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For us, sustainability is not merely a set of declarations – it is a process of continuous improvement, in which each year brings tangible, measurable results. We are proud to present a summary of our sustainability activities for 2025. Comparing these results with our inaugural report for 2024, we can clearly see what a huge step forward we have taken as a certified professional conference organiser (PCO). Here are the key milestones of our green transformation.
1. An office powered 100% by renewable energy and the decarbonisation of operations
One of our key objectives for 2025 was to switch to renewable energy sources in our day-to-day operations. Thanks to our partnership with Respect Energy, our office is now fully powered by clean energy (wind, solar, hydro and biogas). This fundamental change has allowed us to drastically reduce the organisation’s carbon footprint:

• Total office emissions fell from 12.04 tCO2e in 2024 to just 7.76 tCO2e in 2025 – a reduction of over 35%!
• Scope 2 emissions fell to exactly 0.00 kg CO2, thanks to the complete phasing out of traditional electricity sources.

2. Event emissions under the microscope: What is driving the decline in figures?
As a responsible organiser, we are committed to full data transparency. An analysis of statistics from the events we organised in 2025 shows a significant reduction in average CO2e emissions per participant. However, it is worth explaining honestly what had a key impact on this.
Air and road transport of participants remains the main source of the carbon footprint in the MICE industry. In 2025, the international conferences we organised had a smaller geographical reach and were fewer in number than in the previous year. Consequently, participants travelled shorter distances, and the events themselves could be held in smaller, significantly less energy-intensive venues than the massive congresses of 2024.
Our role in this process is to continuously support and educate suppliers and partner venues in their pursuit of sustainable development, as well as to implement green practices on site (eco-catering, waste sorting).
3. Prestigious certificates and independent audits: Silver for Symposium!
Our systematic efforts in 2025 have been recognised by independent, international certification bodies, providing our partners with a full guarantee of reliability.

• Green Meetings Silver: We have moved up the industry certification ladder. As the first company in Poland to hold a Bronze certificate, in 2025 we successfully passed the audit and achieved Silver certification (with an overall score of 71%)! The auditors gave the highest marks to our environmental awareness (87%) and our care for the health and well-being of our team and guests (90%).
• Silver Medal EcoVadis: In June 2025, we underwent an assessment by the EcoVadis rating platform. A score of 69/100 points placed us in the top 15% of the highest-rated companies in the world! We achieved an outstanding result in the ‘Ethics’ category – a score of 83/100, which confirms the highest level of transparency in our procedures and the implementation of advanced anti-corruption and data protection policies.

4. Social impact and Legacy Impact projects
The year 2025 also saw development in the area of sustainable legacy projects. Whilst organising prestigious international conferences, such as Soroptimist International of Europe and Eurosensors 2025, we carried out a number of initiatives of lasting social significance:

• We organised free workshops and open lectures for the residents of Kraków.
• We enabled students and PhD candidates from local universities to attend the conferences free of charge.
• We planted another conference tree in Kraków’s Aleja Kongresowa, and thanks to our ongoing collaboration with the Posadzimy.pl portal, by the end of 2025 we had planted a total of 2,000 trees, which offset 12,000 kg of CO2 annually.

5. Responsible management and people (Social & Governance)
Social indicators and corporate governance remain a stable foundation of our company. We have maintained our workforce at 10 people (90% of whom are women), and all our employees carry out their duties under stable employment contracts. Team satisfaction remained at a high level of 80%, and the average number of training hours per employee stood at a solid 18 hours per year. Equally important – the staff turnover rate in 2025 was exactly 0%.
What do the coming years hold?
Our achievements in 2025 are a huge source of motivation for us. We are not slowing down. In the near future, we plan, among other things, to actively participate in the nationwide ‘Sustainable Conferences and Events’ project by the Conferences and Congresses in Poland Association, which aims to self-verify conference venues for compliance with green standards.
We would like to thank our clients, partners and the entire “Green Team” – it is thanks to your trust and commitment that we are creating a future in which sustainable development is the norm, not the exception.
Are you planning a conference and want it to be planet-friendly and leave a lasting impact on the community? Contact us at info@symposium.pl and let’s create a Green Meetings event together!

In 2015, the German initiative Future Meeting Space (FMS), established by the German Convention Bureau (GCB) and Fraunhofer IAO, published a catalogue of over 100 predicted technological, social and infrastructural innovations that were set to revolutionise the events industry by 2030. Ten years on, it is time to take stock: which of these ideas have become part of everyday life, and which remain a vision of the future?
Hybrid events have proved to be one of the most visible successes. The predicted integration of physical and digital experiences is now the norm — from global conferences to internal company meetings. Zoom, Teams and Hopin enable remote participation and networking, and whilst holograms and telepresence robots are still a novelty, they are appearing more and more frequently in presentations.
Wearable technologies, such as smartwatches, have also found their place — they enable contactless registration, access to the agenda and navigation around the venue. In the realm of education and participant engagement, gamification and modern formats such as Pecha Kucha, BarCamp and LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® workshops have gained popularity.
Sustainability has also become an indispensable element of event planning. An increasing number of venues hold climate-neutrality certificates, and issues such as eco-friendly catering, low-carbon mobility and waste reduction are treated as priorities. In many cities, apps integrating public transport, car-sharing and micromobility facilitate access to events and reduce their carbon footprint.
However, not all of FMS’s predictions have come to pass. Ideas such as chips implanted under the skin, though technically feasible, have not caught on due to ethical controversies and privacy concerns. Instead, QR codes and facial recognition dominate. The technology also allows for the creation of a robot bartender, but the need for interaction and human contact means that such solutions have not gained popularity.
Google Glass and the Cecret Bracelet — new forms of interaction via AR glasses or bracelets with projectors — have failed to break into the market. Google Glass has been discontinued, and the Cecret Bracelet remains a prototype. Instead, AR apps for smartphones and modern headsets are gaining increasing popularity. Autonomous vehicles — although autonomous driving technology is advancing — still face obstacles in the form of legal regulations and inadequate infrastructure. Driverless vehicles remain in the pilot phase and rarely appear at trade fairs. Virtual windows and fog projectors — an idea to make windowless spaces more attractive through projection — remain a technological curiosity, but are too costly and complex to reach mass adoption.
In summary: the visions from 2015 proved largely accurate, though not all have been realised. The events industry has undergone a massive transformation, and FMS has demonstrated the value of long-term analysis and planning. The future of events is not a utopia — it is a process of continuous evolution that is already underway.
Source: Future Meeting Space
Author: Anna Górska

The modern business world is increasingly looking towards sustainable development, and the meetings, conferences and events industry is becoming an arena where these global aspirations are reflected locally. This is no longer just a buzzword, but the key to building value, optimising costs and meeting the expectations of increasingly aware stakeholders.
Collective responsibility: TBL and stakeholders
The concept of sustainable development, defined by the United Nations in 1987 as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs, is gaining importance in every sphere of activity. In the context of business, we often use terms such as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) or Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) criteria, which, although they differ in detail, boil down to one thing: companies' responsibility for their impact on the environment and society.
A key element in this puzzle is the concept of the ‘Triple Bottom Line’ (TBL), which emphasises that a company's success is measured not only by its financial profit, but also by its impact on people and the planet. TBL indicators include, among others, the number of training hours for employees, health and safety indicators, energy and water consumption, and the amount of waste. In the meetings industry, this means, for example, ensuring the comfort of staff, minimising resource consumption during events, and responsible management of post-conference waste.
Companies are complex networks of stakeholders, both internal (such as management, HR departments, employees) and external (customers, shareholders, suppliers, local communities). These stakeholders are increasingly putting pressure on companies to integrate sustainable development into their operations.
Future generations: millennials and Generation Z
Interestingly, it is the younger generations that are becoming the driving force behind sustainable development in business. Millennials (born between 1980 and 1995) and Generation Z (born between 1996 and 2012) are the most willing to pay more for sustainable products and services. These consumer groups expect companies to be transparent and accountable for their impact on people and the planet. For the meetings industry, understanding these trends and adapting its offering to growing sustainability demands is not only a matter of ethics, but above all a strategic market advantage.
Locally and globally: The power of companies
It is worth noting that sustainability initiatives can have both a global and a local dimension. Large, global companies, with their international reach and resources, have the potential to make an impact on a global scale. However, small, locally based companies can also have a significant impact. In the meetings industry, even a single hotel or conference centre can contribute to global change through local initiatives such as supporting local infrastructure, engaging in environmental clean-up activities or ensuring good employment conditions. What's more, local programmes are often more resource-efficient, as money and time are more directly targeted at specific improvements.
Benefits of being sustainable: Cost reduction and revenue growth
Implementing sustainable practices brings a number of tangible benefits to businesses. Increased productivity, better employee retention and reduced risk translate into cost savings.
Employees are increasingly looking for jobs at companies whose values they share, and a commitment to sustainability increases their productivity and loyalty. Caring for the company's image and preventing negative media coverage through robust management systems also protects against unforeseen costs and disruptions in the supply chain.
Sustainability is also a powerful driver of revenue growth. Companies offering eco-friendly products and demonstrating responsible behaviour gain a larger market share. Innovative, circular business models, in which products are collected after use and reintroduced into the production process, open doors to new markets and attract new customers.
The meetings industry on the road to sustainability
For the meetings industry, implementing sustainable practices can take many forms. Greater attention can be paid to the choice of raw materials in catering and promotional materials, encouraging closed-loop recycling through recycling or repair programmes for equipment, and ensuring good working conditions for staff throughout the supply chain.
Implementing a sustainability programme requires internal cooperation and the commitment of all employees. It is also crucial to engage stakeholders, both internal and external, such as shareholders, consultants and non-governmental organisations. It is important to set quantitative targets and tasks, monitor progress and report results regularly.
The future is sustainable
Global standards such as ISO 26000 (guidelines on social responsibility) , the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) (recommendations on human rights, labour, the environment and anti-corruption) and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (17 global goals that help companies take local action to contribute to global change) are valuable signposts for companies striving to be more responsible.
With its complexity and impact on many sectors, the meetings industry has enormous potential to become a leader in the transition to a more sustainable business model. By acting responsibly, it not only contributes to building a better world, but also builds a stronger, more resilient and competitive future for itself.
Author: Anna Jędrocha

The global community shaping the future of the meetings industry
Just before the IMEX Frankfurt trade fair, I had the opportunity to participate in key meetings organised by ICCA – the International Congress and Convention Association.
Representing Symposium Cracoviense and as a member of the ICCA Board in the Meetings Management sector (238 members – the third largest sector in ICCA), I would like to share the most important news.
ICCA as a community and platform for cooperation
ICCA is not just an association – it is a global community focused on shared values: leadership, sustainability, diversity, inclusivity, and building heritage and the future. The organisation plays a real role in shaping the direction of the association meetings industry.
ICCA 2030 Strategy – specific goals and actions
The new strategy includes developing business opportunities, strengthening education and leadership, and investing in technology, including AI-based solutions to improve the ICCA database – a key tool for members.
ICCALearn and GlobeWatch – knowledge in focus
ICCALearn is a new educational platform supporting the professional development of members. The GlobeWatch: Business Analytics 2024 report offers in-depth data on more than 11,000 meetings worldwide, providing strategic information for planning and decision-making.
New offices, new experts, growing reach
ICCA is expanding its global presence with the recent opening of offices in China and Panama. The team has also been strengthened with the appointment of a technology expert in India, the expansion of the regional staff and the appointment of a new head of operational engagement and innovation.
Central Europe – increased activity
The ICCA Central Europe Chapter Meeting will take place in Poznań on 31 August – 2 September. I am pleased to be co-creating the educational programme for this event, including the session ‘Leadership in a Changing World’, sponsored by Symposium Cracoviense. Marina Knittel (Vienna Convention Bureau) has been appointed the new chair of the chapter, with Magdalena Hołowińska (Poznań Congress Centre) as her deputy.
ICCA Congress 2024 – a strategic meeting in Porto
This year's ICCA Congress will take place on 9–12 November in Porto under the slogan ‘Charting the course’. The programme includes two Meetings Management sector meetings: a members' meeting and an educational session on best practices and the use of ICCA Business Intelligence. Early bird registration is open until 31 July.
Business Workshop 2026 – a new opportunity for cities and venues
A call for bids has been announced for the organisation of the ICCA Business Workshop 2026 for the Meetings Management sector. This event brings not only prestige to the city and organisers, but also tangible benefits: economic, promotional and the opportunity to build a strong network of contacts.
Why ICCA?
ICCA is not only a prestigious organisation – it is a space for real influence on the development of the industry. For me personally, it is a source of inspiration, knowledge and international cooperation that shapes the future of the meetings sector.
Author: Anna Górska

Why is it worth reading the latest IMEX report, ‘Power of experiences. Redesigning events for human connection’?
In May, the meetings and events industry will once again gather in Frankfurt for IMEX, one of the most important events in our calendar. Just before this meeting, the organisers published a report that encourages deeper reflection on what events should be today and what role they can play in repairing human relationships.
The report ‘Power of experiences. Redesigning events for human connection’ Redesigning events to connect people) addresses an extremely topical and important issue – the growing loneliness, isolation and lack of real relationships in the age of digital communication and remote working. The authors of the document not only identify the problem, but also propose a concrete way forward: live events as a tool for rebuilding social bonds.
The pandemic has turned our professional and private lives upside down. Working from home, countless video conferences, lack of physical presence – all this has led to a deepening of the so-called silent epidemic of disconnection. This is no longer just a personal problem – it is a public health issue and a real challenge to organisational effectiveness.
The IMEX 2025 report indicates that well-designed events can play a key role in responding to these challenges. It is no longer just about ROI, marketing or networking. It is about something much deeper: creating spaces where participants can feel seen, heard and emotionally connected to others.
Event organisers today have a powerful tool at their disposal. By designing events with the emotional needs of participants in mind, they can help rebuild trust, a sense of belonging and community. This is a huge responsibility, but also an opportunity to make a real impact.
So if you work in the event, HR, marketing or communications industry, this report is for you. It is not just a collection of data and trends. It is an inspiring call for a change in approach that can transform the way we look at meetings, both professional and personal.
I encourage you to read the full report, ‘The Power of Experiences 2025,’ and to join us in designing events that not only connect but also heal.
Report available for download: The_power_of_experiences_report_2025.pdf
Author: Anna Górska

The Polish Membrane Society has won the right to host the EUROMEMBRANE European conference in Poland, which will take place on 5–9 September 2027 in Gdańsk. From the very beginning, the PTMem's efforts have been supported by PCO Symposium Cracoviense, which will be the logistical organiser of the event.
The EUROMEMBRANE conference is an international conference dedicated to membrane science and technology. It brings together researchers, engineers and specialists from around the world to summarise the latest achievements in membrane technologies, including their development and applications in areas such as water treatment, desalination, gas separation and biotechnology. The EUROMEMBRANE conference provides experts in the field with an opportunity to exchange knowledge, present the latest research results and establish contacts with colleagues from around the world.
The event is organised by the European Membrane Society (EMS), an international non-profit organisation. Its aim is to facilitate cooperation between scientists and engineers in the field of synthetic membranes and membrane processes. Membership of the EMS reflects global expertise, comprising over 600 specialists from around 50 countries. This diversity highlights the society's commitment to international cooperation and knowledge exchange in the field of membrane technology.
The EUROMEMBRANE conference takes place every three years and attracts 700-900 participants. It has never been held in Poland before. Discussions on organising the event in Poland began in 2019, but due to the pandemic situation in the country, efforts to secure the conference were not made until 2021, when an application was submitted to host the event in 2024. Poland lost out to the Czech Republic at that time, and this year's conference was held in Prague. Another opportunity to submit an application arose in July 2024, and this time Gdańsk was chosen as the venue for the conference. The official winner of the competition was announced at the end of this year's EUROMEMBRANE conference.
 
The application was submitted by the Polish Membrane Society together with the Warsaw University of Technology, with the support of Symposium Cracoviense. The Chairman of the Local Organising Committee of the EUROMEMBRANE 2027 conference is Professor Maciej Szwast from the Warsaw University of Technology, and the Chairman of the Scientific Committee is Professor Wojciech Kujawski from the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Ambassador of Polish Congresses. The application was accompanied by a letter of support from the President of the Polish Tourist Organisation/Poland Convention Bureau.
Author: Anna Górska
Attached photo: EUROMEMBRANE 2024 Prague - announcement of the results of the competition for the next edition of EuroMembrane. In the photo (from left) are Dr Lubos Novak (representative of the EuroMembrane 2024 organiser), Dr Elena Tocci (President of EMS) and Prof. Wojciech Kujawski, representative of the EuroMembrane 2027 organisers.

Symposium Cracoviense, a PCO with over 26 years of experience in the Polish market, has been awarded the prestigious Green Meetings Bronze Award certificate. This is a unique achievement, as the company is the only Polish company to have won this international recognition for its commitment to sustainability.
The Green Meetings Bronze Award certificate, awarded by Green Tourism - the world's largest sustainability accreditation programme for the tourism and hospitality sector - is important evidence that Symposium Cracoviense implements and promotes the highest environmental standards in the meetings and events industry. The award is valid for three years and is a testimonial to the company's ongoing commitment to caring for the planet, society and the future of the industry.
Green Meetings is an innovative certification programme, launched in 2021 by Green Tourism, dedicated exclusively to the meetings and events industry. The process of earning this certification requires a comprehensive audit and assessment of a company's operations against internationally recognised standards that are in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. This certification is independently verified by experts who have a keen understanding of the challenges facing the tourism and hospitality industry. The company's activities are assessed in the areas of: Communication and Awareness, Community, Health and Wellbeing, Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity, F&B, Biodiversity, Energy and Water, Waste, CO2 emissions and Chemicals.
Receiving the Green Meetings Bronze Award highlights that sustainability is an integral part of Symposium Cracoviense's activities. The company engages in practices that not only contribute to environmental protection, but also enhance its reputation, deliver cost savings and provide a competitive advantage.
Green Tourism, part of Symposium Cracoviense's DNA, promotes a greener approach to business by offering members advice and support on sustainability best practices, from ethical purchasing to efficient management of energy consumption.
‘Symposium Cracoviense winning the Green Meetings Bronze Award certification is not only something to be proud of, but also a commitment to continue promoting and implementing sustainability measures, key aspects of which include environmental protection, social justice and economic growth,’ said Anna Jędrocha, CEO of Symposium Cracoviense.

During the world's largest conference of heritage scholars affiliated with the Association of Critical Heritage Studies (ACHS), held June 3-6, 2023 in Galway, Ireland, it was decided that the Faculty of Political Science and International Studies at the University of Warsaw (including the new UNESCO Chair for Public and Global Processes of Managing Intangible Cultural Heritage) will host the ACHS conference in 2028.
The ACHS conference, held biennially in various locations around the world, attracts some 600 delegates from around the globe and has never yet taken place in Poland. ACHS is a network of scholars and researchers working in the broad and interdisciplinary field of critical heritage. One of the ACHS research groups, the Intangible Heritage (ICH) Researchers Network, was coordinated for four years by Dr. Hanna Schreiber of the Faculty of Political Science and International Studies at the University of Warsaw, now also head of the aforementioned UNESCO Chair.
Efforts to secure the rights to host the ACHS conference began in 2022, when Symposium Cracoviense presented the proposal to the University of Warsaw. The first attempt to hold the conference in Poland in 2026 failed, but after the bid was refined, efforts were renewed and succeeded this year. During the General Assembly of ACHS members, Warsaw's candidacy was presented by a strong Polish delegation consisting of Dr. Hanna Schreiber (UNESCO Chair / Faculty of Political Science and International Studies, UW), Andrzej Jakubowski (Polish Academy of Sciences), Monika Stobiecka (Faculty of Artes Liberales, University of Warsaw, member of the UNESCO Chair team) and Paweł Mrowinski (Promotion Office of the Faculty of Political Science and International Studies, UW).
Dr. Hanna Schreiber said: “This year's conference was a great opportunity for our entire team to participate in many heated discussions on the latest challenges in heritage studies and to celebrate the recent achievements of many friendly scholars, not only in the field of critical heritage studies, but also in related areas such as international heritage law and common goods research. We are delighted and proud that this prestigious event will be held in Warsaw.”
The Warsaw conference will be organized by Symposium Cracoviense, and efforts to bring the event to Poland were supported by the Warsaw Tourist Organization/Warsaw Convention Bureau and the Polish Tourist Organization/Poland Convention Bureau.
Author: Anna Górska

ECAI, or the European Conference on Artificial Intelligence, is undoubtedly one of the most important events in the field of artificial intelligence in Europe and the world. Organized for more than 40 years by the European AI Association (EurAI), the conference is a meeting place for leading scientists and experts in the field.
The ECAI conference is organized periodically by national AI associations in Europe. Last year, the Polish Association of Artificial Intelligence (PSSI) won the competition to organize this prestigious event. In October, ECAI will come to Poland for the first time, to Krakow. Given the traveling nature of the conference, this is a unique opportunity for the Polish scientific and business community.
The conference, whose committee is headed by Prof. Ann Nowe (Vrije Universiteit Brussels), received nearly 2,000 submissions from 58 countries and six continents. This year's program committee, coordinated by Prof. Kobi Gal (Ben Gurion University, University of Edinburgh), includes more than 2,600 scientists from around the world. The organizers expect more than 1,000 participants from around the world. The conference will consist of a series of events. On 30.09-01.10 on the campus of the Jagiellonian University, in the buildings of the departments of Physics (WFAIS) and Mathematics (WMiI), 30 workshop and tutorial sessions will be held to accompany the sessions for young scientists including PhD students. The main part of the conference, will begin on the evening of 1.10 and planned for three consecutive days 2-4.10, and will be held at Krakow's modern ICE Conference Center overlooking Wawel Hill. The organizing committee of ECAI2023 is headed by Prof. Grzegorz J. Nalepa (President of PSSI, Professor at WFAIS UJ), and includes Pro Dean Pawel Wegrzyn (WFAIS UJ), Prof. Adam Roman (WMI UJ) and Dr. Krzysztof Kutt (Secretary of PSSI, WFAIS UJ).
In addition to paper presentations, the scientific program includes five invited lectures. An important highlight of the program will be an industrial session organized in cooperation with the Krakow Technology Park. The sponsors, 11 companies developing and using AI-based technologies, will present their solutions, and speak during panel discussions.
The ECAI 2023 conference has received very significant organizational support from the Mayor of Krakow and Jagiellonian University. The Krakow Technology Park and AGH University of Science and Technology are also involved in the organization. Numerous important universities and organizations, including the Polish Academy of Arts and Sciences, KI-PAN, Poznan University of Technology, Wroclaw University of Economics and many others, have assumed scientific patronage of the event.
The opening session of the conference will be honored by the presence of the pro-rectors of Jagiellonian University.
The conference is organized by Symposium Cracoviense, a PCO for 25 years engaged in comprehensive organization and service of scientific and business meetings throughout Poland.
For more information on the conference, visit the official ECAI 2023 website.

At this year's IMEX, held May 23-25 in Frankfurt, the International Congress and Conference Association ICCA announced its digital transformation. It held the launch of an enhanced ICCA database and association website, created in cooperation with technology partner Simpleview.
Association meetings database
ICCA's world-renowned database of association meetings rotating between at least three countries, with a minimum of 50 participants and held periodically will now function as ICCA Business Intelligence. The ICCA database has always been an indispensable source of information and a tool for sourcing international meetings. Today it provides analysis and intelligence on international associations, creating many more business opportunities for its members. The original database was a combination of several platforms. Today, it is more balanced, offering:
Improved integration - more efficient data management,
Modern user interface - more intuitive functionality, making it easier to find new business leads,
Meeting search tools - it is now possible to customize and save more detailed search criteria
New notification system - each saved search will generate an automatic alert when new leads are added to the database or when a new search query is opened for a selected region
New recommendation mechanism - intelligent intelligence that goes beyond user searches and reads pattern recognition and data analysis to predict the best possible matches for a specific destination.
Website
The ICCA website is a portal for meetings professionals who want to learn more about ICCA. The new website offers a more user-friendly experience, with a particular focus on promoting how it can share what it does to support and promote the international community on a global, regional and local level. The changes to the operational site mean that the ICCA team today can easily update and add relevant information about events, news, industry news, sponsorship and promotional opportunities. It also clearly defines the association's values, global reach and explains the many benefits ICCA membership brings to associations and meetings professionals.
In the fall of 2023, ICCA will announce the creation of an additional database that will include information on rotating (inter)government meetings. This is a very exciting development and ICCA believes that by revealing this information, it can provide members with more sustainable business opportunities.
ICCA's databases are only available to Association members. ICCA also continues to manage and make available an extensive archive of official documents, articles, insights and information, mostly to non-members.
Source: https://www.iccaworld.org/
Author: Anna Gorska

The International Alzheimer's Disease Conference will be held in Krakow, Poland for the first time on April 24-26, 2024, with an average of 1,200 onsite and online participants from more than 120 countries. The conference has been attracted to our country by the Polish Association for Assistance to People with Alzheimer's Disease, supported by Symposium Cracoviense.
Alzheimer's Disease International (ADI) is an international federation, supporting and working with Alzheimer's and dementia associations, as well as people living with dementia, caregivers and all relevant organizations, to help raise awareness, oppose stigma and call for dementia to be recognized as the global health priority it should be. ADI also works with the World Health Organization.
The federation was founded in 1984 by Alzheimer's associations in the US, UK, Australia and Canada. It has more than 100 members, usually one in each country. In Poland, the Polish Association for People with Alzheimer's Disease, based in Warsaw, is a member. President of the Polish Association, Zbigniew Tomczak said, "I am proud that we can co-organize this prestigious conference for the first time in Poland. We firmly believe that this is a tremendous opportunity to share knowledge and experience between people with dementia, policy makers and healthcare professionals and caregivers. I look forward to welcoming conference participants to Krakow in 2024."
ADI organizes the conference every two years. This unique multidisciplinary event brings together researchers, healthcare professionals and physicians, people with dementia, family caregivers, researchers, staff and volunteers of Alzheimer's and dementia associations.
With a high standard of diverse scientific and non-scientific content, the ADI 2024 conference program will focus on the seven action areas of the World Health Organization's (WHO) Global Dementia Action Plan, which revolves around policy, awareness, prevention and diagnosis, research, care and treatment. The conference will bring together experts from around the world to share the latest innovations and best practices in dementia research, care and policy, as well as discuss how we can continue to come together and challenge the perceptions and stigma that still surround dementia.
Each time, the event leaves a positive footprint and legacy in the place where it is held. The conference has never yet been held in Poland. Poland won the rights to host the event the second time around. and efforts initiated by Symposium Cracoviense began in 2018. Anna Gorska, Board Advisor at Symposium Cracoviense, said: "We supported the Polish Association at every stage of applying for the event, from helping to prepare the first application to organizing the inspection visit.  I am glad that our goal has been achieved and this prestigious conference will be held in Poland. This is our joint success." The competition application in the form of letters was also supported by the Polish Tourist Organization and the Warsaw Convention Bureau.
On March 13-15, 2023. an inspection visit to Poland took place with Paola Barbarino, ADI CEO, and Jane Cziborra, Head of Events. The ladies inspected the capabilities of venues in Warsaw and Krakow. After the visit, the decision was made to hold the event in Krakow.
Author: Anna Górska

Wunderman Thompson's annual forecast 'The Future 100: 2023' has been released, which identifies 100 trends in various industries. I have selected three that I believe connect with business events. These are 'Ageless Play', Absurdist Stays and 'Metatravel'.
"The Future 100: 2023" is an annual forecast by creative, consulting and technology agency Wunderman Thompson that identifies 100 trends across industries - from culture to technology to travel and hospitality - that will shape the way we live and work this year and beyond.
"AGELESS PLAY" (Fun at any age) - one trend to keep on the radar in the coming year - says that despite the ongoing economic and environmental crises, people are choosing joy.
The pursuit of joy and fun runs throughout this edition of The Future 100: 2023. According to the authors, this year will be full of an unbridled and powerful surge of energy that will arm people with hope, joy and happiness in still uncertain times.  
On the upswing is 'joyconomy', a movement about enthusiasm and positive thinking. Brands are offering bold colour palettes, uninhibited fun for all ages, and movement activities that lift mood and heart rate. Given the events of the past three years, this is not much of a surprise. But the trend of people of all ages appreciating the importance of play deserves to be treated as more than just a temporary response to painful challenges, so it should continue.
"ABSURDIST STAYS" (Absurd Stays) - Travellers are looking for innovative and memorable stays that are equal parts bizarre and fun and have a 'WOW' effect.
By the summer of 2023, travellers will have the opportunity to stay in a floating avocado in Chile, a giant flowerpot in the US or a blooming pink flower in Mexico. These are just some of the projects that have been selected by Airbnb as part of the 2022 OMG! Fund, to which the company has donated $10 million. This is in response to the growing demand for quirky and unusual stays. It is intended to be something unusual, never-before-seen, that is rare and beautiful, which will impress every person.
"METATRAVEL" - The Metaverse is revolutionising the traveller experience, where physical journeys begin to blur with fantastical virtual worlds.
Entering the world of augmented reality (AR), Moxy Hotels, part of Marriott International, launched Moxy Universe, Play Beyond AR 2022, in July. The experience allowed visitors to create their own avatars in the Moxy Universe, which moved from digital to physical hotels. The avatars were able to accompany guests over a drink in the hotel bar, in private hotel rooms and even while exercising in the gym. The experience was available at 12 Moxy hotels in the Asia-Pacific region from July to December 2022
Hotel brands are meeting the expectations of metatourists. As the metaverse evolves from a science-fiction concept into reality, every industry, will feel its impact.
Source: https://www.wundermanthompson.com/
Author: Anna Gorska

Cooperation, commitment and consistency are the themes of the "Roadmap for the Events Industry How to Achieve NET Zero* Carbon Events" (A Net Zero Roadmap for the Events Industry) published at the United Nations COP27 Conference in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt this November.  The Net Zero Carbon Events initiative was established in August 2021 and is currently supported by more than 400 organizations from 55 countries. Its goal is to achieve Net Zero by 2050 at the latest.
There is a lot of talk about climate change and the negative impact of human activities on the planet and the need to make changes here and now. The event sector is also responding and creating a guide based on which any company, large or small, can create its own plan aimed at reducing carbon emissions, as every event leaves a carbon footprint and generates different carbon emissions, whether it is an international conference or a corporate party.
The meetings industry sector is a complex network of stakeholders, all of whom will need to work to reduce carbon emissions, and this is where collaboration, commitment, consistency in action and also systemic change are essential. It is not enough for a single organization or group of organizations to take steps toward decarbonization. It is necessary to rethink the way we plan, design and organize our events. You can start doing this today by starting small and charting a path for your organization based on the guidance posted in Road to Net Zero.
The guidance is for use by individual companies and focuses on organizers, venues and service providers, and takes into account that there is no one way for all organizations, as it depends on the stage they are at and the environment in which they operate. It is also assumed that the primary goal is to decarbonize the in-person participation element of the event and not to propose digital or hybrid events as a solution.
The guide identifies the following five priority areas for action:
Power events efficiently with clean, renewable energy
Redesign events to use sustainable materials and avoid waste
Source food sustainably and eliminate food waste
Logistics - move goods and equipment efficiently
Work with and influence travel industry partners to reduce emissions when traveling to events.
The Roadmap to 2050 is broken down into shorter timelines to inspire preemptive action before zero carbon and help the event industry organize more sustainable events. This roadmap is available as a full report with comprehensive information on implementing actions to achieve net zero. It also includes specific case studies and also ways to measure and evaluate the results of actions taken.
The plan is to download here.
*Net zero refers to the balance between man-made greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and their removal from the atmosphere. To achieve this balance, GHG emissions must be reduced and those that cannot be avoided must be offset or "neutralized" through long-term carbon capture solutions.
Author: Anna Górska