An association representing the exhibition industry convened 350 members in-person at its annual congress in Rotterdam – under the banner ‘Together Again’.
The 88th UFI Global Congress, which took place at Rotterdam Ahoy, 3-6 November, was the first time the industry had met face to face since lockdown.
The meeting explored the future of the industry in the post-Covid world.
Alongside networking opportunities, attendees had the chance to celebrate the recovery of the sector, exchange lessons learned, and gain new insights and ideas.
Kai Hattendorf, managing director and CEO at UFI, said: “Rarely in recent years has a Congress theme matched the sense and spirit of an UFI event this well as ‘Together Again’ did this year.
“We indeed came together again, we discussed together again – we laughed together again. We shared experiences and observations, learnings and strategies.
“We mourned the colleagues we have lost to the pandemic, and we celebrated those who showed leadership and innovation, winning the UFI Awards this year.”
With more than 60 speakers on stage, delegates could follow a multitude of sessions, covering industry recovery, global trends, diversity & inclusion, entrepreneurship, and best practices.
They discussed possible paths forward as well as the more immediate needs, challenges and opportunities the industry faces as the world reopens: strategy, sustainability, the power of face-to-face, work force challenges and opportunities, and data ownership.
Keynote speaker and Economist Noreena Hertz said: “We are creatures of togetherness, our will to connect is actually in our DNA and physical interactions are qualitatively superior to virtual ones! “
Meanwhile, closing keynote speaker, Prince Constantijn Van Oranje said: “All these things bring new peers together. There is a lot of opportunity that requires to rethink old ways.”
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.
