NürnbergMesse has responded to the Russian invasion of Ukraine by converting one of its exhibition halls into a shelter for Ukrainian refugees fleeing violence.
Hall 3C, part of the NürnbergMesse Exhibition Centre in Nuremberg, Bavaria, will be used as an emergency shelter for up to 600 refugees who have fled their country to find safety as Russia continues to bomb Ukraine.
The hall has been subdivided into a day room area and a sleeping area. Camp beds have been put in place, shower and restroom trailers have been hooked up, and a continuous power supply has been installed. A separate play area for children is also included.
“By temporarily providing Hall 3C, we are doing our part to offer humanitarian emergency aid, even as trade fair operations have resumed,” said NürnbergMesse Group CEO Dr Roland Fleck.
Trade fairs and exhibitions will continue in the exhibition centre during the time Hall 3C is being used as a refuge.
NürnbergMesse Group CEO, Peter Ottmann, added: “We want very much to do all we can to mitigate suffering, and thus to emphasise our solidarity with Ukraine and its people.”
Nuremberg mayor, Marcus König, said: “Our warmest thanks to NürnbergMesse, which has worked with the city’s fire brigade to set up the urgently needed emergency shelter for war refugees here at the Exhibition Centre in such a short time. That means we’re well prepared and can offer adequate space, protection and safety here for the people from Ukraine.”
The events site will be separated from the emergency shelter by a structural barrier that will also serve to protect the refugees during the hazardous setup phases in advance of events, and during the teardown work afterwards.
During the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic in Germany, NürnbergMesse stepped up to the challenge of helping to vaccinate Germany’s population but converting Hall 3C into a vaccination centre. Some 276,000 residents were vaccinated at the facility.
A desire to travel led Holly Patrick to the business meetings and events world and she’s never looked back. Holly takes a particular interest in event sustainability and creating a diverse and inclusive industry. When she’s not working, she can be found rolling skating along Brighton seafront listening to an eclectic playlist, featuring the likes of Patti Smith, Sean Paul, and Arooj Aftab.
