Association meeting planners were amongst hundreds of event
professionals who gathered in Lisbon to discuss the challenges of organising events
in a time of geopolitical turmoil and AI.
PCMA’s Convening EMEA welcomed 565 delegates from 42 countries
(and another 249 online) - making it the largest edition of the convention
managers’ get-together since it began in 2021.
The programme was built on three themes – connection, integrity
and the future – but the common thread was trust, as planners and suppliers
grappled with the realities of a fast-changing world.
Lindsey Barr, senior director, events & academy services
department at UITP - shared how her association cancelled its Dubai congress
after conflict broke out in the Middle East.
She explained how the association had transitioned from a
biennial to an annual event after its 2025 Hamburg congress, partly to offset
some of the financial risk of having to cancel an event.
Barr also revealed how UITP was now budgeting for potential ‘fallow’
years (one in five annual conferences) to mitigate against rising instability
and the risk of having to cancel events.
She said the decision to cancel the event – rather than
postpone – made handling the situation easier and members, delegates and
stakeholders ‘appreciated the clarity’ it afforded.
“Under force majeure we were not obliged to issue any
refunds. We were totally covered in that respect, but we did offer to simply
transfer registration and sponsorship fees to our next congress in Hamburg. In
most cases, people were very happy to accept that offer. Where people really
wanted a refund, we of course, gave them a refund.”
Elsewhere Dr. Poornima Luthra’s gave a perceptive and
practical take on DEI - positioning it in the context of the bias-confirming
algorithm and our increasingly polarised societies.
Tracy Bury, former CEO of World Physiotherapy and now owner
of consultancy Operandi, oversaw an insightful exploration of cultural
differences and what they mean for event planners.
And Elke Geraerts’ explored the effects of the digital
world/AI on our intellectual faculties and asked how event planners could
design meetings that grab and hold people’s attention.
Next year’s Convene EMEA will be held in Seville, Spain,
13–15 September 2027.
PCMA last brought its European community to Seville in 2018
for the European Influencers Summit which welcomed approximately 150
participants.
“Convening EMEA has evolved significantly since PCMA first
brought our European community to Seville in 2018,” said Sherrif Karamat, CAE,
President and CEO of PCMA and CEMA.
“Returning in 2027 gives us an opportunity to demonstrate
just how far that community, and this experience, has come. Andalucia and
Seville share our ambition to use business events to create meaningful economic
and social progress, and we look forward to working together to create an
experience that connects our community while delivering lasting value for the
region.”
Written By
James Lancaster
AMI editor James
Lancaster is a familiar face in the meetings industry and international
association community. Since joining AMI in 2010, he has gained a reputation
for asking difficult questions and getting lost in convention centres. Proofer, podcaster, and panellist - in his spare time, James likes to walk,
read, listen to music, and drink beer.
