AFEA Travel & Congress Services

09.2022

Sustainability as a key component of COSPAR2022

The 44th COSPAR Scientific Assembly in Athens was completed with delegates and audience enjoying the screening of the emblematic concert "Alpha Mission-ΔEli’s: the [uncertain] four seasons", a Vivaldi concert that took place in the island of Delos, the archaic, timeless birthplace of Artemis and Apollo and the event marked the convergence of humanity, arts and technology with the universe itself. The great message of Delos arrived in Athens with the very purpose of changing the way we think and act on the human induced climate crisis - the ultimate goal of preserving the only home we have.

COSPAR 2022 incorporated the Sustainability component in various aspects of the meeting, from the scientific program to suppliers’ chain and social program.

There were several actions, related to the Meeting that highlighted and enhanced Sustainability:

More than 140+ volunteers, students and young scientists from the University of Athens and other academic institutions were part of the team supporting COSPAR 2022, the ultimate event on Space Research. Volunteers had also the opportunity to attend as participants in the educational program.
Encouraging Knowledge and Expertise sharing - This action was achieved throughout the entire Meeting Program, however special support or benefits were offered to students, such as the COSPAR 2022 Grants Program.
Education for Young Leaders of the Space Community - COSPAR 2022 contributed greatly to the transfer of knowledge to the Next Generation Leadership on the Research for Space and aims in bringing young scientists closer to the Community.
Promotion of the City of Athens as a sustainable meetings destination and promotion of local sights and culture. In very close cooperation with the City of Athens and The Athens Convention & Visitors Bureau, a complete program of tours was created and promoted extensively through the meetings’ website, newsletter and SoMe, focusing on the local biodiversity and sights with environmental, social and cultural interest. On this basis, detailed information was provided on the Astronomical facilities of the host city.
Digital application and reduction of printings - A dedicated digital app has been created including all relevant information about the meeting program.
Encouraging delegates to recycle and contribute to the overall sustainability strategy of the meeting by using the conference app.
Hybrid component - COSPAR 2022 was a hybrid event, with emphasis on physical participation. The digital element was fully incorporated in the meeting.
Support by the Hellenic Red Cross during COSPAR2022, providing medical services to all delegates and organizing team.
Sustainability Actions by all Meeting Suppliers and Partners involved in the organization and execution of the meeting were encouraged. All partners were invited to adapt the strategy and to showcase their sustainability actions. This involved especially AV and Technology Service partners.
Encouraging Early Registration - Encourage early registration and discourage on-site registration.
Catering Services - Use of local and organic food products and local recipes and presenting the local cuisine and gastronomy to the delegates.

Various Actions related to the Scientific Program were organized such as:

Promotion of the COSPAR Panel on Planetary Protection prior and during the Meeting Program.
COSPAR organized an important workshop focusing on the issues of “Enriching Scientific Discovery through Inclusiveness, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility – IDEA for Today and Tomorrow”. Recognized experts who have devoted their careers to advocating for diversity and inclusion shared their perspectives, the critical imperative to cultivate diversity, and the way in which COSPAR can lead these efforts in the global scientific community. As a first step to implementation, COSPAR approved the appointment of the first Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility Coordination Officer (ICO), reporting to the President and Bureau in a 4-year term to 2026.
Panel on Innovative Solutions. In space sciences, indeed in all of science, the development of innovative technologies opens new fields of research and provides sophisticated new tools for research. The Panel on Innovative Solutions provided a forum, open to all COSPAR Associates, to present, consider and discuss new technologies for and approaches to scientific research.

Please visit cosparathens2022.org for more information.

08.2022

Op-Ed: Sissi Lygnou on Greece’s meeting industry!

The pandemic has been one more crisis to challenge event professionals around the globe. However, the Meetings Industry has proven to have a fully adaptive DNA.

In the last 2 years, our Industry learned to deal with event cancellation and postponement, quick adaptation and education to new technologies and digital elements, transformation of events to virtual and hybrid and strict health protocols. The Leaders of our Industry worldwide were challenged to act fast, re-think, re-design, re-skill and at the same time protect their business and the well-being of their people. Associations representing meeting professionals globally joined forces to design future strategies towards a fast recovery.

It is a fact that digital transformation will dominate our Industry in many different formats and that the digital element is here to stay. Meeting professionals will need to embrace its value and incorporate it in their routine in the most efficient way.

Moving forward, collaboration will be key to future planning.

The International Association of Professional Congress Organizers (IAPCO) is a great example of a key player collaborating closely with other International Organizations, with the aim to drive the change to the new reality, advocate on the industry’s value to recovery and development, as well to identify the key global trends.

IAPCO’s Global Task Force on National Associations of Professional Congress Organizers (PCOs) was created during the pandemic to identify and measure the impact of the crisis and to advocate on the importance of our profession. A great platform for discussion, thought leadership, exchange of knowledge and strategic thinking.

On a national level, the creation of synergies has never been more important.

In the period 2021-2022, despite the critical times and challenges, HAPCO, the Hellenic Association of Professional Congress Organizers joined forces with the powerful group of Destination Event Specialists to create HAPCO & DES, a re-designed, re-branded Organization with a stronger voice on MICE Greece.

Moreover, a very strong synergy, the Greek Meetings Alliance, a collaboration among HAPCO & DES, Athens & Thessaloniki Convention Bureau (ACVB/TCB) empowered during the pandemic, designs and implements various actions and activities to promote the national Industry. More of these synergies will be created in the future.

Moreover, SDGs will come to the frontline of future planning for Associations, Meeting Professionals, and the complete supply chain of our Industry, while they already have an impact on their strategic plans. Climate Action, Human Rights, Diversity & Inclusion, Work-Life Balance are already the fast forward KPI’s for future leaders.

In the collaborative journey which awaits us, we will need to change our language. Move from measuring the financial impact to focusing on the social impact of events and importance of making people’s lives better. Shifting from dominant to inspirational Leadership, while investing in the next Generation and the shaping of future Leaders.

We will need to work together to resolve the megatrend and greatest challenge, talent management, recruitment, and the retaining of our people. Best practices on HR management, protection of mental health and well-being of our workforce as well as education are now more than ever of major importance for the road towards a better future.

Hellenic Association of Professional Congress Organizers & Destinations Events Specialists (HAPCO & DES)
President

Sissi Lygnou

Source: https://news.gtp.gr/2022/06/30/thought-leaders-sissi-lygnou-on-greeces-meeting-industry/

05.2022

Looking forward to a “sustainable” Meetings Season!

AFEA team is in full operation and planning mode, back to in person meetings and looking ahead of a full and challenging season. Next to the safe and successful organization of meetings, SDGs, are top of the agenda.

The 2nd half of 2022 finds AFEA team in the heat of preparation, organization and implementation for the upcoming meetings. This year we have dedicated a major part of our work in the promotion for a more sustainable profile at the basis for our meetings organization and implementation and we focus on the SDGs related to the conferences we organize. In particular Goals 1, 4, 5, 8, 10, 11.

9th Biennial Congress of the European Society of Endocrine Surgeons – ESES 2022

With a mission “to promote research, current knowledge and techniques in endocrine surgery", ESES is a European reference for education in the field of endocrine surgery for all endocrine surgeons” professionals, whether they are at the beginning or the height of their career.

The objectives of the Society, as a non-profit organization with activities for public benefit, aim at the promotion of science through research and the advancement of knowledge and techniques in endocrine surgery, as well as the promotion and maintenance of high standards in the clinical practice of endocrine surgery and the promotion of education and research in this field.

Mediterranean Orthopaedic Surgery & Traumatology Forum 2022 – MOST Forum 2022

The MOST Forum 2022 will be held from May 27th to May 28th 2022 in the beautiful Greek island of Rhodes.

The FORUM is one of the latest scientific and educational initiatives of the Hellenic Association of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology – HAOST and aims to provide a chance for Orthopaedic professionals to connect with colleagues and expand leadership knowledge.

Population Approach Group Europe - Page 2022

PAGE Association represents a community with a shared interest in data analysis using the population approach. It is a not-for-profit organisation with a registered office in England and Wales. After a two-year hiatus owing to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, PAGE will resume face-to-face in Ljubljana, Slovenia from 28th June to 1st July 2022!

The PAGE meeting takes place in an informal atmosphere with a vivid scientific discussion. PAGE 2022 will be held at the Cankarjev Dom and participants are encouraged to attend and present their work in the form of an oral presentation or poster. In the context of the meeting, the annual Lewis Sheiner Student Session was inaugurated, in order to honour the memory of Lewis Sheiner and to highlight his lifetime passion for student education.

74th OMEP World Assembly and Conference

The 74th OMEP World Assembly and International Conference will be held in Greece, between 12th to 15th July 2022, a country where the ancient philosopher Plato highlighted the importance of Early Childhood Education.

Education in early childhood and elementary school is fundamental for every individual, because it promotes holistic child’s development, offers opportunities for exploration and learning, and cultivates critical thinking and creativity. At the same time, Pre-school Education plays an important role in children’s school readiness and success, in order for them to become future active citizens. The theme for the OMEP International Conference in July 2022, is based on the need to consider and explore contemporary issues and dilemmas for Pre-school Education in the 21st century.

Cospar2022 – 44th Scientific Assembly

The mission of the COSPAR Athens 2022 held from July 16th to 24th, 2022 is to deliver a Scientific Assembly that reflects, serves, and prolongs COSPAR’s prominence, leading role and legacy. COSPAR Athens 2022 provides all necessary means to support COSPAR’s mission to ‘assemble a worldwide community of scientists who are dedicated to international cooperation in space research’.

COSPAR Athens 2022 SPC and LOC aim to:

Increase the attractiveness of COSPAR Scientific Assemblies by streamlining the scientific program, providing opportunities for networking between participants, encouraging and promoting participation, and creating an environment of unencumbered communication between space agencies, companies and entities interested in space research and technology with the global space research community;

Deliver an open forum of global scientific interaction and collaboration, free of any geopolitical impediments, tensions or differences;

Create a safe, zero-tolerance environment against any discrimination or harassment, as detailed in the generally accepted Code of Conduct;

Enhance and facilitate the participation of younger Associates by organizing a range of actions oriented toward or focused on them, by allowing a lower registration fee for students, by setting up a student and young associate meeting point during the Assembly, and by establishing a volunteer program for local students to support, and benefit from, the organization; and

Raise awareness within the Greek scientific community, among domestic entities with vested interests in space research and technology, and in the general public on the importance of international collaboration in these subjects and the core benefits of openly accessible top-level science to society’s continuous development and well-being.

The COSPAR Athens 2022 organization subscribes to the generally accepted Code of Conduct and is committed to enforcing it during the Assembly.

5th FORTE Summer School 2022

The 5th Edition of FORTE Summer Schoolwill be held in Athens, Greece from 25-29 July, 2022.

The Summer School aims to serve the needs of orthopaedic trainees of any stage; either as an annual update or as a preparation tool for National/European orthopaedic board exams. Exchange of ideas and comprehension of diversities between the different countries will be also encouraged, not only during the scientific sessions but also the social events.

Our team aims to promote the sustainable profile of each meeting through the digital promotion of relevant sessions and at the same time encourages the organization of activities within the context of each meeting. The support of the National and Local Authorities is always critical to the successful and effective sustainability actions.