enables staff to come to her for advice and support. Her strong but humble presence has provided stability to the team and created a collaborative environment which was missing from previous leadership.

On winning the IAPCO Hero Award, Yoke said:

“Winning this award is both a surprise and a great honour. It is a surprise as I feel there is still much to learn in my journey as a leader. I am also honoured to be recognized for my effort and humbled by the validation from peers and colleagues that I am doing something right.

“I would like to thank the leadership team for the opportunity to grow and learn in my role. To my fellow peers and fellow Heads of Departments who started this journey with me and worked as hard if not harder, all of them are Heroes in their own right.

“To my ‘immediate family’ at ICS, my talented Project Managers and Operation Ninjas, I truly appreciate each and every one of you.”

As the IAPCO Hero Award winner Yoke received the prestigious Hero Award trophy as well as an education bursary which includes travel and accommodation to attend either the 2024 Annual Meeting in Ljubljana, Slovenia or the EDGE seminar in Antwerp, Belgium.

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.

In the Picture: IAPCO Hero Award 2022 Winner ICS’s Yoke Cheong joined online to see ICS President and Partner, Mathias Posch receive the award on her behalf from IAPCO President, Ori Lahav.

Cankarjev dom take the IAPCO AM&GA baton to Ljubljana

The IAPCO AM&GA flag was passed on from the 2023 organising PCOs Kenes Group and Ortra over to the 2024 host PCO Cankarjev dom.

IAPCO invites you to join your IAPCO community colleagues in Ljubljana between 28th Feb - 2nd March 2024.

Dušica Todorović, Head of Marketing, Cankarjev dom:

“Our team has prepared an exceptional program for the IAPCO delegates. We have chosen topics that are written in the DNA of Slovenia and present Ljubljana as a green and ambitious destination. IAPCO AM&GA is coming back to Slovenia after twenty-two years and it will be a great opportunity, honour and privilege for Cankarjev dom to welcome the best of the meeting and events industry to Ljubljana.”

2025 IAPCO AM&GA awarded to Taipei

We are delighted to share that #IAPCO2025 will be held in Taiwan's capital city, Taipei.

The 55th edition of IAPCO Annual Meeting & General Assembly will be hosted by GIS Group in collaboration with Elite Professional Congress Organisers.

The announcement was made by IAPCO President Ori Lahav at the AM&GA in Jerusalem giving a vote of confidence in Taiwan’s credentials as a host of global events.

Jason Yeh, CEO at GIS Group:

“The Taiwan team and I will do our best to make the 2025 IAPCO AM&GA a thrilling and authentic one.”

IAPCO signs MoUs with new Strategic Partners

At their meeting in Dubai, IAPCO Council unanimously agreed to new collaborations with IFES, COCAL and AMCI signing new 3-year Memorandums of Understand with each. Each will see experts share knowledge and educational content through industry events, seminars and webinars, visibility through on-line recognition and benefit from business development opportunities.

International Federation of Exhibition & Event Services (IFES)

"I am confident that together with IAPCO we can enhance our industry worldwide, move our industries into a more sustainable environment and mutually create the values for the next generation,”

- Philippe Beille, IFES President

Latín American Meetings Industry Federation (COCAL)

"COCAL is committed to working alongside IAPCO though this historic agreement, which represents a huge milestone in the history of the meetings industry. With this agreement, we intend to further inspire, connect, and empower our Latin-American community of professionals in advancing their services and our global events industry”

- Luis Ricardo Martínez, President of COCAL

AMC Institute

"Ensuring that association management companies and professional congress organisations are delivering best practices in services to our clients is a top priority for both organisations. AMCI is excited to collaborate with IAPCO in delivering educational opportunities that continue to increase member value and quality assurance,"

- Tina Wehmeir, AMC Institute President and CEO

Join IAPCO at IMEX Frankfurt 2023, Germany

IMEX takes place at Messe Frankfurt, one of IAPCO's Convention Centre Partners and one of the world's largest and most modern and connected venues in the heart of Europe. Keep up with fast-changing event trends, explore event tech, polish your professional skills or connect with your peers. With expert speakers, brand-new ideas and plentiful inspiration at more than 150 educational and networking events. READ MORE

If you are an IAPCO Member and would like to participate in the IAPCO Hosted Buyers Programme at IMEX Frankfurt 2023, please email michael@iapco.org so that he can send you the relevant information. The Hosted Buyer schedule is still being finalised but the broad outline of the whole show can be found here: www.imex-frankfurt.com/schedule-at-a-glance

The 53rd edition of IAPCO’s Annual Meeting and General Assembly gathered CEOs, Owners and Operators representing events organisations from around the world for 3 days of quality education, engaging experience and networking opportunities designed to equip them with ways to make an impact on their company culture.

Held in Jerusalem, one of the oldest cities in the world and the capital of Israel, which is known as the Start-Up Nation and a hot spot of entrepreneurship innovation, providing a great backdrop for delegates to gather for the event centred around the theme of Inspiring Technology, Creating an Impact.

This special edition of the PCO includes summaries of some of the sessions from AM&GA, kindly provided by IAPCO members.

Highlights from Jerusalem 2023:

• One of IAPCO’s best-attended AM&GAs with over 160 in attendance from 31 countries

• 11 keynote lectures and workshops such as a wide range of topics covering leadership and management, team diversification, social listening and engaging the next generation

• 2 industry panels, including our Strategic Partners discussing the future of our industry and IAPCO Destination Partners showcasing what they are doing specifically in their cities and countries to support the UN SDGs

• 3rd highest ranking AM&GA in 20 years (as per the feedback from the attendees)

• 3 new Strategic Partnership MoUs signed during the AM&GA – AMCI, IFES and COCAL. All will bring added value to our own memberships through engagement, education and combined advocacy initiatives

• Election of new Council: New IAPCO President - Sarah Markey-Hamm, New Council Member – Nicola Testai, ReElected Council Member – Sissi Lygnou

• Announcement and launch of the new Jan Tonkin Next Generation Leadership Bursary programme for APAC Region, in collaboration with NZICC in New Zealand.

• IAPCO sees off the 2 years of the pandemic in a strong position with 100% membership retention, an increase in new membership applications and a heightened interest from industry suppliers to support IAPCO activities

A popular element of the IAPCO AM&GA programme is the Espresso Exchange, which continued in Jerusalem with an interesting range of meetings and events industry relevant topics - from the operational topic of organising a ‘Congress in an inflation world’ and ‘F&B: the big question’ to those requiring out-of-the-box thinking such as ‘Glamour vs $$$’ and ‘Sexy content and formats’.

The discussion was chaired by IAPCO members and partners some of whom have captured a short summary of it below:

Food and Beverage During Events

Summary by Marta Calderai (AIM Group)

When it comes to F&B during events, there is not only one right or wrong way to manage this aspect.

Of course, there are many factors to take into consideration before deciding if and how to provide this service, like the kind of event, the program structure, the event venue and its surroundings, and others.

In any case, as PCOs, we must always focus on some important aspects with the aim of reducing the carbon footprint, reducing waste, and being green.

For example, it is important to select a venue considering its capacity of being green and collaborating with non-profit organisations against food waste.

In some cases, when it is not possible to stick with the abovementioned values, it could be a better option to avoid offering F&B and offer instead discount to participants for coffee and restaurants nearby.

Glamour Vs. $$$

Summary by Marie-Claire McGreevy (ICC Belfast)

• Across the board there was an acknowledgement that the industry is not the best paid, but the opportunity to travel and be part of the experiences we create, in destinations we wouldn’t necessarily otherwise visit, is a major perk. It is hard work but undeniably carries an element of glamour.

• A major struggle now is the salary expectations of those joining the industry. Even at junior levels, the expectation is for a senior salary and less of a willingness to work the anti-social hours that go with events (weekends, late nights and early mornings).

• We all agreed, what keeps us in the industry is knowing how collaborative it is and the opportunity it presents to build an international network, who are passionate about making a real difference.

• Potential solutions discussed were an accelerated skills programme to gain management experience across a range of business functions. Also, a shared talent pool that offers a 3-5 year contract whereby someone can work on exciting projects in different countries with different teams before deciding on a specialism.

• Suggestions for potential actions - A whitepaper covering talent attraction into the industry from the Council and Next Gen committee’s perspective and what the industry can offer that will inform a recruitment campaign.

Espresso Exchanges at Jerusalem 2023

Keynote: Inner Development Goals – The Change in Mindsets Needed for Sustainable Development

Speaker: Jan Artem Henriksson

The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are something that all meeting professionals understand, but Jan Artem Henriksson gave us a fresh take on these, by showcasing the Inner Development Goals (IDGs) in his session. Jan highlighted that the SDGs are a sense-making tool for us to develop our businesses and events more mindfully, but he identified that we require mindset changes to be able to reach those goals. The IDGs are a product of that intervention and should be used to support us all, as we strive for net-zero emissions as soon as we can. IDGs are comprised of five considerations to adapt our mindsets and focus on, as follows.

1. BEING. This is about using your inner compass, making and sticking to commitments, having integrity and self-awareness, and being open to learning. A key question to consider here, is “what values are most important to us?”.

2. THINKING. This area is focused on critical thinking, how we gain perspective, sense-making and long-term visioning. Aligned with long-term visioning, Jan asked us to imagine how we would like the world to be when the youngest person in our life reaches the age of the oldest person in our life, and this is really quite a powerful consideration to make.

3. RELATING. The ways in which we show appreciation, feel connected to groups of people despite our differences, have humility, and are able to show empathy. All personal development stems from experiencing pain and reflecting on that pain to move forward.

4. COLLABORATING. This is about how we communicate, inclusivity, trusting others, and mobilising your actions.

5. ACTING. Our ability to have courage, take an opportunity to be creative, show optimism and persevere through difficult situations.

How will you implement this into your life moving forward?

Setting a weekly IDG focus, or work one of these elements into your projects. To be able to achieve increased sustainability, we must also equally consider our inner development alongside it for a more holistic and long-term solution to some of our greatest world issues.

Summary by Hannah Jarvis, MCI UK

Keynote: We are Smarter than Me

Speaker: Lior Zoref

Summary by Jen Abbott, ICS

Lior Zoref is a former VP of Marketing at Microsoft and an expert and author in the field of collective intelligence, assisting organisations in making better decisions and generating creative ideas by tapping into the power of collective intelligence.

Within the first five minutes of his talk, Zoref captivated the audience by having a snake handler drape a giant python around a volunteer on stage. He asked the audience to vote on the python’s length on our phones and he revealed the average of our answers after a couple of minutes. To our surprise, the average of our responses was within one centimetre of the python’s actual length. How is this possible? I would soon learn that this is possible through collective intelligence - utilizing the collective wisdom of crowds to find solutions to problems.

Network Intelligence (NQ)

In today's fast-paced and constantly evolving business world, intelligence is undoubtedly an asset. Historically, we have measured intelligence as a quotient expressed as an IQ score, however, in recent years, the concept of intelligence has expanded to include emotional intelligence or EQ, which has gained popularity, particularly in the conference industry where building and maintaining relationships with clients is crucial.

In his presentation, Zoref introduced the idea of NQ or Network Intelligence as an important third intelligence that can complement IQ and EQ and enhance the individual’s overall intelligence toolkit. Network Intelligence refers to the ability to understand and navigate social networks and to leverage those networks to achieve goals. This can include building relationships with key stakeholders, identifying opportunities for collaboration, and understanding the social dynamics that underpin complex organisations.

While IQ and EQ are measures of individual aptitudes, NQ is more about understanding the collective intelligence of a network and finding ways to harness that intelligence to achieve success. Like any other skill, NQ requires practice, and it may not be the right tool for every situation. Yet, by understanding the power of social networks and developing skills to navigate them effectively, individuals and organisations can unlock new opportunities and achieve greater success.

Zoref’s inspiring presentation has personal and professional applications. By thinking together, we can access more accurate solutions than thinking alone, and by tapping into the power of our connections and network we can achieve our collective goals.

Keynote: The New World of Work – Sharks in the Ocean

Speaker: Dr Efrat Liani

Summary by Giulia Sarri, AIM Group

If there was a surprising statement that was slapped onto my face during this session, it would be that CVs and experience resumés are no longer a key tool for HR departments. This is what Dr. Efrat Liani, CPO Business & Organisational Consultant, brought on stage. As the one chosen to be part of the 40 youngest successful leaders in Israel 40 under 40 The Marker leadership award, her mission at the IAPCO Annual Meeting was to connect the dots between people strategy and business success in the new, well, current world of work, where “sharks” are always ready to emerge from the water surface to obstacle our daily life.

More specifically, it happens that the new world of work is following 6 trends:

• 1 & 2 - Represented namely by managers who should embrace a leader’s approach while being ready for ongoing growth processes.

• 3 - Technology plays a big role of course, especially when it comes to flex-work

• 4 & 5 - How to engage well with employees in such an evolving world, while incorporating values as diversity and inclusion.

• 6 - Finding the right way to retain talents.

May it be that these trends, especially the last one, became real when we were all looking surprised when the great resignation

happened over the last two years? That’s what I believe since most of the audience considered “Talent Acquisition” as their major challenge during the polling activation.

Connected to this, another surprising, yet eye-opening, statement from the session was that the purpose of today’s leaders is shifting from managing the employee experience to managing the life experience of employees:

1. Consider measuring some unusual KPIs that can help trace and divide good from bad attritions. For instance, reframe the acronym ROI to ‘Return on Interaction’,

2. Secondly, make sure you remember that talents remain (or get on board) when they are involved and trusted in a flexible environment, while being mentored but also challenged… and not of less importance, paid well!

3. Finally, shift from controlling to leading, from manager to leader.

If you asked me, my favourite of these twists is being able to listen more rather than to speak more. I truly believe we all prefer to make our voice heard too much than put ourselves in a welcoming mood for understanding others’ perspectives. A leader is real when they will make you leave a meeting thinking “Wow! I am brilliant.”

Keynote: Dare to Lead Like a Girl

Speaker: Dalia Feldheim

Summary by Alex Eunjeong Kim, Ezpmp Co.Ltd.

Dalia Feldheim tells the story of a healthy workplace culture and true leadership over the past 20 years as a marketing manager for a global company. Dalia’s session was a call for bold and active changes in thinking and behaviour and to summon the courage to transform from the depths.

After she stepped onto the stage and smiled brightly, she began her talk with a story of a 2014 commercial created by a global feminine care business that asked the question "what does it mean to run like a girl?" The commercial features a group of girls running and asks them to demonstrate what it means to run like a girl. The point of the commercial is to change the meaning of the phrase "like a girl" from an insult to a positive affirmation of pride in oneself. The commercial went viral, won numerous advertising awards, and became an icon for women's empowerment.

Dalia emphasized the importance of leading like a girl, which means being passionate, committed to people, and unafraid to be emotional. She suggested that anyone who worked for someone who did not appreciate these qualities should walk away because they did not deserve them.

‘Lead like a Girl’ is not limited to calls for treating women equally with men or increasing the number of women in leadership positions. It is about:

• A new leadership that is more sensitive, sympathetic, and respectful.

• Hiding or suppressing aspects that I previously thought were weaknesses or limitations, but also saying affirmation of accepting them as my new potential.

• A time when a new paradigm is needed, a time to work with a new generation.

Dalia emphasized the importance of leading like a girl, which means being passionate, committed to people, and unafraid to be emotional

Workshop: Uppiness Up Your Game at Work

Session Leader: Dalia Feldheim

Summary by Marie-Claire McGreevy, ICC Belfast

Uppiness is an interactive online game that boosts happiness at work by enabling participants to learn tools and solutions from the sciences of happiness and positive psychology.

Co-founded by Dalia Feldheim, organisational psychologist Oren Appel and Dr Tal Ben-Shahar, the goal is to explore and unlock the potential of each team member by drawing on their inherent superpowers to offer a unique perspective to problem solving thus achieving contentment and fulfilment in the workplace.

The session opened with an invitation to the audience to select a strength card that resonated with them. This deck of flashcards featured a broad spectrum of strengths from intuition to loyalty to networking. Any reluctance or apprehension to share selected strengths and the reasons for choosing them with peers quickly dissipated, making way for celebrations and experiences being shared of how these natural attributes we often take for granted can have a transformative impact.

Six volunteers from the audience then stepped up to participate in a live game of Uppiness. Each gamer, equipped with five strength cards pitched their solutions to the taskmaster and posed positive psychology interventions to real-life challenges frequently encountered in the workplace. Following challenging scenarios centred around

procrastination and combative managerial relations, each gamer shared practical advice on how they felt it could be overcome, with a common thread of encouragement to take small steps at first and build on these foundations by implementing systems and processes wherever possible to negate the problem in the future.

In each round, the positive impacts of Uppiness were immediately apparent. In encouraging positive workplace language and affording gamers an opportunity to suspend the urge to provide a gut-instinct response and instead focus solely on offering advice derived from their natural strengths, collaborative communication and happiness levels were boosted.

Dalia closed the session with an invitation to the audience to pen a note of gratitude, either to themselves or to someone whose support or advice they had benefitted from. Although simple in theory, this was powerful in practice. It served as a reminder to make gratitude a daily habit – a little appreciation can go a long way to spreading happiness and productivity in the workplace!

A staggering 70% of people are not able to clearly identify their personal strengths. Of the 30% that can, only 17% feel empowered to exert themselves in a professional context.

Keynote: Be the Hero of Your Own Story

Speaker: Ziv Shillon

Summary by Franck Grosset-Janin, Kuoni Tumlare Congress

Ziv Shilon was leading an operational mission in the Gaza Strip when he was injured by an explosion, losing his both hands. From there he explained to us how hard it was to find the strength to accept his new handicap. He was the one who normally helped others and led his troops by showing examples. We felt his anger and frustration after the accident, he was feeling like a burden to those close to him.

How, after such a hardship, find the necessary resources to enjoy life again?

Adapt to the new reality

• Cultivate a positive and resilient mindset. Believe in ourselves and our abilities. Focus on what we can do, rather than what we can't.

• When you live with a handicap, you must come up with creative solutions to bypass it.

• When you have major challenges in your business activities you should find creative solutions as well.

Challenge yourself and don’t give up

• Ziv wanted to prove to himself that even with his disability he could do something that others with no disability could not even dream to do!

• At that moment he could hardly walk but he decided to train for the Iron-man, one of the most difficult endurance competitions in the world. He failed 7 times and never gave up. He finally succeeded after hard work and unfailing discipline.

• “A small success every day, you always come back stronger.”

We all have our inner strengths and superpowers; we must activate them

Be creative against challenges

• Ziv took advantage of his disability to create a technological solution in partnership with Microsoft that allows the handicapped person to play online gaming like any other with adapted remote device control.

• We all have our inner strengths and superpowers; we must activate them somehow and be the hero of our own story. Be a real actor of our life!

• People with a handicap usually bring a lot to a team since they see things from a different angle, and demonstrate how to turn a weakness into strength.

IAPCO Destination Partners share updates on their commitment to UN SDGs

IAPCO Destination Partners session highlights from Jerusalem 2023

Summary by Ginevra Debellis, OIC group

With IAPCO focussing its attention on 4 of the UNSDGs including #17 Partnerships for the Goals, this session brought together our Destination Partners to address what, collectively, IAPCO and its 8 Destination Partners can do as a collective group.

The Destination Partners session at the IAPCO Annual Meeting in Jerusalem tackled the increasingly important topic of sustainability, and how each of the eight IAPCO Destination Partners is moving forward and aligning with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Each Destination Partner selected 2 SDGs for their presentation to outline the awareness, challenges, and actions their

destination is taking to encompass the three dimensions of sustainability - social, environmental, and economic.

Each Destination Partner selected 2 SDGs for their presentation to outline the awareness, challenges, and actions their destination is taking.

to Goal 7 - access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all included largest single-site solar park in the world - the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park as well as the Green Hydrogen Project. Other noteworthy implementations have been the Hatta Dam, with a storage capacity of 1,500 megawatt-hours and a lifespan of up to 80 years as well as the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant, the first multi-unit operational nuclear plant in the Arab world, which will prevent 22.4 million tons of carbon emissions, when fully operational.

For SDG 17 and Partnerships for the goals, Athens has created a groundbreaking partnership in the meetings industry at the national level - the Greek Meeting Alliance, formed by the City of Athens via This is Athens CVB, HAPCO (Hellenic Association of Professional Congress Organizers) and Thessaloniki Convention Bureau. At the national level in Greece, this important partnership has enabled unique strategic synergies to develop, where working together for the greater good is the key. This has allowed the main stakeholders to align on strategy and priorities, working together on advocacy and outreach, education - training and upskilling as well as sustainable development. This has led to the development of a Climate Action Plan for 2030, with seven clear goals and actions, ranging from Energy upgrade and production and Renewable Energy Sources (RES) to completing the transition to a green and digital city.

From an image of congested city traffic, dispersing pollution into the air and into our lungs, the stark contrast, presented by Hamburg was then the image of a modern self-driving vehicle, clean, efficient and future-ready. Climate-friendly catering, concentrating on radically reducing waste, pollution and packaging was also discussed.

In the UAE, there are rising levels of obesity with 1 in 5 of the UAE’s population diabetic. An encouraging response to promote healthier lifestyles is the Dubai Fitness Challenge, which has the simple goal of encouraging exercise, by completing 30 minutes of activity every day for 30 days. This challenge ties in perfectly with Health as one of the 7 key sectors in the UAE’s National Strategy for Innovation. Response

To tackle Zero Hunger goal, we were introduced to the Food Angel Programme, which is an initiative that rescues surplus food from different sectors of the food industry which otherwise be disposed of as waste. It was launched in 2011 with the mission of “Waste Not, Hunger Not, With Love”. Following strict safety protocols, the rescued food items are prepared to make delicious meals that are then distributed

to underprivileged communities in Hong Kong. SDG 10, Reduced Inequalities, touched upon the Asia World Expo, and the Society of Rehabilitation and Crime Prevention in Hong Kong. The Asia World-Expo’s many initiatives to promote social inclusion through extensive training and employment opportunities. An important initiative through the SRACP (Society of Rehabilitation and Crime Prevention) was to help the unemployed and ex-offenders reintegrate into society by helping them get back their all-important self-esteem. This collaboration between Asia World-Expo and SRACP, extending job opportunities to Bright Services, and was recognized with the Benevolent Employers Award.

JNTO introduced a digital brochure Explore Deeper with a QR code for all to access immediately, which includes 50 sustainable travel experiences on the theme of nature and culture. Highlights were shared of some of the exciting experiences to be explored on the islands of Japan across their wide-ranging geography, from north to the south, all in a sustainable manner. Beginning with ‘Experience 1,000 years of history on the Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage Route’, by reconnecting with nature in the national park, supporting the protection of Japan’s magnificent black bears through the

With the clean water Goal 6 in mind, we heard how the Yarra River or Birrarung in the local language of the Wurundjeri, who are the traditional owners of the land on which the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre is built, is a wonderfully unique ecosystem that runs for 242km throughout Melbourne. It is an extremely important natural resource supplying 70% of Melbourne’s piped water and is home to a great variety of wildlife. However, over the years, urban development, pollution, and unhealthy river flow have worsened the condition of the river. The Yarra Riverkeeper Association and the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre have partnered to create stronger community connections, to act upon, and protect the Yarra Birrarung River, conserve its precious water, and protect its biodiversity. Another objective in place is to achieve a swimmable Yarra Birrarung by 2030. Melbourne also outlined how investing in world-class infrastructure supports together continued economic growth for its growing population is addressing SDG 9 on Innovation and Infrastructure.

Picchio Wildlife Research Centre, or simply gaining insight into Japanese beliefs by experiencing the life of Buddhist monks in a deep mountain retreat.

RCB introduced the Enabling Environment, highlighting four interrelating areas - political will at the highest level, genderresponsive policies and programmes, gender-responsive legal and institutional frameworks and strategic partnerships. Women’s participation in decision-making positions at different levels was discussed, as well as the adoption of gender-responsive laws and policies, promoting accountability to gender equality across sectors. Increased access to ICT devices for women is helping them engage in small-scale businesses and access finance and e-learning systems. When it comes to Safeguarding Our Planet (SDG 13), Rwanda has worked incessantly over the last 10 years to put in place the legal frameworks, policies, strategies and institutions to enable the transition to climate-resilient green growth. A great example is that Rwanda recently exempted electric vehicles, batteries and charging station equipment from import taxes, excise duties, and VAT. Also, ending the manufacturing, importation, and use of plastic bags. Rwanda’s Climate Action Vision for 2050 is a carbon-neutral and climate-resilient economy, with a 38% reduction in emissions by 2030, with 14 action programmes to support this vision.

We discovered how deep below the scenic Lake Ontario’s surface is Toronto’s most valuable source of renewable energy - its cold water. A very successful deep lake water cooling (DLWC) system provides refreshing temperatures to a considerable number of Toronto hospitals, campuses, government buildings and commercial and residential buildings. Rather than focusing on energy-intensive compressors to dissipate heat from buildings, DLWC uses the water from Lake Ontario to remove the warmth, this is a system which is sustainable, and low-carbon which in addition is also energy-sharing. On a closing note, Destination Toronto concluded with Responsible Consumption and Production (Goal 12), announcing that 90% of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC) is produced in the Niagara and Ontario region, and 65% of all meat, fish and dairy is also local, which is another step towards reducing gas emissions.

IAPCO Strategic Partners Panel session

Discussions on the current state and future of our global industry

IAPCO invited six CEOs and Presidents of meetings and events industry associations to join this years’ AM&GA for a facilitated strategic panel discussion on the current state and future of our global industry.

The session was facilitated by Master of Ceremonies, Loren Christie, who was joined onstage by Tina Wehmeir, CEO of AMC Institute, Sarah Markey-Hamm, President of IAPCO and Philippe Beille, President of IFES whilst Luis Ricardo Martinez Fajardo, President of COCAL, Senthil Gopinath, CEO of ICCA and Sheriff Karamat, President and CEO of PCMA joined virtually from around the globe.

The session focussed on the collective power of collaboration to raise the profile and engagement of our industry and associations.

Panellists openly addressed their individual strategic goals for their respective associations through 2025 and comparisons were drawn for the necessity to maintain high standards of quality, pay close attention to member needs, and raise member engagement. All agreed that Sustainability, EDI and

Legacy are ‘must have’s’ along with "best practise" education which is a crucial concern for everyone.

The panel talked about the necessity to support its members as they take on new challenges, focusing on three universal concerns: attracting talent, sustainability, and demands of the next generation.

The panel agreed that young people are drawn to organisations with a purpose that excite them and are greater than the task at hand. Individuals can enjoy fulfilling occupations particularly if they are made aware of the significant social and economic impact of what they do.

The panel agreed that young people are drawn to organisations with a purpose that excite them and are greater than the task at hand

Our industry needs to become more adept at recruiting at universities like other sectors. It takes passion and adaptability to work in this field, but we need to spread the word about who we are, what we do, and the contribution this business makes to the world economy.

The audience of 160 was tasked by Loren Christie to reach out to a local college professor who teach travel and tourism and ask for the chance to speak to their class about our industry.

"I hold the strong belief that we need to see our industry as a profession and be a little less humble about what this sector does for the global economy. "

SMH IAPCO President

“Travel limitations during Covid taught us that we had to trust people on the other side of the planet to do their job.”

Philippe Beille, IFES

Tina Wehmeir acknowledged the current "Next Gen" initiative at the AMC Institute. Thanks to the Emerging Leaders programme, nearly 30 younger employees attended their most recent annual meeting for the first time, setting a record for attendance.

She is aware, though, that there is a strategy gap in the area of sustainability, and they must take advantage of the chance to help their association clients create a business case for achieving their sustainable objectives.

COCAL president, Luis Ricardo Martinez Fajardo, admitted that big changes must occur in Latin America but that a worldwide transition cannot be achieved in isolation. "In order to enhance their services and expand the events sector, the LATAM community needs to be inspired, connected, and empowered. We recently joined a project working with disabled individuals which highlighted the need for the industry to be more inclusive. We see our partnership with IAPCO as an opportunity to align and develop new global initiatives’.

In response to a question from the audience about the timeline for action on sustainability, Sheriff Karamat of PCMA said ‘I think the time has passed and we are now living the consequences of climate cancer. Nothing that we do is sustainable. We could easily be shamed into inaction, but this is an amazing opportunity for us to show leadership and

to demonstrate how business events can play a leading role in a regenerative economy. EIC (Events Industry Council) has developed a standard for us all to use. Start simple with an audit of what you are currently doing and look at what you can do to have an immediate impact. We must step in front of this issue; it's not going to wait for us.’

Philippe Beille stated that the next generation does not find the idea of waste, build, and burn appealing, and they are monitoring the IFES website and social media to see what is being done in terms of sustainability.

‘Those who are already struggling find it difficult to be told that they need to change, thus we need to demonstrate the advantages through certified learning programmes. If we don't promote change, our industry will fail.’

In order to increase efficiency and effect change, Philippe introduced the audience to the concept of "co-petition," where competitors work together to achieve greater and faster results.

Sarah Markey-Hamm spoke proudly about IAPCO's commitment to the UNSDGs and expressed a desire to see more sustainable case studies shared with association clients to urge them to include the UNSDGs as requirements in their RFPs.

During the session, Loren Christie reiterated the new Memorandums of Understanding that were recently agreed between IAPCO and COCAL, AMC Institute and IFES. Members of each of the respective organisations will benefit from further collaboration and knowledge-share at industry events and through educational programmes with IAPCO.

Commenting on the recent partnership, Tina Wehmeir said "the strength in collaboration provides us a much stronger voice and an inroad for genuine change. To maximise our efforts for change, we must also communicate our goals with our respective suppliers and partners.”

Sarah Markey-Hamm, president of IAPCO, reiterated this viewpoint and expressed her enthusiasm for the possibilities that the industry could benefit from as a result of this group's unified voice. “We need to uphold our quality values and collaborate with our partners to cross-educate and create a global community where there is a mutual benefit for all’.

COUNCIL MEETING

IAPCO Council met in Tel Aviv for continued strategic planning sessions, the exchanging ideas for the future of the Association and a chance to put final preparations for IAPCO 2023 Annual Meeting and General Assembly together.

EDGE GENEVA

80-plus strong delegates got together in Geneva for a unique experience of learning, networking and building connections with events professionals from around the world.

JERUSALEM AM&GA 2023

Presentations, keynote lectures and discussions provided for an engaging, informative and enthralling three days of Annual Meeting and General Assembly in Jerusalem's Waldorf Astoria Hotel.

SOCIALS IN JERUSALEM

Mixing and mingling with colleagues

whilst enjoying some of the world’s leading art & archeology exhibits and letting the hair down for evenings of dining, drinking and dancing.

Creating and keeping collaboration alive

Author: OIC Group

COLLABORATION - How central and vital is this to everything we do as Professional Congress Organisers? The ‘C’ in PCO could almost be replaced by the word Collaboration, because without efficient collaboration how could the meeting industry possibly progress and actually work? Collaboration really is the basis of working within an organisation, within teams that interact with each other on a daily basis and obviously with all common key-stakeholders, suppliers of various kind; so, that the end result, the final shiny product is a successful event. There would be no event, and certainly no successful event without collaboration.

In moving to new offices from January 2023, OIC Group has begun a new chapter of its wonderful story that spans five decades.

The new office isn’t far from where the old building was, but this new modern area will certainly embrace and trigger more and better collaboration between teams; the new open-space format tends to unify, bringing together rather than closing off, this is important to how teams work and collaborate.

There are so many elements to being able to successfully collaborate in the workplace and more specifically within a team. What are the foundations to good collaboration? Is there a need to have a defined common goal and how should this be communicated, and what about if obstacles appear, how is this dealt with?

Considering the centrality of the topic, OIC Group decided to ask these all-important questions, by interviewing three key-account managers, asking them their thoughts and perspective on this topic.

1. What does Collaboration mean to you as a key-account manager?

A. Collaboration in my world means love and passion, without these two elements there is no way that we can work in this business, or within a team.

B. Collaborating means sharing the same objectives, working as a single ‘body’ and ‘mind’ directed towards satisfying the client and bringing a positive result to the company. It means planning out the steps together, sharing the solutions and to not get disheartened along the way, as there will always be somebody with the experience and competence to give support.

C. Collaboration is the ‘keyword’ in the work we do. We run quite complex projects and even the most skilled manager would not achieve good results without good team collaboration.

2. Is it necessary for your team to have a shared and defined goal, and should this be communicated at the start and planning phase of the event/project?

A. There is only one goal to having success in the congress business and this is making people happy, all the rest is a series of consequences.

B. Absolutely! The objectives need to be clear, defined and obtainable, both for the individual and the whole team.

C. It is of utmost importance to share team objectives in order to have a clear view, a common goal and to move together as a team in the same direction.

From left to right - Elisabetta Salerno, Viviana Vitali, Nicola Testai and Annalisa Batistini

3.

Give me an example of what

‘good collaboration’ looks like?

A. For sure any activity that happens within an agreed timeline within the team, to make things work but also the understanding and consideration for major or urgent/ unexpected questions that need to be addressed during the organisational process.

B. In OIC Group this happens often as we have specialists in specific strategic areas. Therefore, if for example, we need advice and suggestions in regards to social events, I will refer to that person who has expertise in that area. Competence is one of the most valuable assets within a company, therefore, it is essential to create the right conditions for this asset to be adequately ‘used’ by other people in the company, without the asset being lost or not adequately ‘used’ altogether.

C. We need different qualities and competence from each individual in the team, each person brings their own experience contributing to the project as a whole.

4. What are the main obstacles to collaboration within your teams, and how do you manage these obstacles?

A. In my experience with professional team members, the only real obstacles which occur from time to time are personal attitudes, that can emerge from external situations. These situations can be overcome and supported with some understanding and love and care. That’s the real point of working together, problems and obstacles can be solved if you care.

B. The biggest obstacle to collaboration (excluding personality aspects) are without doubt changes that are market-led. Adapting to a world that is changing requires work and effort, as we need to put aside what we knew up until that point and learn something new in a humble way. So, fear and not accepting change, mean that sometimes people barricade themselves defensively in their own position, and they don’t accept to grow as a team. The famous and well-known phrase sums it up nicely “I don’t know why we \ need to change, we’ve always done things this way”.

C. An obstacle could derive from unclear communication within the team. We try to overcome these problems by regular updates and briefings.

5. How do you motivate your teams, to keep the collaboration alive?

A. It’s very similar to motivation in a sports team, where you need to let people feel and understand that you are there for them, both in good and bad situations. The team also need to know that you don’t have a magic wand though, a key account manager needs to be a leader for team members but also a human being too.

B. I try to motivate individual team members by using an individualized approach. It’s important for me that each member feels important and of value to the team as a whole, and the company. It’s necessary to find the time to follow and support the growth and development of each of the team members, so they understand their value and worth. Sometimes it’s also important to say “no” and to pinpoint the areas which need to be improved, by doing this, each team member understands how much they are being supported and valued in a thorough manner. I think the best way to motivate people is to make them aware of their role, of their responsibilities and the trust that the company and I hold in them.

C. The team members can count on a solid guide, nonetheless, they are free to express themselves, by finding their own way to face work challenges. The biggest motivation of all derives from the success of the project and satisfaction from client feedback.

It’s highly interesting to see how the account managers answered these five questions, and to notice how there are common themes that clearly emerge.

Collaboration has been looked at in a strategic and rational manner as well as through a more romantic and emotional lens, these perspectives complement each other as two sides of the same coin, that coexist.

Overall the idea of having clear objectives is a common thread as well as the need for leadership and guidance, especially in challenging moments, this is essentially seen in a flexible way, which enables a team and a company to embrace change. Finally, motivation and individuality within the team are also highly important in keeping the team- collaboration alive, but an all-important ingredient which needs to exist is care, one needs to care!

How to make an exhibition more attractive

Author: Lisa Schneller, Senior Project Manager, CPO HANSER SERVICE GmbH

Particularly in the past years, when on-site events weren’t possible due to the pandemic, we came to realize that the direct interaction at congresses and conferences is a fundamental part of the experience: We, at CPO HANSER SERVICE, have put an emphasis on the exhibition and ensuring active participation, thus making it more attractive for participants and exhibitors.

Location, Location, Location

It is significant that the exhibition is located as centrally as possible. Whenever feasible, we have moved to planning the exhibition space on the same level as the conference rooms. In any case, we try to make the exhibition the central point of the event.

Atmosphere: Away from the hall and more towards the lounge

Often exhibition halls are very bare and uncomfortable. A lot can be done with the right lighting and partitioning. In addition to the classic poster and e-poster exhibition, such thematic art exhibits can be used as spatial separators.

Small recreation islands with deck chairs and juice bars or massages offering a short break at the congress have become very popular.

In addition to the professional insights, personal exchange is and remains an elementary component of every event. To give the participants and exhibitors space for this, we have loosened up the traditional arrangements of the stands being located directly next to each other and integrated lounge areas. Partly independently, partly as an additional area of an exhibition stand.

Here, participants can talk to old acquaintances, speakers and, of course, exhibitors in a relaxed atmosphere. With different furniture, areas with living room atmosphere, restaurant ambient or beach feeling, are created.

F&B

By decentralizing the distribution of the catering in the exhibition hall, the flow of participants can be equalized, and many exhibitors can benefit from the sought-after location. With several food trucks, coffee bikes or smaller offerings, such

as popcorn stands, participants are offered a diverse range of products at different points of the exhibit, which automatically leads to more traffic throughout the exhibition.

Hotspots and Active Areas

To make the exhibition more active, we have incorporated Hotspot stages. These stages can be used to present short talks on specific topics, to hold company presentations or, following symposia, to hold discussion rounds and meet-the-expert sessions. In designated active areas, professional exchanges can take place in new formats, e.g. discussion rounds, which are recorded as live graphic recordings on large screens.

Inge Hanser, Managing Director CPO HANSER SERVICE: "The new implementations are well received by both participants and sponsors: The more action there is in the exhibition area, the more visitors will come and the more satisfied the exhibitors will be. For many of our congresses, the lounge concept has become an integral part of the congress."

Lisa Schneller

Two Forces, One Goal

Author: Limor Cunia Vice President, Clients & Operations, Kenes Group

The journey began 3 years ago when two “brave” men, Ori Lahav (Kenes Group’s CEO) and Lior Gelfand (Ortra’s CEO) decided to accept the challenge and host the 53rd IAPCO Annual Meeting and General Assembly which took place from 6-9, February 2023 in Jerusalem, the capital of Israel.

It was a double challenge - on the one hand, attracting people to Israel, a country that is perceived as unstable and sometimes even unsafe and on the other hand joining forces between 2 different PCOs that operate in different ways and in different focus markets.

And so it began… Kenes Group and Ortra became one team. There was a clear sense of unity and enthusiasm for shared responsibility and interest.

When working together, it’s usually in the context of a group of people working together towards the same goal. One can argue that a team worked well when they have reached their goal. However, achieving the goal is not the sole determinant of success. How the team reached their goal, the relationship, respect, and empathy are just as vital.

The key to our successful collaboration and the great outcome of delivering an exceptional event came from different aspects :

1. Respect - Each PCO brought its unique strengths. We understood what each person can bring to the table. We all felt respected and valued.

2. Good & clear communication accompanied by good relations - We had very few misunderstandings and if teammates didn’t understand something, they sought to clarify immediately.

3. We enjoyed the fruitful relations we achieved while working with one another and stimulated each other to maximize the event’s potential.

4. Support & trust - We created a working environment where we felt comfortable sharing our thoughts and ideas. We supported each other when needed, treated each other with full respect, and felt comfortable sharing ideas.

5. Healthy competition - Working together motivated both sides to work at their best. The increased competition led us to be even more creative & innovative.

6. Sharing the same values - Both PCOs shared the same vision and values focusing on sustainability, legacy, inspiration, technology & Innovation which were all reflected in the program and throughout the meeting.

The program included top leading International speakers focusing on leadership, courage, sustainability, modern employment and how to bring happiness to our workplace.

To conclude, collaboration was and is the key. Bringing together the right people, ideas, and resources is what makes a conference truly successful.

Hong Kong sends its Biggest Welcome to the World

Hong Kong is ready to welcome visitors from all around the world once again with open arms and open doors.

With the launch of the global promotional campaign “Hello Hong Kong”, Hong Kong is sending its greatest welcome to the world with 500,000 free air tickets, as well as city-wide offers covering “Hong Kong Goodies” visitor consumption vouchers, to entice travellers to come to experience Hong Kong’s diverse appeals.

Dr Pang Yiu-kai, Chairman of the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), said: “Hong Kong is back on the map for global travellers, with more excitement to offer than ever before. I am confident that Hong Kong’s vibrant east-meets-west culture, together with our iconic and brand-new attractions and immersive experiences will attract travellers back for an epic, unforgettable journey.”

On top of warm welcome, an array of enticing welcoming offers from over 16,000 outlets across the city have been put

Check out the heart-warming hello from Hong Kong MICE industry leaders:

together by the HKTB and the tourism and hospitality sectors to welcome back visitors. Among which, at the initial stage, at least 1 million “Hong Kong Goodies” visitor consumption vouchers of value over HK$100 each will be given out, covering a complimentary welcome drink at participating bars, restaurants, and hotels, or a cash voucher to be redeemed in the transportation, culinary and retail sectors, and attractions.

The whole city cheers on to greet visitors with new and upgraded attractions introduced in the past few years and its all-time-iconic experiences and mega festivities and events.

With its peerless facilities, events spaces and networking opportunities, Hong Kong has more than 100 international MICE events planned for 2023, providing excellent platforms for different sectors to seize business opportunities.

What better than a fufilling business trip? A glass to toast success at a post-event networking session.

Check out the city’s Hong Kong Goodies for Convention and Exhibition visitors and make your Hong Kong events even more rewarding!

Curiosity and Cross-Fertilisation are the Keys

Author: Patrizia Semprebene Buongiorno, Vice President, AIM Group international

To face the big change that occurred in the event market after the pandemic and the challenges to find new ways to support our clients in achieving their goals, collaboration is fundamental, starting from inside our organisations and coming from diversity and the ability to connect diverse people and sectors.

The changes brought about by the pandemic have caused the fastest and most comprehensive shift in human behaviour, with digitalization underway in almost every organisation. Now, that there is a sharp increase in events demand, we must face new expectations and requests.

Virtual and hybrid events are here to stay; whilst they won’t replace traditional in-person events, incorporating a virtual component can provide a tremendous added-value, expanding the outreach and impact on both on-line and inperson audiences.

But although clients’ and participants’ behaviours have changed, their needs have not: there is still a strong desire to meet, share, communicate, educate and network. So how can associations, corporations and event organisers

create effective solutions within this new reality, still full of uncertainties (the pandemic, the war, the inflation, etc?)

I believe that this is the moment to implement agile thinking across the delivery of our projects, leveraging the value of collaboration, cross-fertilisation and mutual exchange.

Often, our day-to-day work demands fantastic organisational skills, precision and a commitment to rigorous processes. And that's absolutely correct. But the downside of this structured approach is that we can sometimes become a bit ‘stuck in a rut’ and too rigid in our approach.

There is an important lesson to be learnt from the disruption that recent events have caused to our usual routines: there is much to be gained by seeing our own roles within a wider context, moving beyond our usual habits, exposing ourselves to other styles of work and absorbing the opportunities that a wider context can offer.

Creativity feeds on diversity. Inspiration often strikes when we look up from our desks and see the potential offered by

different solutions and formats, which are frequently closer than we think, coming not only from other competitors and clients, but from other industries (culture, entertainment, sports, gaming, etc.).

So, it is crucial to stimulate and facilitate our collaborators to free their imagination, to gear up their curiosity and have time and opportunities to explore other solutions, other providers, other projects, and other communication languages. The best ideas come from creative teamwork and intellectual curiosity, so as organisations we must create the right environment for this kind of collective and individual work. Thanks to this approach we will also be able to nurture the curiosity of our clients and engage them in pivoting together new formats, ideas and solutions.

Also, this approach can attract and retain new talents – which is another fundamental need of our organisations in this moment – giving them the opportunity to leverage their fresh mindset and work culture, collaborate, and be more creative and responsible.

So, in conclusion, I strongly believe that we will create more value by embracing collaboration, cross-fertilisation and imagination to drive new ideas and innovative solutions –imaging the future of our profession - rather than thinking about what we lost and clinging onto old models that no longer fit our new world.

Patrizia Semprebene Buongiorno

The Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event celebrates its 30th Anniversary in Melbourne

The first of the ‘big four’ tradeshows on the international business events 2023 calendar kicked off this week, with The Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event (AIME) - the foremost business events trade show in the Asia-Pacific region, bringing together international and local buyers to access the best exhibitors from around the world in celebration of AIME’s 30th anniversary.

Owned by the Melbourne Convention Bureau (MCB) and managed by Talk2 Media & Events, AIME is the leading trade event for the meetings and events industry in the Asia Pacific region, where industry decision makers connect, create and do business. Hosted by venue partner Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) from 13 – 15 February, AIME 2023 introduced exciting new elements representative of significant testament to the longevity and legacy of the show and its importance to the global business

events industry.

More than 350 exhibitors showcased at AIME, including convention bureaux, partners, and suppliers from every Australian state as well as international destinations including Japan, New Zealand, Hawaii, Qatar, the Philippines, Singapore. Abu Dhabi and more. The 400 hosted buyers and 2000+ visitor buyers were certainly spoilt for choice and were kept busy across more than 10,000 meetings that took place across the two days of the three-day AIME 2023 program.

New Zoning to the show floor has certainly been a highlight, enhancing networking and navigations with product and destination precincts aiding wayfinding.

Matt Pearce, CEO of Talk2 Media & Events, The Hon. Steve Dimpolous, Victorian Government Minister for Tourism, Major Events and Sports, Natalie O’Brien, CEO MCEC, Julia Swanson, CEO MCB and Phillipa Harrison, MD Tourism Australia.

It comes with no surprises that the Victorian Precinct occupied the largest footprint on the show floor, including the famous Melbourne Victoria Stand – the largest destination stand at AIME 2023 and host venue MCEC stand, amassing 43 exciting exhibitors spread throughout the Victoria Precinct with the very best of the best suppliers at attendees fingertips.

In celebration of AIME’s 30th anniversary milestone, this year’s Melbourne, Victoria Stand boasted a brand-new design built across two-stories, plenty of First Nation-inspired activations including an ice cream pop up, Jarrah Boy beer tasting, and a flavourful cooking demonstration by the National Indigenous Culinary Institute, and a place where visitors discovered how the MCB team and its industry partners enrich events hosted in Melbourne

Victoria’s lead agency in acquiring and delivering business events, MCB provides a free one-stop-shop service to help professional conference organisers and planners create the most memorable conferences, incentive travel reward programs and corporate business events in Melbourne. From bidding and hosting international business events, event planning support, securing government and industry support to helping to source local event service providers, accommodation and tour attractions.

communications. MCEC's award-winning chefs also put on a gastronomic show, serving multi-sensory desserts and cocktails.

MCEC's sales team were on hand to chat through exciting things coming up for the business, including its future operation of a new convention and exhibition centre in Geelong, Victoria’s second largest city, opening in 2026. This makes MCEC the operator of two purpose-built venues, providing even more opportunity for customers.

Meanwhile, MCEC's newly refreshed stand allowed buyers to step into the home of the unconventional. Already globally revered as Oceania's leading meetings and conference centre, the southern hemisphere’s premier venue continues to push boundaries and innovate. Staying true to their values, MCEC weaved sustainable principles through its design, with the stand's structure made from reusable elements with a preference for digital presentations, signage and paper-free

Outside the show floor, MCEC engaged buyers further with a reimagined Goldfields Café + Bar offering an inclusive gastronomic menu as a DJ served up epic tracks. It was an effective way for MCEC to give attendees a feel for the momentous events they can bring to life.

MCB works collectively with MCEC and its industry partners to ensure the city’s events offering is constantly evolving and appealing to the next generation of event buyers and planners.

With Melbourne’s ever evolving and innovating offerings, the city is constantly providing an array of new reasons to host business events. From new hotels to exciting new dining options and immersive experiences, and a super calendar of business events lined up, find out what’s new for 2023 and start planning your next business event in Melbourne.

Staying true to their values, MCEC weaved sustainable principles through its design, with the stand's structure made from reusable elements with a preference for digital presentations, signage and paper-free communications

Geelong Convention and Exhibition Centre

The Gold Award goes to AFEA for Conference of the Year

The Gold Award goes to AFEA for Conference of the Year

The Event Awards 2022 and Venue Awards 2022 presented the Gold award to AFEA, for organizing the flagship global space research and technology conference of the Committee on Space Research, the 44th COSPAR Scientific Assembly in Athens in July 16-24, 2022.

Businesses that have invested in infrastructure and competitive services to host and compete for high-quality events participated in the big celebration of the industry, the Event Awards 2022 and Venue Awards 2022, organized in December 2022 by BOUSSIAS.

Kuoni Tumlare Partners with HotelMap

Kuoni Tumlare Congress

When the giant of the congress circuit Kuoni Tumlare teamed up with the state-of-the-art accommodation booking innovations developed by HotelMap, a partnership of the future was made.

Experience Meets Technology

Between the industry-leading experience and know-how of Kuoni Tumlare and the technological power of HotelMap, the perfect solution for congress large group accommodation has been found — from group contracting on the hotel side to allowing clients to fine-tune their bookings through customizable booking portals — both the requirements of entire delegations numbering in the thousands and the individual needs of each attendee can be met seamlessly through the same platform.

“Event hotel booking was overlooked by the amazing digital transformations that we have seen in our lives over the past few decades. The pandemic has given us all the opportunity to rethink and restart, and this new partnership with HotelMap is going to deliver some very important, exciting

AFEA prepared the nomination file of the 44th COSPAR Scientific Assembly, and Athens prevailed over the nominations of Warsaw, Lausanne and Prague. It is noteworthy that Athens was selected from the very first election, during the 42nd COSPAR Congress in Pasadena, California, USA. READ MORE

and much-needed transformation to the entire event and group hotel booking sector.” - Marco Russi COO at Kuoni Tumlare.

An Industry Game Changer

"HotelMap is a game changer in our industry in terms of technology and innovation!" - Hana Peregrinova, Head of Congress Operations, Kuoni Tumlare.

But all these technical solutions and automatizations wouldn’t be so powerful, without the passionate team at Kuoni Tumlare. Only the understanding of the clients’ needs and the close cooperation and partnership with their client, is the true game changer in Housing Management of large events.

READ MORE

Mutual Trust and Creative Synergies drive engagement at the ESE Congress

AIM Group International

Thanks to a strategic multi-year communication plan, a longterm client relationship and the determination of AIM Hungary and its local partners to leverage the destination, the European Society of Endodontology (ESE) Congress 2022 successfully welcomed a professional community eager to meet in person again and to share knowledge and experiences.

There were great expectations amongst the international professional community of endodontologists for the ESE Congress 2022, celebrated in Budapest; their first opportunity to attend a fully in-person meeting after the pandemic.

“After a joyous and hugely successful Congress, I write on behalf of the ESE Executive Board to formally recognise the outstanding contribution made by the team at AIM in delivering that outcome…” that’s a direct comment from the note of thanks and congratulations received from the client.

Strengthening Connections: Arinex and partners host events at AIME 2023

Australasian events management company, Arinex, recently teamed up with industry players to host two events on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event (AIME) in Melbourne, Australia.

On February 14, following the opening day of AIME, Arinex organised a gathering in collaboration with event technology company Joyn and Business Events Wellington, the official convention bureau for the Wellington region in New Zealand. The event was held at Strato, the rooftop bar and restaurant

How was this result achieved? “The mutual trust we’d established with the client and the excellent synergy between the various teams and local partners was key to the success. AIM Portugal has worked with the international association as core PCO for several years, amassing considerable knowledge of the association’s culture, expectations and needs. AIM Communication manages the association’s communication programme all year round and planned a series of activities in of the lead-up to the congress. AIM Hungary exploited their comprehensive knowledge of the destination to tailor and optimise the program. Excellent collaboration between the Hungarian Convention Bureau and Hungexpo offered vital support”, summarised Monica Freire, Business Manager AIM Portugal. READ MORE

situated at the Oakwood Premier Melbourne, where over 40 event managers from various associations gathered for a night of socialising and a specially crafted Valentine’s Day cocktail courtesy of Business Events Wellington.

"We were excited to collaborate with Joyn and Business Events Wellington for this special event," said Nicole Walker, Managing Director of Arinex. "It provided an opportunity for event managers to connect, share their experiences, and build relationships in a relaxed and enjoyable setting." READ MORE

Arinex

RCS Sport entrusts AIM

Group with the management of hotel hospitality for the Giro d'Italia and the other 2023-24 cycling races in Italy

AIM Group International

RCS Sport has entrusted AIM Group with accommodation management for the staff and athletes involved in its competitive cycling events in Italy for the two-year period 2023-2024.

AIM Group’s dedicated Sports Events division will therefore manage hotel reservations for both the mens’ and womens’ Strade Bianche races, the classic start to the season; the Gran Fondo Strade Bianche; the Tirreno-Adriatico, which is divided

into 7 stages; the Milan-Turin; the historic Milan-Sanremo, which has already been run 113 times; the Giro di Sicilia (4-stage race) in April; for May’s Giro d’Italia, one of the most important and most popular sporting events in Italy, and, finally, in the autumn for the Gran Piemonte, Il Lombardia and Gran Fondo Il Lombardia races.

Overall, AIM Group will be responsible for arranging accommodation for all the people involved – athletes, teams, jury, technical staff, etc. -, a total of about 37.000/40.000 overnight stays. Optional reservations for individual guests who follow the RCS Sport cycling events may also be requested.For the 21 days of the Giro d'Italia alone, more than 600 hotels for over 1.000 people will have to be identified.

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African Agenda

After many years of fruitful collaboration, professional conference organisers K.I.T. Group and African Agenda have formalised their partnership and joined forces. Leveraging the strengths and expertise of both companies, the Cape Town-based PCO African Agenda will now be known as K.I.T. Group – African Agenda. The partnership was officially launched on 7 February 2023.

K.I.T. Group is a global full-service partner for the holistic conception, organisation, marketing, and implementation of events of all sizes and formats. As a professional conference organiser (PCO), K.I.T. Group works with numerous international associations and companies in science, business,

politics, culture, and sport to turn its clients’ ideas and visions into reality.

African Agenda, a South African professional conference organiser, specialises in the design and production of world-class conferences for local and international professional associations. The company most recently hosted the Actuarial Society of South Africa’s first hybrid conference with both virtual and in-person conference participants.

Jocelyne Muelli, Managing Director of K.I.T. Group, is thrilled with this new partnership. READ MORE

International conference organisers join forces to create more impactful events in Africa

Record-breaking numbers of both participants and sponsors at SIAARTI ICARE 2022

AIM Group International

Investment in in-person scientific events is on the rise again.

After two years’ lull as a result of the pandemic, demand for 100% in-person medical scientific events is again increasing, as evidenced by several important events organized by AIM Group International in recent months.

“We are seeing significant interest in 100% face-to-face events, with consistently high attendance levels. Furthermore,

C-IN is expecting a busy congress season this year

C-IN

Prague – C-IN expects over 30 congresses and conferences around the world in 2023. In Prague, C-IN is organizing the European Association of Research Managers and Administrators

Conference (EARMA), the 21st European Urology Residents Education Programme (EUREP), the 4th International Conference on Food Bioactives & Health (FBHC), and the World Road Congress (WRC).

C-IN will start this year´s congress season at the end of March with a smaller professional medical seminar in Popovičky near Prague. In April, in Prague Congress Centre (PCC) will follow the European Association of Research Managers and

support from sponsors is growing, both because established companies are investing more, buying larger spaces and/ or seeking additional opportunities for communication and scientific dissemination, and because of increasing interest from emergent new supporters, such as device manufacturers and pharma companies. The SIAARTI ICare National Congress, celebrated in Milan, is a clear example of this” says Gaia Santoro, Head Business Sponsorship Unit AIM Group International. READ MORE

Administrators Conference (EARMA). “We are expecting to have more than 1200 people on site,” states the project manager from C-IN Rowen Slocombe.

In May, June, and July, C-IN has many big events abroad. Namely example the 22nd Congress of the European Society for Pediatric Dermatology (ESPD) in Malaga, and the 13th Biennial Childhood Leukemia and Lymphoma Symposium (CLLS) in Valencia. Our long-term clients are the European Employment Lawyers Association (EELA), whose conference will be in Bucharest this year, and the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM), which will meet at the congress in Bali. In Berlin will C-IN organize the 28th IUGG General Assembly. READ MORE

PCOs sustainability recommendations pay off for client, community, partners and our planet

Congrès Inc.

In early November, 2022, Congrès Inc. (Headquarters: Tokyo) was the PCO for operation of the 67th Annual Meeting of the Japan Society for Reproductive Medicine. As part of Congrès’ ongoing efforts to ensure sustainable meeting operation and reduction of post-conference waste, the resource recycling poster printing service "Rakupos ECO" was introduced. This initiative was realized after the organizer agreed to Congrès’ proposal to utilize "Rakupos ECO" from the perspective of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and aligned with one of the company’s 4 materiality themes (priority issues or key challenges); “Support efforts to solve issues in society through creating fora for meetings & events.”

Grateful for the achievements

Convin

We are already in the second month of 2023, but the echoes of 2022 are still holding strong. What a year it has been for CONVIN! We organized so many interesting national and international congresses: we met volcanologists (COV11) and musicologists (IMS); we learned a lot about food microbiology and its consequences (FOODMICRO), air quality (IAC), and how important it is to strengthen the global role of environmental epidemiology (ISEE). As we hold on to so many wonderful memories, we are ready to create new ones. In May, we will welcome more than 2000 delegates in Athens for the World Tunnel Congress (WTC2023) where all aspects of underground development shall be discussed, and how it affects urban living as we know it.

READ MORE

FAST FACTS:

Meeting: The 67th Annual Meeting of the Japan Society for Reproductive Medicine

Dates: 3 – 4 November 2022

Venue: Conference Center, PACIFICO Yokohama (Yokohama, Japan)

Format: In person

Organizer: Japan Society for Reproductive Medicine

PCO: Congrès Inc.

READ MORE

Latest news from Erasmus

Erasmus Conferences & Events

Production designers gathered in Spetses

In October 2022, the team of Erasmus Conferences & Events conducted the inaugural and very inspiring "Production Designers Gathering" in the island of Spetses, which brought together Production Designers from 36 countries and 5 continents. In a spirit of camaraderie and bonding, the 250 participants sailed off to this experience on a chartered boat and set their foot on the charming and car-free island of Spetses for three days full of presentations, panel discussions, practical workshops, yoga sessions and open-air sketching activities.

It's great to turn 30!

This year, Erasmus Conferences & Events turns 30 and in early January, our team gathered for our annual meeting and a trip to the Northern part of Greece. In the shade of

IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA) to take place in Vienna in 2026

AIM Group International

AIM Group International and the Vienna Convention Bureau were integral to the consortium supporting the bid, which was led by local academic host Prof Markus Vincze of TU Wien, and included Messe Wien Exhibition & Congress Center, where the event will be held. The close collaboration between the team, the innovative event design and the extensive legacy and outreach program were all defining factors in the bid’s success, as was Vienna’s acknowledged attractiveness as a meeting destination.

The hybrid event, which in 2022 attracted over 8,000 delegates (of whom nearly 5,000 attended in person), will bring together the world’s top academics, researchers and

the sacred rocks of Meteora, we met and shared what made us proud and what made us learn in 2022

Supporting company sports

Recently, the CEO of Erasmus Conferences & Events, Ms. Georgia Tsatsou was awarded by the Hellenic Organisation of Company Sports & Health for her continued support in the development of company sports in Greece. READ

industry representatives. Its theme, Robots for All, reflects the organizers’ desire to reach out to the Viennese public and convince them of the potential everyday benefits of robotics. Designed to inspire the next generation, the community program will include a cooperation with ARS Electronica, a ‘Long Day of the Robots’ exhibition, open to the public, in the industry hub and the finals of a school competition to create the best dancing robot. READ MORE

Production Designers Gathering

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