The role associations play in societal transformation was on the agenda at a recent ICCA meeting in Washington DC.
The half-day session, themed ‘The Future of Association
Meetings and Societal Transformation’, was hosted by the International Congress
and Convention Association (ICCA) and encouraged discussions among attendees
about the role associations play in societal transformation.
The event was broken up into four educational sessions:
- 'Elevating Associations in the Next Decade' analysed
the current landscape facing associations and explored the challenges and
opportunities in each region, highlighting the differences in operation,
engagement, and impact.
- 'Innovations Shaping Association Meetings' explored the role event professionals play in reshaping the future landscape of
association meetings. Drawing upon Harvard research to highlight the importance
of face-to-face engagements and the impact of connection in today’s society.
- The 'Business Workshop for Societal Impact' session was structured around three rounds of deep-dive discussions, each
spearheaded by a leading association that shared pressing challenges at the
heart of societal transformation.
- 'Towards a Sustainable and Inclusive Future' session focused on embedding sustainability and inclusivity at the heart of
association meetings.
Attendees included Michelle Mason, president and CEO at The
Center for Association Leadership; Elliott Ferguson, president and CEO of
Destination DC; Leslie Zeck, director of Meetings at the International
Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research, Loren Christie, managing
director of BestCities Global Alliance; Stephanie Santini, chief operating officer
at C2 Association Strategies; and Marie Hunter, head of global events and experiences
at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
The ICCA leadership team — including ICCA president Marta
Gomes and ICCA CEO Senthil Gopinath, along with ICCA regional director for
North America Jose Barreiro and head of education and legacy pogrammes Ksenija
Polla were also in attendance.
