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Brussels International Association Forum Finally Staged

After two extremely hard years for associations, the first edition of the Brussels International Association Forum, from ASSOCIATIONWORLD, has been held, making a community out of its attendees. The changing sector models, good governance, diversity and inclusion, as well as skills of pandemic leadership, all made for lively panel discussions. From Boardroom…

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The Metaverse: Better Networking at Hybrid Business Events

The “Metaverse”, as a concept, has been around for a long time. But it now looks set to become a reality and have significant impact within the events industry. Harry Prince, the Creative Content Manager at venue finder Spacehuntr, explains how the Metaverse will improve networking for hybrid meetings. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…  

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Marjorie Anderson on DEI: Definitions and Event Approaches

Marjorie Anderson, the Founder of Community by Association, tells the Deep Dive podcast how associations should be addressing DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion). After definitive definitions of DEI, the conversation looks at how to be more inclusive at conferences, accommodating those delegates with impaired hearing or mobility, or with neurodiversity or photosensitivity. From Association Meetings International…

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Lessons from Ukraine: Associations Need to Take a Stand

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has seen international associations with either Russian or Belarusian members, or exhibitors, or events planned, forced to take hard decisions fast, and hold difficult discussions about ending or suspending long-standing, lucrative collaborations. Ioannis Pallas, the European Society of Association Executives’ Association Manager, offers a guide. From Associations Meetings International…

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Advancing Women’s Rights: The Business Events that Mattered

International Women’s Day, which has now been marked for over a century, offers the opportunity to remember the key conferences and other events that have helped move the needle on women’s rights. The 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women (pictured) in Beijing, China, featured participation by future Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. From PCMA…

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AACB’s Andrew Hiebl: Australia’s Return to Business Events

Australia’s recent reopening to the world, and the lifting of domestic border closures and restrictions, makes this an important moment in the county’s business events sector. Andrew Hiebl, the CEO of AACB (the Association of Australian Convention Bureaux), discusses the upcoming pipeline plus Tourism Australia’s Business Events Bid Fund. From Association Meetings International…

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Glasgow’s COP26 and Sustainability Legacy: Reusing Materials

Over thirty charities have benefited from the materials used at last year’s COP26 as part of the positive legacy of the UK’s largest business event ever, which was held in Glasgow. Identity Group, which delivered the meeting for the UK’s Government and venue SEC, tasked Event Cycle with redistributing materials. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…

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AC Forum President Carola van der Hoeff: Adapt and Diversify

Carola van der Hoeff is the new President of AC Forum (Associations and Conference Forum). In a broad interview on the Deep Dive podcast she discusses restarting association events, changing business models, building back better and organising her first webinar. As well as that, she looks forward to face-to-face IMEX meetings. From Associations Meetings International…

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Masks Masterstroke: Quebec Venue Forms Recycling Partnership

Early in the pandemic, Quebec City Convention Centre’s Director of Building Management and Event Support Marc Poirier was shocked at how many masks were ending up in the venue’s rubbish. He set to work finding a partner to reuse them. Also in Quebec, Go Zero Recycle has developed the process. From PCMA…

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BESarawak: the Lasting Literary Legacies of the Longhouse Library

Community libraries in Sarawak, Malaysia, are leaving incredible legacies. One of them, Batang Ai’s Nanga Ukom Longhouse Library, is even a business events CSR project organised by BESarawak together with Iceberg partner ICCA on the occasion of Kuching, Sarawak, staging the Asia Pacific Regional Hub of the 59th ICCA Congress. From Options…

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MCI’s Nikki Walker: Associations and Events Through the Pandemic

According to Nikki Walker, who is Global Vice President Engagement, Associations and Communities at Iceberg partner MCI, associations are craving to get back to meeting face-to-face, yet prefer to hold a fully virtual substitute rather than hybrid. In this Deep Dive podcast, Walker examines how associations have evolved through COVID. From Associations Meetings International…  

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Brewers Association DEI Mini-Grants Ferment Beer Event Legacy

“Mini-Grants” for diversity, equity and inclusion are being used by the US Brewers Association to ferment legacy at craft beer sector events. One meeting funded was a 2021 hybrid conference at which local female music producers created beats inspired by different craft beers to attract new consumers. From Associations Now…

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BESarawak Legacies: Celebrate the Past to Awaken the Future

“MICE” is a term long-associated with the meetings sector. But now the small and wily mouse-deer of Malaysian folklore has become a metaphor for how Business Events Sarawak has crossed the river after the pandemic and resumed business events activities through its Legacy Impact Initiative. Photo: Dave Curtis. By Jane Vong Holmes, Senior Manager Asia, GainingEdge….

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Chemical Reaction: Science Conferences After the Pandemic

PCMA Editor-in-Chief Michelle Russell drew our attention to this discussion of how the model of scientific conference should be changing in the wake of the pandemic. It contains a fantastic example of serendipitous legacy, a chance meeting at a conference in Puerto Rico leading to some Nobel prize-winning CRISPR gene editing. From Chemistry World…

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Fast Forward 15 Founder Fay Sharpe OBE Talks Mentorship

Fay Sharpe, Founder of the mentorship programme Fast Forward 15, was awarded an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in the Queen’s New Year’s honours for services to mentoring women, gender equality and charity fundraising. Sharpe has also retraced her career on M&IT’s Talks podcast. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…

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A New Word for the Serendipity of Events: “Liminality”

If attendees are missing the chance encounter at virtual events, the lack of “liminal” space in the environment may be the culprit. This can also be missing at in person events. Julius Solaris, VP of Marketing Strategy, Events at event tech company Hopin, gives us a new idea for planned serendipity, “liminality”. From PCMA…  

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