Conference Matters 127 | Destination Belgium by Het_Portaal_Uitgevers

DESTINATION BELGIUM Conference cities and regions in Belgium

TIPS & TRICKS

Attract more participants online

Upgrade your social skills REPORTAGE

STRIVING FOR UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE ECTHMIH2017 KEYNOTE SPEAKER

His lectures come with smiles and tears Leo Bormans SUPPLIER

VISUALHARVESTING.COM Walls of knowledge and insights

‘Insourcing positively affected the identity of our events’ Giuseppe Marletta

COMMENT

Memorable Not that I followed all 24 presentations of the self-chosen start-up cities during the me.convention in Frankfurt, but after having listened to a few, it's hard to remember which city excels at what. A pocket-sized metropolis is a characterisation that many speakers used, including the one from Ghent, Belgium. A characterisation which is also used by many visitor and convention offices to attract conferences or tourists. Not surprising, because it is a definition that includes many promises. On the one hand, one of a compact and easily accessible city where you as an outsider can easily find your way around, for business or pleasure, and where an organiser can keep his group of delegates together without limiting their freedom too much. On the other hand, it gives the impression of a worldly and multicultural destination. It makes it clear that you are welcome no matter what language you speak, and that there is a varied and high-quality range of shopping, culture and hospitality available. But this no longer makes a city unique. In the start-up scene, just like in the conference industry, it's very important to list all institutes, multinationals and growth sectors. Because this is usually dealt with quickly in many presentations, with a projection full of logos as a background, it's hard to focus on the details. What I experienced in Frankfurt is the competition within Europe of (mainly) second-tier cities for economic perspective, an important part of this being the war for talent. They all see a close and innovative community of institutes, multinationals, start-ups and government agencies in a dynamic, pleasant living environment as the key selling point. Which start-up city was the most memorable? Linz, Austria. The speaker concluded with a fairly recent photo of himself in which he was many kilos heavier. That really got his audience's attention. @ConferenceMatters Edwin Nunnink Editor in Chief Conference Matters

Giuseppe Marletta

Sharing atmosphere

â&#x20AC;&#x153;We want to bring people together in an informal atmosphere and see them turn into (potential) business partners first and friends soon afterwards,â&#x20AC;? says Giuseppe Marletta, association manager of the International Association of Young Lawyers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our events typically have a friendly atmosphere, with participants who have an open mind and who are eager to share with others."

Social skills

Nine tips Social media is increasingly being used to recruit more delegates. Sometimes with success, sometimes irritating the recipients. We give you nine tips for successfully amplifying your audience via social engagement.

CONTENT

10th ECTMIH

Happiness

Tropical Antwerp

Leo Bormans

I see that several ECTMIH2017 participants have found their way to the zoo during lunchbreak. About 1,500 professionals are working on global equality in health care in The Flanders Meeting & Convention Center Antwerp (FMCCA), that is part of the ZOO Foundation. The brand new convention centre proves itself as a location with a generous heart.

“Often the organisation wants to play the Pharrell Williams song 'Happy' for my entry,” says speaker, writer and happiness expert Leo Bormans. They expect him to give the participants a few 'happy' tips, but Bormans also talks about pain and sorrow. Afterwards, people say to him: "We laughed very hard, but we also had tears in our eyes."

Still waiting

Visual harvesting

Investing heavily

In 2009, Martine Vanremoortele started Visualharvesting.com, a Belgian pioneer in visual storytelling. Her team travels from conference venues to company headquarters to deliver a very specific service: visual translations of ideas, opinions, discussions, meetings and speeches.

"You can hold your meeting anywhere, but in Flanders we offer the world a unique décor", says Flemish Minister of Tourism Ben Weyts. “We are going to tap into this fantastic growth market now and are investing heavily in expanding the range of conference venues on offer.”

Project NEO Brussels Expo has been asking for a new conference centre for more than 20 years. Cost: between 100 and 200 million for the conference building and between 20 and 40 million for the associated hotel. The wide budget range shows that so far no one has a solid idea.

A very specific service

Ben Weyts

5 CONTENT

Destination Belgium

Conference cities & regions We present you four congress cities and two regions, spread throughout Belgium. Learn which destination excels in which sectors, what their specific atmosphere is and which facilities they offer to make congresses a success. Get acquainted with Antwerp, Bruges, Leuven, Mechelen, Flanders and Wallonia.

Maarten Vanneste

Boring sessions Thirty years after starting his career as a meeting architect, organisers ask Maarten Vanneste still the same question: how do they get more interaction at their conference. Or worse yet, he still sees a lot of boring sessions where no one is paying attention. Is it really a hopeless mission?

European Association Summit

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VOLUME 29, Destination Belgium CONFERENCE MATTERS edition 127 CIRCULATION: 5,000 copies. PUBLISHING COMPANY:

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In an increasingly global industry, there are legitimate questions as to what the designation “international” implies, and when applied to a convention centre, what assurances it should give clients who are looking for the right kind of “fit” for their event.

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BEN WEY TS

"You can hold your meeting anywhere, but in Flanders we offer the world a unique décor", says Flemish Minister of Tourism Ben Weyts. He is investing € 2.2 million through Tourism Flanders into 'Thor Central': a new conference and meeting venue at a former mining site in Genk. Specifically, it involves the development of a conference and meeting venue for meetings of up to 300 people. Thor Central combines contemporary spaces, historic character and a good story with modern comfort. The conference location will be situated in the large Thor Park, which has become a new hotspot for technology, energy and innovation. "We're applying a Flemish recipe for success here: a modern meeting infrastructure coupled with a heritage area", says Weyts. "Thor Central will be very competitive in the meeting industry." The Flemish investment policy aimed at the meeting industry is opening up a lot of potential. A study by the

WES Onderzoek & Advies shows that in the long run, the number of congresses in Flanders can increase by 12 percent, to around 84,000 a year. The biggest potential for growth is with international associations that organise specialised conferences in their fields of expertise. All in all, Flanders has the potential to increase direct conference spending by about 484 million euros. Weyts: "We are going to tap into this fantastic growth market now. We have a sophisticated strategy and are investing heavily in expanding the range of conference venues on offer. That means a large, new injection into our economy, a boost for all of Limburg."

GIUSEPPE MARLETTA

ASSOCIATION MANAGER

'It really feels like one big family'

The Association Internationale des Jeunes Avocats started in 1962 with the purpose of gathering young legal professionals for knowedge sharing on a number of then trans-national topics. The association grew steadily and increased its growth-pace every time its community became more internationally active. "Today, it is hard to imagine the challenges a lawyer - young or seasoned - faced fifty years ago when dealing with an international case. They were - and still are - completely dependent on a network of reliable, local fellow-lawyers to familiarize them with relevant legislation and jurisdiction, in order to have even the slightest chance for success", says association manager Giuseppe Marletta. "Becoming a member of AIJA was the first essential step in building an international network, and in fact this role has hardly

changed over the last 55 years. Joining AIJA is still a kick-start for ambitious young lawyers who want to take on international cases."

Low-hanging fruit Currently, AIJA counts some 4,000 members in 60 countries. The age limit to remain an active member is 45 years of age. Once members reach this age, they are kindly invited to leave the house. Giuseppe Marletta: "The age limit gives AIJA a very particular dynamic. As the management team, we constantly have to recruit new members, as we know a number of active members leave every year because of the age limit. The typical lifespan of an AIJA member is around 10 years, which implies that members pick up an active role very quickly. They join one of the Commissions on a specific legal subject, they become national representative

or speaker at one of our events at an age no other association would deem acceptable." "For the other international associations in the legal field, we are like low-hanging fruit. They know that every year, a number of members leave, and they are all very welcoming with our alumni. We have a memorandum of Understanding with several lawyers’ associations, like Union Internationale des Avocats (UIA), International Bar Association (IBA), American Bar Association – section of International Law and Interpacific Bar Association (IPBA). With all of them, we have formal agreements, and we actually work closely together to increase our membership base and organize joint events. At this moment, some 70% of our members still come from Europe. It would be great if we could change that in the near future getting even more members from outside of Europe.

TEXT: CHRISTOPHE L ANDUY T PHOTO: CAROLINE MARTINOT

In August 2018, the city of Brussels will host the 56th International Young Lawyers’ Congress organised by AIJA, the International Association of Young Lawyers. With some 4,000 active members in 60 countries, AIJA develops year-round over 20 events, varying in size and scope, from its Brussels headquarters. Giuseppe Marletta is the association manager and leads a team of five who run the association.

'The enthusiasm of the local organizing committee is the number one criterion' Member-driven The International Young Lawyersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Congress is the largest global event for lawyers under 45 and the biggest on the AIJA agenda. It typically attracts between 600 and 800 participants and lasts over 5 days. In the recent past, the annual congress was hosted in Tokyo (2017), Munich (2016), London (2015), Prague (2014), Buenos Aires (2013) and Barcelona (2012). Giuseppe Marletta: "We do not have a centralized procedure to pick our destinations. In almost all cases, it is the local organizing committee that comes up with a proposal. Their enthusiasm is the number one criterion. For each proposal - large or small event - AIJA team verifies the dates and place for any conflict with the main AIJA agenda, with the agenda of other associations and with the agenda of the Convention Bureau at the destination. We want good value for money, and this implies that we avoid to organize our seminars in the shadow of very large events." "Until five years ago, AIJA outsourced all of its events to a PCO. When I joined the Association in 2012, the first task was to reverse this process and keep a maximum number of tasks in-house again. Notwithstanding the fact that we worked with an excellent PCO at

that time, insourcing positively affected the identity of our events: we now have a clear AIJA signature, that leaves enough room for couleur local. Today, we are able to do much more exciting things and create a genuine experience. Moreover, I have seen that members in local committees take a lot of pride in presenting their city to their fellows ; this too adds to the value experience of being an AIJAmember. Who else can tell that he received hundreds of colleagues from around the globe in his hometown?" â&#x20AC;&#x153;The only exception to this member-driven destination proposal was Tokyo, where AIJA leadership decided to hold the annual event for strategic reasons. On this occasion we worked together with a local DMC: the city is so overwhelming and the cultural gap is so significant, that it is rather complicated to organize an event as a foreigner. Asia is one of the focal regions for membership growth and I am happy to say that the Tokyo congress was the biggest AIJA event ever held outside of Europe.

Friendly atmosphere A quick glance at the AIJA agenda shows the variety of themes in the field of international law, and the variety of formats the association

developed. From two-day seminars on topics like anti-corruption, environment, international business law, intellectual property to social events like a pre-Christmas dinner and local get-togethers. Giuseppe Marletta: "What we offer, is the network. Over the last years, we have developed a number of online tools that are intensively used by our members: the extranet features webinars on a broad range of topics and we have a business referral dashboard that automatically alerts members when a new request is added. But all this technology will never replace the value of physical get-togethers. We want to bring people together in an informal atmosphere and see them turn into (potential) business partners first and friends soon afterwards. Each of our events features an intense social programme: this is where most of the networking happens and where the event tends to get tiresome also for my team. But it is great to work with people who are approximately your age and share a lot of common values. I know it may sound slightly rhetoric, but it really feels like one big family. Our events typically have a friendly atmosphere, with participants who have an open mind and who are eager to share with others."

Born and raised in the Italian city Catania, on the island of Sicily, Giuseppe Marletta studied Public Relations. After obtaining his Master’s degree, he moved to Brussels with his spouse and started working as an association manager for several European and international groups and associations, in the field of intercultural dialogue, policy making, project management as well as in the health sector. He joined AIJA as an association manager in 2012. “Brussels is a good compromise," says the father of three, looking out of the window on a grey October afternoon. “Every now and then, I miss the generous rays of sunlight from my home country, but on the other hand, this is a great place to work and live. The city of Brussels wants to integrate its residents, but it does not seek to assimilate them. You could live here your entire life without having to give up your identity. I have the feeling that in many other cities this is not the case. My kids go to a local school in an incredibly international environment, where they learn to understand and appreciate cultural differences of different nationalities. I guess the world would be a much nicer place if more people would have that same openness of mind.”

Social media As a Board member of ESAE, European Society of Association Executives, and a member of ASAE, the American Society of Association Executives, Giuseppe Marletta is in the front seat to observe developments in association management and conference organizing. The AIJA team is said to be avid attendees of all sorts of events. “Obviously, as a result of

the partnerships, we attend all the major conferences in the legal field. But we love to take a look behind the walls as well, to see how other industries are doing. One of the eye-openers we visited with the entire team was the STIMA Congress of the Belgian Association of Marketing: it was both inspiring and energizing. And there was a real buzz, oozing through all

the veins of the event. With AIJA, we have not yet reached that level of activity on social media. We actively use Linkedin, Twitter and Facebook. We know that our members have profiles on those platforms, but the interaction needs to be stirred up. I would love to see AIJA trending on Twitter one day, but we are not quite there yet. Ah well, probably that too is a matter of education…”

TEXT: CHRISTOPHE L ANDUY T PHOTO: CAROLINE MARTINOT

‘Brussels is a good compromise’

ASSOCIATION MANAGER

COLUMN

INTERACTION: THERE IS STILL HOPEâ&#x20AC;Ś Meeting Design is the hype of the day, but the demand for interaction is as old as the road to Rome. After thirty years of experience as a meeting architect and as the author of a manifesto on this subject - written ten years ago! - I have come to the unfortunate conclusion that we have made little progress, and time is running out...

Additional burden Interaction is unfortunately not the natural state of speaking fellow humans. I estimate that 90 percent of all speakers are professional in something other than speaking. They are, for example, experts in nuclear liver oncology. Because they are speaking to other experts, they are extremely nervous. And because there are now also female experts sitting in the audience, the (often male) speakers want to show off their intellect as a peacock spreading its tail. Not ideal conditions for interaction: lots of content, lots of stress, little experience. It is therefore not fair to these types of speakers to add the additional burden of interaction to their plate. It just doesn't work! The costs It's not fair and it's stingy! Training, guidance, scripting, facilitating, design, et cetera, costs either time or money. But do not make it too difficult because every step is an improvement. Start with a few speakers or sessions, or facilitate a meeting for all speakers. However, as an organiser, you have to do something, because continuing as we are doing now could cost more: namely the event itself ... Young professionals Interaction is becoming increasingly important for the following reasons: the youth. The young oncologist, born in 1997, learns just about everything via the internet today and has less time than ever for a three-day congress and two days of travel. The young professional estimates the usefulness of a congress a lot lower than those born in 1987, let alone those from 1957. Learning from speakers is no longer recognised as a reason for travel. Networking on the other hand... that is the treasure, and interaction is the key that opens the treasury.

MA ARTEN VANNESTE (CMM, CMA), ABBIT MEETING INNOVATORS

1987, the start of my career as a meeting architect. In the Bouwcenter in Antwerp, I provided sound and image (then 35mm slides) for a medical conference with four break-out rooms. The organisers approached me and remarked that the speakers were so boring that people were falling asleep and that they, therefore, could use some more interaction. Thirty years later, I still get the same question. Or worse yet, I still see a lot of boring sessions where no one is paying attention. Is it really a hopeless mission? Meanwhile, there are already many solutions available that I could not have dreamed in 1987, but which often deliver disappointing results. We use an app for interaction, a new kind of microphone, we ask the speakers, but without success.

COLUMN

Small-Group Activity For the sake of clarity: Interaction is not a panel or Q&A! The really valuable interaction is not that between the speakers and the audience but between the participants. Small-Group Activity, if done well, is potentially the golden moment during each session. Groups of participants learn from each other, contribute themselves and get to know each other better (around the table). This provides value to all sides of the participants objectives-triangle: Learning, Networking and Motivation. So, now that we know how and why we only miss one thing: the courage to tackle it. And that is often exactly where the problem lies. Many meeting planners and conference organisers are not creative: they are often logistics planners. Nobody has an excess of time and nobody is really a fan of revolutionary change. Certainly not when it concerns their own job. There is still a lot of work to do to create the conditions that allow for real interaction. Short-cut Fortunately, there is also a quick solution. The short-cut is a facilitator or even better: a meeting architect. That's someone who does four things: 1. clarifies the reasons for interaction for a particular project. 2. designs the sessions and the type of interaction around those reasons. 3. assists in the implementation of the interaction including finding the facilitator. 4. measures and reports the results of the interaction (learning, networking and motivation).

MA ARTEN VANNESTE (CMM, CMA), ABBIT MEETING INNOVATORS

Good luck!

Joining together two conferences across the Atlantic

The FRESH conference is the annual, international conference focused exclusively on meeting design. FRESH is known for its innovation and experimentation around meeting formats, techniques, tools and technology. In 2017 FRESH became a Multi-Hub conference. For the first-time meeting professionals could experience the conference in one of five cities. With a high-density connection, the experience â&#x20AC;&#x201C; presentations, Q&A, discussion and debate â&#x20AC;&#x201C; was as if all attendees were in the same room. In 2018 FRESH will once again be in four locations, but this time they are pushing the envelope even further. For one hour, they will connect the 300 participants at the Global Pharmaceutical and Medical Meetings Summit in Philadelphia, USA to FRESH 2018 in Europe. The Global Pharmaceutical and Medical Meetings Summit convenes senior meeting management professionals from the life sciences, medical, and health care industries for empowering ROI-driven conversations, peer-to-peer knowledge exchange, shared best practices, and networking. If meeting design is your thing, you can choose one of four FRESH destinations in Europe on 27-28 February 2018. www.thefreshconference.com

NINE TIPS TO ATTRACT MORE PARTICIPANTS ONLINE

TEXT: HAR ALD ROELOFS ILLUSTR ATION: ISTOCK

â&#x2020;&#x201C;

TIPS & TRICKS

Social skills

TALK WITH YOUR TARGET GROUP, NOT AT THEM E-mail marketing and social media are commonly deployed on a grand scale in the run-up to a conference. And if registrations happen to be lagging, the message will certainly be repeated many times. 'Should we send out another e-mail that "a few" places are still available?' Although you can reach a lot of people this way, they often think the messages are spam, and these won't translate into a lot of registrations because spam-like content quickly irritates readers and is often deleted. It's better to use content that generates discussion. And then you can join the discussion. This way, you are providing something. Usually, linking a hashtag to this content is enough for people to associate you with the conference. If members of your social media network share the content, it will spread by itself. In the best possible scenario, your content will go 'viral' or spread around the world. You should also focus on people who are already a 'fan'. They will gladly act as your ambassador and share your posts if you give them interesting content.

USE THE FIVE L'S The most common mistake with social media is focussing only on what you want to say, instead of wondering whether it means anything to the recipient. It's not always easy to know what recipients want, but it helps to try to think from their perspective. The content appreciated by target audiences nearly always falls under one of the five L's: Learning (interesting information that people can use), Laughing (positive jokes or fun video clips), Love (attention and compliments), Listening (asking questions and interacting) and Location (practical info about your event).

BE GENEROUS WITH YOUR #HASHTAG Use your hashtag for all of your communications, including offline material, banners or whatever else is part of your campaign. If people know your hashtag, they are less likely to make up one of their own when discussing your conference. And you don't want that because you may miss a lot of what is being said about your event, and you won't be able to respond in time. Even during the conference, it's a good idea to display your hashtag everywhere, such as the big screen between the speakers.

Boring uniformity Don't choose the easy way out by posting the same message on each platform. Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, to name but a few, each have their own communication culture. So, be sure to use a separate plan for each social media channel in order to take advantage of each platform's strengths. For the same reason, limit the number of social networks on which you are active online. It is already a challenge for most organisations to actively track three social media accounts and to regularly provide interesting content.

TIPS & TRICKS

CHOOSE A GOOD #HASHTAG Craft a short, exclusive and, most importantly, recognisable hashtag that is easy to remember. For instance, the name or the subject of the conference. You can also add a year to the hashtag if it involves an annual conference. Something as simple as #IBTM17 would be effective. If people are unfamiliar with IBTM, but they are exposed to a great deal of interesting content, they will take the initiative to find out about IBTM. Check whether your hashtag means something in another language or whether it already exists. It would not be the first time people who are looking for your conference hashtag receive an avalanche of irrelevant messages in Spanish or another language. By the way, often you can avoid this problem just by adding the year to your hashtag.

USE PHOTOS AND VIDEO CLIPS Research has shown that people find images much easier to understand and remember than text. Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn posts are shared more often when they have an image. We are four times more likely to remember images as we are to remember text. People generally remember 80 percent of the images they see, but only 20 percent of the text. Be sure to always add an image to your message: a photo or a video clip. Choose your image carefully. It has to add something and be relevant. Pay attention that you do not have any blurred images or photos that are just bad overall.

CALL TO ACTION If it's quiet and you do not have much to share, you can also ask your audience what they think is nice to post on social media. Prior to the conference, perhaps during the registration period, you can appeal to your audience (including your hashtag) to indicate online that they will be attending your event. You could send another small gift to the people who do that or even raffle off a bigger gift. It is easy for participants to announce online that they will be coming because they can instantly network; it is also great for raising the profile of the gathering. During the event itself, you can allow them to chat online about the topics that come up or let them take specific photos, such as at a meeting point. You can install a big screen there, with the hashtag on it, for people to stand in front of. Better yet: have a photographer ready nearby. He/she then sends it to the participant's Twitter account.

RESPOND POSITIVELY TO CRITICISM Criticism is a natural part of social media. You may also receive commentary on certain choices you have made in the run-up to a conference. These might concern the content you have posted, but they might also, for example, be due to the fact that you have invited a speaker who appears to be somewhat controversial. As long as the criticism is not solely a tirade, you should always respond and not remove them. If you do respond, show your audience that you take the comment seriously. Another good option is to personally contact the person who left the criticism. If you are sincere and show empathy, that is often enough to solve any issues. Post the agreed solution as a response on social media. Sometimes you can just 'respectfully' disagree with each other.

MAKE AGREEMENTS WITH YOUR STAFF When it comes to work topics, you can tell your staff what you expect regarding the use of their private accounts. Go ahead and write down some straightforward agreements on an A4 about not hurting your colleagues, not letting things get personal about work and not sharing any business secrets. This may all seem perfectly logical, but it's often violated under the justification: 'My personal Twitter account only has ten followers.' But if the audience contains a journalist, someone from your conference's target group or a person with 5,000 followers who retweets an inappropriate message, the impact could be huge.

SET UP A TWITTER WALL Together with your chosen hashtag, display your tweets, Facebook posts and LinkedIn messages on the big screen during the conference. A ticket line on the bottom of the screen is a good way to present these. In this way, you will stimulate visitors to tweet during the conference, which creates a direct interaction with your participants. Be particularly cautious about careless social media use during the event with the free Wi-Fi. If a login is required, make sure that all of the participants can easily access it. And do not force them to input all about their lives and to complete all manner of forms before being allowed to go online. Just ask for a password and consider it done.

TIPS & TRICKS

Reading tip The following book is specifically geared toward conference organisers: ‘Trending Topic – We have to do something with Social Media #ButWhat’, a management book by Gerrit Heijkoop and Paula Vos. The tips and tricks offered in this article are losely based on this book.

REPORTAGE

About 1,500 professionals are working on global equality in health care in the tropical setting of the Antwerp Zoo.

10th ECTMIH 16 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 20 October 2017 FMCCA, Antwerp

The organisation works in a clear manner with easy-to-understand imagery, as evidenced by the 'ECTMIH2017: Day 1 Update' which landed in my mailbox. The Monday clip, Wise Words and Pic of the Day; the first, a video report from the previous day, the second a portrait with a quote, and the third a picture of the opening session by the Ghanaian Aku Kwamie, and the referral to the Facebook page of the international conference for more information. Finally, three brief tips: take a walk through the zoo, download the app and visit the new website of the FESTMIH.

The train as a safe choice I read the mail sitting on the train from Amsterdam to Antwerp. I've been stuck in a traffic jam for hours on this route twice this year. Those who regularly travel to Antwerp know that these are not isolated incidents. This time, contrary to my usual habit, I choose the train. The Thalys gets you there in an hour and a quarter and the IC takes on average two hours with a train change in Rotterdam. I chose the last option because it is cheaper by half at 70 euros for a return trip and offers more travel times daily.

The downside is that there's no wifi. But in the writing profession, that may also be an advantage, because I managed to type what's necessary on my laptop during the trip.

Right in front of the door Ultimately, it does not matter whether you choose the Thalys or the IC, or whether you travel from Amsterdam, Brussels or Paris. In any case, you will be dropped off at the door of Antwerp's most important conference venue. I walk straight out of the station and see the historic entrance gate of the Antwerp Zoo on my right. Ten metres further, I see the

TEXT & PHOTOS: EDWIN NUNNINK

Striving for universal health care in tropical Antwerp

TEXT & PHOTOS: EDWIN NUNNINK

REPORTAGE

entrance of the Elisabeth Centre, where the ECTMIH2017 flag waves proudly. The Flanders Meeting & Convention Center Antwerp (FMCCA), its official name, had its grand opening this spring. The new convention centre is part of the ZOO Foundation, an organisation dedicated to animal welfare, conservation and science. The revenues of FMCCA are used for the work of this organisation, including breeding programs and research into the conservation of species.

A location with a generous heart You first walk right into the very spacious atrium. The reception desk is located at the front entrance and is where the conference participants' badges are checked. It is early on the third conference day, so I am soon in possession of a badge and conference bag. The only crowds are at the counter where participants confirm their attendance to obtain the 25 European CME credits assigned to the con-

ference. This logistical operation is carried out smoothly by the people of PCO Medicongress. Once inside, I find myself in the heart of the conference. In the Atrium are the catering facilities, the stands and a section of the poster sessions, all in one central, sunlight-profiting space. This is also the bridge – both practically and architecturally – between the protected monumental building of the zoo and the modern conference and meeting centre.

Inspection of the conference bag I grab a cup of coffee and cake and look for the Queen Elisabeth Hall, an impressive auditorium style concert hall, with 2,020 seats. I take a seat in the first gallery so I can study the contents of my conference bag unnoticed and find out what is going on here today. The bag itself is attractive: sturdy canvas, adorned with the conference's powerful logo (the tower of Antwerp Cathedral, a cruise ship as a reference to the port and caduceus with a palm tree as a carrier of the snake) and – I read on the attached ticket – fair trade produced

by TOWNSHIP, a company set up to create meaningful and sustainable economic opportunities for women in township communities in South Africa. The weight of the bag is mainly due to the paper book the 'Final Programme'. The colour-coded tracks, the floor plan and the day-today programs per conference room will help you smoothly through the more than 100 sessions in five days. I stick with the conference app facilitated by Attendify that does the same job just fine. I also find a bilingual magazine from the Antwerp Institute of Tropical Medicine, which organises the conference together with Because Health (Belgian Platform for International Health) and the European Federation FESTMIH.

Summary of results The Queen Elisabeth Hall is not very full during these plenary talks. The presentations include, as expected at these conferences, many difficult-to-read graphs and tables, and a summary of the results. I manage to figure out that it's about an active substance called sofosbuvir which

can be used to fight hepatitis C. I decide to ignore the content for today. Through the papers and online study work during the sessions, I figure out the essence of the conference and its organising federation. The FESTMIH combines the powers of fifteen national Europebased associations for professionals working in international health care. It was formed during the organisation of the first European Congress in Hamburg in 1995. The conference currently in progress is the tenth edition and has about 1,500 participants. The umbrella theme of the federation and conference is the pursuit of universal access to health and equality in healthcare worldwide.

Choice of gorillas or birds The conference is now underway and the visitors have moved off to the different sub-rooms. In the new section of the conference centre, on the first floor, are the multifunctional rooms Gorilla 1 to 5 and one floor higher, similar meeting rooms Peacock, Nightingale, Toucan and Pelican. Most of the conference

guests choose the stairs instead of waiting for the (large) lift. I enter Gorilla 2, which has been renamed the pressroom. It turns out to have a collection of many tables, few chairs and four socket outlets close to floor level which are continuously occupied. I borrow a chair and do some work by a socket in the hallway. Throughout the day I notice that (young) people in the atrium end up sitting on the floor to power their laptops.

Impressive skeleton I decide to also explore the Historic Wing of the FMCCA before the afternoon. This monumental area adds a lot of charm to the location. The staircase – which remarkably also has a hall name: Verlat Hall – runs past the Winter Garden, a classic architectural masterpiece of glass and steel, where the resident butterflies regularly flutter against the glass. The twelve halls have decorations in different marble types, high ceilings and Art Nouveau architecture. Each hall also has unique features. I find a major surprise in the Darwin Hall. Here, the impressive

skeleton of a whale floats above the conference participants. Through the windows, you can see the atrium, which together with the high ceiling creates a special atmosphere. The speaker is also above average and the topic of sharing knowledge through online platforms is also accessible to me as a non-professional. To illustrate the wisdom of the crowd, he asks his audience to go to a website – in the absence of a survey tool in the app – and enter how many hours they slept last night. Seven of the – at a quick count – 130 attendees make the effort. For completeness: the average is 5,6 hours.

Lunch break with soup and sandwiches During the lunch break, the atrium slowly fills as the halls empty. There are food stations where people can choose from different types of sandwiches and wraps. There is also tomato soup which is very popular. In view of the multicultural public, I am amazed at the mainly bread-based meal

TEXT & PHOTOS: EDWIN NUNNINK

REPORTAGE

TEXT & PHOTOS: EDWIN NUNNINK

that has been chosen, but I do not notice any resistance from those around me. The participants spread out around the area. They stand talking at a table, at a stand, sit down on the stairs or enjoy their sandwich at the poster presentations. The first rows of posters are displayed in the elevated part of the atrium and, as a matter of course, you continue to the Marble Hall, with its imposing columns, filled with poster boards.

Walking through the zoo This space also forms the gateway to outside and there, today, 18 October, the sun shines in all its glory. The farther into the break, the more people that head outside. First of all, you see a small group of people eating lunch in the Zoo's front garden, the numbers increase slowly, and then the first few, including me, go to the ticket check where you can access the zoo on presentation of your conference badge. I walk straight to the Winter Garden because I would like to experience that from within. I find myself in a tropical garden surrounded by a colony of fluttering butterflies of all sizes and colours. Back outside I see that more conference participants have found their way to the zoo. I walk in a park-like setting filled with majestic old trees that towards the back – next to a piece of Kalahari Desert with lions and meerkats – goes uphill. The zoo dating

from 1843 is one of the oldest in the world and its history, with the necessary ups and downs, gives it a special atmosphere. Around the park are many buildings, one of which the Egyptian Temple – home to a few elephants and giraffes – is very striking. Just when you think you've seen every type of animal, you'll find a completely new animal group in a completely different habitat around the corner. Whether it's the splendid collection of slippery, twisting, jumping and sticky animals in the reptile house or the strange birds with a colourful centrepiece of pink and red flamingos on the way to the exit.

World premiere of a documentary The final part of the day takes place in the Elisabeth Hall again: the world premiere of the documentary film "Heart of the Matter" on the work of the Belgian researcher Peter Piot. I go up one floor higher than at the start of the day, just to test the acoustics. It is also perfect at the highest point of the immense hall, and so is the view of the podium-wide screen. The film represents everything that this conference is about. Piot flew directly to the former Zaire when there were unusual sudden deaths reported in the village of Yambuku on the Ebola River in 1976. He played an important role in curbing the epidemic and became a co-discoverer of the Ebola virus. Historic images create the right

atmosphere. The conclusion of the film and the discussion afterwards is harsh. The Ebola outbreak was ultimately due to the lack of basic hygiene in a hospital of the Belgian mission caused by lack of sufficient medical resources. In 2014, the virus became world news with a new epidemic in Guinea which also affected Western countries this time. Now that Ebola is out of the news which means that the cameras and the finance have disappeared, we're probably on the eve of the next outbreak, says Piot. See here the whole essence of the FESTMIH in a nutshell.

Art Nouveau with a modern twist Many conference goers have left for their hotel in preparation for the conference dinner. It takes place in Horta, built from the original iron trusses of the now demolished Brussels Volkshuis dating from 1899, designed by the renowned Belgian architect Victor Horta. The result is a trendy, Art Nouveau interior with a modern twist. The guests are welcomed by organiser Werner Van Cleemputte from Medicongress and his team. On the first floor, the dining room is packed with dinner tables with the buffet on the outside. ITG Director Bruno Gryseels sets the mood with a humorous speech. For me, it's time to go as I'm sure their night will be just fine without me. A fifteenminute walk brings me back to the gate of Zoo and the historic train station.

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"AS COMMITTED AS YOU ARE" Radisson Blu's innovative approach to meetings and events proves that things can be done differently. For them, every event represents a new story that they can tell together with the client. From the first minute of planning to the successful conclusion of the event, experts promise a unique conference experience that helps organizers in writing their own meeting success stories. The approach is built on passion, inspiration, trust, and a sympathetic ear for personal needs, since every event is unique. Individual requests are made a focal point and are handled with sensitivity and empathy. Valuable expert advice helps organizers to find the perfect event location, select the best facilities, and bring together a fabulous event. Event planning "Designed for Success". This event promise is aimed at all of the diverse industries with all of their unique ins and outs. Whether the

automotive industry, pharmaceutical companies, or the sports industry, experienced meeting and event teams possess the necessary knowledge and are perfectly familiar with all of the diverse requirements. Thanks to expert know-how, confident event planning can be guaranteed for the smallest meetings all the way to major events. FROM INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY TO EXCEPTIONAL CUISINE As a driver of innovation, Radisson Blu also tells the stories of its clients in the field of technology: with innovative event technology, free high speed internet, and an experienced event team that is well-versed in the newest technological developments and design ideas. With the Radisson Blu One Touch app, conference planners and attendees can maintain full view of the event at all times. The agenda, speaker information, and much more can be accessed quickly and comfort-

ably with just one click on one’s cell phone or laptop. As they say, the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. This is also how to ensure a successful meeting, since every event is a culinary story waiting to be told. Fresh, regional ingredients are the heart of Radisson Blu's cuisine. Together with experienced chefs and dietary experts, Radisson Blu has created a smart "Brain Food Concept" that, combined with creative food trends, guarantees energy and culinary delight during the event day. The perfect basis for a successful event. "Experience Meetings by Radisson Blu" at more than 280 locations worldwide.

COLUMN

MAKING A CONVENTION CENTRE “INTERNATIONAL”

Convention centres worldwide comprise a wide spectrum of facilities, with few invariable constants, even in terms of fixed definitions (Congress centres? Convention Centres? Conference Centres?). At the same time, there is increasingly a blurring of such distinctions as do exist, with what were formerly more exclusively focussed facilities like exhibition or special event centres add new kinds of function spaces in order to diversify their business potential and respond to new trends like the inclusion of more educational components into trade show programming.

Increasingly global The same is true of the term “international”. In an increasingly global industry, there are legitimate questions as to what that designation implies, and when applied to a convention centre, what assurances it should give clients who are looking for the right kind of “fit” for their event. For many centres, the application of the designation often simply reflects the aspirations of owners and managers – an expression of their interest in being able to access more than simply local or regional business. But at a practical level, there’s a lot more to it than that. International? First of all, “International” as a function of an organization holding an event is once again a term that is pretty loosely applied in our industry. In my view, it requires three measures: first, that membership be comprised of representation from different countries; secondly, that leadership is similarly distributed and third, that events have a global versus simply a regional rotation. And while that is a pretty straightforward definition, in many parts of the world it is less than rigorously applied, adding another level of confusion. However, if we accept that definition, it follows that centres that consider themselves to be ``international`` are those actively pursuing those kinds of events – and that means at the same time, they need to be prepared to respond to their needs. That carries some important responsibilities.

ALOYSIUS ARL ANDO – AIPC PRESIDENT COMMENTS: MARIANNE.DE.R A AY@AIPC.ORG

There are legitimate questions as to what the designation “international” implies, and when applied to a convention centre, what assurances it should give clients who are looking for the right kind of “fit” for their event.

COLUMN

ALOYSIUS ARL ANDO – AIPC PRESIDENT COMMENTS: MARIANNE.DE.R A AY@AIPC.ORG

Standards and expectations First, it means recognizing and addressing the standards and expectations of groups that rotate world-wide and who are looking for some level of consistency in terms of spaces and services, including areas like food and beverage and technology. While most events that rotate do so in response to the distribution of their membership (or the pursuit of potential members) their programs generally have certain requirements attached that are largely the same wherever they may go. That means a centre must be able to supply these in order to be considered, and the easiest way to do that is to identify and observe the most relevant standards for such events and to make the effort to identify and understand what it is that specific groups need based on their previous history. Legal and accountability requirements Secondly, a non-domestic organization will likely have formal requirements that are more complex, or at least different, from those coming from within the same country. Things like legal and accountability requirements, contractual arrangements and technology expectations are all things that will inevitably be a lot more complicated with a range of international clients than purely domestic ones, and again, a centre pursuing this business must have the capability and flexibility to be able to respond. Overall experience Third, it needs to be understood that this is not simply a centre-specific exercise. The centre itself is only one part of the overall destination experience so an ``international`` designated centre also has a role to play in ensuring that other destination partners such as hotels, bureaus, suppliers and satellite venues are also capable of meeting the broader and potentially more diverse range of client expectations arising from this group. Without this, even the most internationally-oriented facility can fail to deliver the overall quality that will be expected by more demanding international clients. Unique qualities But there`s another side to the equation. As important as consistency and standards are, they should not come at the expense of losing the unique qualities that are a desired part of the experience of travelling to different parts of the world. Delegates to an international event are attracted at least partly in the opportunity to experience local customs and cultures, sample different food and enjoy off-site activities that represent what makes that destination different. The centre has a role here too, needing to play an active part in delivering on those expectations rather than focussing entirely on consistent operating standards. It’s a balance In the end, It`s a balance; to be truly “International”, and enjoy all the business benefits that designation implies, a centre needs to be prepared to address the full range of expectations that accompany such events, and to do so in a recognizable way. At the same time, they need to take on some responsibility for delivering the kind of unique experience and qualities that make their destination distinctive. AIPC offers its members a range of tools and insights to support that kind of a role – but the primary responsibility remains with the centre itself.

https://iacconline.worldsecuresystems.com/iacc-nutrition-trends ↑ www.easummit.brussels © iStock

Antwerp’s newest architectural pearl is the Harbour House. This trendy building with roots in the past is the new headquarters of the Port of Antwerp. The lower part used to be a fire station, which was at the extreme end of the harbour. During the refurbishment, these authentic barracks were preserved and merged with a striking and contemporary superstructure in the shape of a diamond. One can visit the new Harbour House on a guided tour, where you can enjoy the panoramic view of the harbour and the city.

Mechelen is the first city in the Low Countries to offer a virtual reality tour of the entire city. At www.virtueelmechelen.be you get a helicopter view of the city and can zoom in on specific locations. You can also take 360° tours and step inside the most important sights, museums and hotels. The virtual reality version of the experience – which you can fully enjoy if you have a Google Cardboard, Samsung Gear VR or Oculus Rift – makes you feel as if you are actually walking through the city.

Virtual Mechelen

The historic city of Bruges will welcome the fourth edition of the Partial Knee Meeting from 25-26 January 2018. 300 knee surgeons from around the globe will attend the conference at the neo-gothic Provincial Court on Bruges’s impressive market square. “It is our great honour to organise this fabulous meeting in Bruges. The city offers culture, history and accommodation of the highest level”, says Prof. Dr. Emmanuel Thienpont, MD, MBA, PhD at Cliniques Universitaires Saint Luc - UCL Brussels.

Partial Knee Meeting 2018 in Bruges

For the sixth year in a row, visit.brussels is organising the European Association Summit (EAS) in Brussels on 8-9 March 2018. The latest trends and the biggest questions facing the association community will be tackled there under the theme of: ’Engage, collaborate, and innovate’. The summit is held in close cooperation with the ESAE (European Society of Association Executives), FAIB (Federation of European & International Associations Based in Belgium), and UIA (Union of International Associations).

European Association Summit

↑ www.virtueelmechelen.be

Architectural pearl

Venues are receiving more requests for foods that provide wellbeing benefits, according to the Trends in Nutrition & Delegate Wellbeing survey report of IACC. The members of the international association of small to medium-sized meeting and conference venues state that delegates are demanding foods that have the potential to positively influence mental clarity, bring stress-relief and enhance energy distribution, such as walnuts, avocados, quinoa, blueberries, spinach and kale. Some 38 percent of venues said they already have these ’brain foods’ on their menus.

Brain foods

Conference Bites

↓ www.partialkneemeeting.com

MCI launches a new agency initiative under the name MCI Experience. This new group is created to serve as an incubator of innovative experience marketing capabilities in response to customer demands for more strategic, creative and immersive experience marketing programmes. MCI Experience will offer enhanced experience design capabilities to clients across the MCI global network. The agency will be led by a true marketing industry veteran, Kim Myhre; an internationally acclaimed design thinker, thought leader, innovation activist and brand storyteller.

MCI Experience

The latest edition of American Express Meetings & Events’ annual global forecast suggests that rising group rates for hotel rooms and increasing air fares mean that budget limitations will be a theme in 2018, even as the industry continues to grow. The report is largely optimistic about the state of the meetings industry, noting that attendance continues to grow – especially in North America –, where conference and tradeshow attendee levels are anticipated to increase by 1.8 percent in 2018.

Rising group rates

Facebook plans to launch a virtual reality ’Venues’ app next year that according to CEO Mark Zuckerberg will allow people to watch live concerts, sports, tv shows and events all around the world with other people. The announcement came at Oculus’ Connect conference in San Jose, where Zuckerberg also announced the new $199 Oculus Go standalone mobile VR headset, and stated that Facebook’s goal is to get 1 billion people into VR.

VR venues

↑ https://www.amexglobalbusinesstravel.com/meetings-events-forecast ↑ www.mobilityofthefuture.be

From 22-24 February 2018, Brussels Kart Expo will be the stage for Mobility of the Future, a summit that consists of a fair, a conference and a hackathon.National and international thought leaders will share their vision on the future of mobility and attendees will be able to participate in immersive workshops. Thanks to a test track with electric cars, hoverboards and other technological innovations every attendee will have the opportunity to actually experience what the future of mobility really means.

Mobility of the Future

There are nine main steps to consider in the management and definition of a transportation plan for a conference. The white paper Transportation & Events from AIM Group describes these steps in a structural approach on how to get the participants to the conference. It outlines that the journey starts much earlier than the moment the participants arrive at the venue.

Transportation & Events

NEWS

↓ www.aimgroupinternational.com

SPEAKER

'It's extraordinary to see how people take away their own message from my story. There is not just one path to happiness: there are many. And everyone can find their own way. Not long ago, I had to speak to a large conference with 800 participants from 80 countries. Willem Alexander, the king of the Netherlands, opened the event but then stayed to listen to my story. Afterwards, he told me, 'You show people how to give direction to their lives; you teach them how to cycle. I found that a wonderful metaphor. Cycling people are typically happy people, just like self-directed people.'

Leo Bormans

Speaker, writer and happiness expert Leo Bormans (63) gives talks about happiness. According to Bormans, happiness involves much more than just 'being happy', it's also about accepting sorrow, pain and worries. That's why his lectures come with smiles and tears. Not only does Bormans give his audiences fascinating information about happiness, but he also inspires them to start working on it. 'Infospiration', as he calls his approach, combines information with inspiration. He never subjects his audience to boring slides. Bormans tries to get through to people with scientific knowledge. As he says, 'I'm not some guru who saw the light; what I can do is tell people how to influence their own happiness and that of others.'

What is your message? â&#x20AC;&#x153;My message is that 40 percent of the difference in happiness

TEXT: DA AN BORREL PHOTO: YANN BERTR AND

Happiness

www.leobormans.be/en ↓

SPEAKER

between people is due to what lies between their ears. People can positively affect their own level of happiness. A person's mindset is largely responsible for his or her own happiness: how a person deals with circumstances. This isn't simply something I just made up, it's based on scientific research. For many people, the driving force of life is happiness, but most only know some woolly, naive things about happiness. In all my lectures, I try to translate scientific research into information that people can immediately apply to their lives. The main theme of my lectures is always the power of happiness, but they can also focus on policy and management or education and care. I speak to secretaries, CEOs, criminals and young people, but I adjust the section on creating happiness for my target audience. My goal is to motivate people into action after the lecture. Because this not only impacts them, but it also affects the people around them: family, friends, colleagues and neighbours.”

How does the audience react to that? “People are often quite surprised that I also talk about pain and sorrow. They expect me to give them a few 'happy' tips. Often the organisation wants to play the Pharrell Williams song 'Happy' for my entry. But only focusing on that aspect of happiness is not effective. Honestly, I'm not the most cheerful person myself. Absolutely everyone has worries and pain: but this can in fact be a strength, just like things that don't turn out as we want them to.

The audience often responds with emotion. Afterwards, they say to me: "We laughed very hard, but we also had tears in our eyes." In my opinion, happiness is characterised by the entire range of emotions. Occasionally, it turns very quiet in the hall. For me, this is a sign that I've managed to reach people. I often also take a moment to be quiet, so that there can also be stillness. I usually receive e-mails from audience members even before I've arrived home. They e-mail me that they found the lecture very meaningful, and that they're going to change something in their lives. Sometimes, this involves things that I did not even talk about, and yet it's what they got from my talk. There's no golden formula for happiness, but I deal with many aspects of it and usually there is something to appeal to everyone.”

talk with audience members. And I love humour, which also encourages contact. In addition, I like to have people do something active. I also find it boring to sit on a chair for an hour and a half.”

How do you establish contact with the audience? “I always stand near the entrance to the hall. I shake everyone's hand, make eye contact. People are generally surprised. They expect me to pop up on the stage from behind a screen. But I prefer to sit between the audience members before giving my lecture, so that I've talked to people before I start. I want to know what the rest of their day was like, whether they were bored, what they expect. Only then am I able to respond effectively to the atmosphere. My basic message is the same each time, but I repeatedly customise the lecture. That makes it exciting for me as well. Afterwards, I stick around to

What can organisers do that you would appreciate? “As far as room set-up goes, I like it when people sit in a semi-circle so they can see faces instead of backs. In addition, I prefer a blank stage. Organisers are inclined to fill one up with beach flags and logos. And as far as I'm concerned, a room with ambience, with flickering candles, is more appealing than a standard hall. But the technology is the most important aspect. Properly functioning technology appears normal, but it actually isn't. At time, a laptop stops working, the projector is focused on me rather than the screen or a microphone malfunctions. If the technology for the event is in order, then I'm already satisfied.”

What is your favourite format? “I give ten-minute lectures, day classes and everything in between. If an organisation wants me to start a day or end one with ten minutes, then my lecture is very intense and fast. But my favourite time slot is an hour and a half, so I have time to interact with the audience. Then I can also have them do an activity. I receive three requests for lectures daily, so I only want to speak in places that I feel would be a good fit. I always initially say 'no' to a request; I only say 'yes' after an organiser has managed to convince me. If the click is there, the exact format isn't that important.”

BACKSTORY

Lounging in the green

TEXT: CHRISTOPHE L ANDUY T PHOTO: ISTOCK

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Brussels Expo has been asking for a new conference centre for more than 20 years. Cost: between 100 and 200 million for the conference building and between 20 and 40 million for the associated hotel. The wide budget range shows that so far no one has a solid idea. 'Instead of a one and a half metres deep swimming lake, there will be a "water mirror" of one and a half centimetres deep. At five thousand square metres, it'll be the largest water mirror in the country. It will be surrounded by a sports and recreation park.' That was all the information that was given at a press conference about the ambitious NEO project, which should give the Brussels Heizelvlakte a new destination. Brussels (amateur) athletes will soon face a difficult choice: are we going to sport here or there? ‘Here’ is, from 2020, the sports and recreation park being built in the Heizelvlakte under the NEO urban development project. 'There' is roughly 400 meters away, in the park that shall/should be built around the Euro Stadium. 'There' is jokingly called an office complex with a football field and a few tufts of greenery. 'The powers that be' have been squabbling about 'here' for two decades: about whether or not to add a cinema complex or a Brussels version of Madurodam or a swimming lake.

The NEO project changes from red to flashing-orange and occasionally to a small green light. It depends partly on which administration is talking and what its dominant political colour is.

2007, including 55,000 square metres of shopping space. The opening was originally planned for 2015, but there were problems with all sorts of permits, so they have yet to get started.

Three mega-complexes

The Euro Stadium

If the authorities concerned blink, the region of Brussels could soon be three multifunctional mega-complexes richer, all three in the same sector, a stone's throw away from one another. The European project, part of NEO and backed by the city of Brussels and the Brussels regional government, is targeting 72,000 square metres and wants to open the doors in 2021. The NEO project has apparently been moving at top-speed since the fall of 2013, with the opening of the Palais 12 concert hall, but that's only partly true. The Palais 12 was already part of the Brussels Expo and was only extensively rebuilt. The rest of the project is still waiting for the first permit. About 5 kilometres to the west, Uplace has been trying to build a mega-complex on Flemish soil since

And then there's the Euro Stadium, the expected future home of the national team, which should be ready for the European Championship in 2020. The complex was supposed to be built on a patch of land owned by the city of Brussels but on Flemish territory. That piece of land is now used as a parking for the Brussels Expo but will soon have to accommodate a stadium with 62,000 seats, a commercial Innovation Campus, an underground parking for 10,000 cars and a few acres of recreational green. Shops too? Of course, shops too! Problem: this has also not yet been started.

Christmas day A problem that the three projects share is that they are in the immedi-

BACKSTORY

more different the political make-up of the policy levels, the greater the eagerness to work against the other level.

ate vicinity of the Brussels ring, and more particularly to the most congested parts of it, where there are long traffic jams in both directions every day. This doesn't seem to be a problem in the building promoters' animation videos. It seems like they were made on Christmas Day: a handful of cars going in one direction, a handful of cars going the other direction, and a more or less empty ring road. There are no trucks to be seen anywhere.

Conference Centre Brussels Expo has been asking for a conference centre in the vicinity of the exhibition centre for more than 20 years. That conference centre must accommodate 5,000 people according to the triple-seat principle and also include a luxury

hotel with 250 rooms. Cost: between 100 and 200 million for the conference building, financed by NEO, and between 20 and 40 million for the hotel, funded by a private partner. The wide budget range shows that so far no one has an idea: about how the building will look, or how the hotel will look or about who the private partner will be. Despite all the unanswered questions, the opening of the complex is planned for 2021. There are several reasons why a somewhat extensive construction project like the Brussels Expo Conference Centre will remain in the (pre) start phase for so long. One of them is the complex Belgian state structure. Powers are fragmented at federal, regional and municipal levels, and all parties seem to take pleasure in working against each other as much as possible. The

A series of scandals Brussels politics is in a deep crisis, partly due to a series of scandals. Co-opted coalition partners stand opposite each other and it seems unlikely - read: almost impossible - that any decisions will be made concerning delicate dossiers in the coming months. Two of these delicate dossiers have the Brussels Expo as one of the key players: the Euro Stadium on Parking C and the conference centre annex hotel on the Heizelvlakte. Neither looks set to meet the delivery date. Something else has gradually become clear: in delicate real estate files, greenery is the way forward, the way to sell your idea. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;We are building up thousands of square metres, but around it all, you can lounge in the green. Lie in the grass. Relax under the trees. Splish and splash in the water mirror...'

SUPPLIER

Building walls of knowledge and insights

TEXT CHRISTOPHE L ANDUY T PHOTO BART VERCAMMEN

↓

The work of Visualharvesting.com can serve a variety of goals, but it always has these few ingredients: a sheet of paper, a handful of coloured drawing markers and lots of creativity. When Californian process consultant and change facilitator David Sibbet started developing his ideas on visual meetings in the early eighties, he probably did not imagine that his insights would lead to a completely new breed of professionals. Some call themselves graphic facilitators, others call themselves visual storytellers, and even though we all have seen the result of their creativity, the real raison d’être is not always that obvious. “Our work can serve a variety of purposes”, says Martine Vanremoortele, founder of Antwerp based Visualharvesting.com, one of the pioneers in the field. “In its most basic form, graphic recording is a technique to record and summarize content in a visual form. In this case there is no interaction at all between the graphic artist and the speakers or the audience: the artist listens, interprets and translates the content into a visual form. In the case of graphic facilitation, the focus is more on the process and the graphic facilitator assumes responsibilities in obtaining a result with the meeting: the graphic artist interacts with an audience and tries to visualize points

of view, opinions and arguments. In this case, the dialogue is essential. As people interact with one another, ideas take shape. The mission of the graphic artist is to make this process intelligible and to create a cooperative atmosphere.”

“In the case of visual facilitation, there is another big asset: the graphic facilitator significantly increases the involvement of the audience, either by making sure that individual ideas are integrated in the story, or by inviting individual participants to draw an element themselves. Often, participants track back elements of the drawing to very specific situations. ‘This was Jennifer arguing with Walter on the deliverables of the project.’ Even after years, visuals bring back lots of context and details.”

Visual brain

Jargon list

Visual stories can be anything from fascinating to funny, and from mesmerizing to slightly overwhelming, but they are seldom self-explaining. ‘Where does this start?’, one can often hear an uninitiated observer whisper. Martine Vanremoortele: “Here too, the initial goal determines the accessibility of the end-result. If the focus was entirely on the process, the visual will not be accessible to someone who did not take part in that process. If the aim was to summarize a range of ideas or insights, it will be much easier to understand the message. In both cases, the content will be easier to remember. Scientists believe a vast majority of individuals have an essentially visual memory. By translating often complex, abstract ideas into a visual form, we make content easier to understand and easier to remember.”

Interpreters often insist on receiving the full texts of keynote speakers beforehand. Graphic artists apparently have a more happy-golucky approach. Martine Vanremoortele: “In many cases, we bring to live much more than what is in the text or on the slides: what does the speaker stress, where does he stop, what slides does he skip… When preparing a project, a jargon list may come in handy, especially when the subjects are very technical. If you want to visualize the essentials of a medical congress, you need to know at least what the attendees are talking about. The most valuable experiences arise when there is a genuine interplay between the speakers and the graphic artist. These are often magic moments where the true added value of visual storytelling surfaces. All in

SUPPLIER

all, you end up with a completely new experience for the attendees.”

Wall of knowledge Although iPads, beamers and electronic pencils have made their way to the toolkit of the visual storyteller, a role of virgin white paper and a set of colourful markers remain the favourite utensils. But then again, the visuals can take any shape, from one long stretch of paper to cubic blocks that are used to build a Wall of Knowledge. “Graphic facilitators put one’s voice on paper”, says Martine Vanremoortele. “That is, in a way, a fairly intimate process. Paper and pen make this process more human, more up-close than the electronic

alternatives. If you have to work in a little corner of a huge auditorium, the visualizations are perceived as ‘coming from nowhere’. If you are standing right next to the speaker or the panel, you are much more part of the game and ; in the mind of the attendee, this often makes the difference between good and great. Often, when we can discuss things beforehand with the meeting planner or the content manager, we come up with creative solutions to optimize knowledge sharing and knowledge transfer: beyond the yousit-and-listen-while-I-speak format there are plenty of other formats that are much more fun, much more effective and much more memorable.”

Visual storytelling tips: 1 Meet with the graphic artist(s) beforehand to discuss the purpose of their activities. 2 Think of what you want to do with the end-result (share/send/ar- chive/comment…). 3 Explain to attendees who the graphic artists are and what their mission is. 4 Find ways to let attendees interact with the visual storyteller.

DESTINATION BELGIUM CONFERENCE CITIES AND REGIONS IN BELGIUM

Let Antwerp amaze you Flanders is ‘the new kid on the block’ Attractive and accessible Mechelen Leuven is the mindgate of Europe Wallonia targets the unusual Bruges’ focus on association conferences

DESTINATION BELGIUM

Liège-Guillemins train station from the Catalan architect Santiago Calatrava.

• Wallonia

Wallonia targets the unusual

www.meetinbelgium.com/accueil/en/index.html ↓

Conference tourism in Wallonia is traditionally focussed on the green, gastronomic and cultural strengths of the region. The region wants to help business tourists to think outside the box by offering a range of unusual opportunities in 2018. Wallonia as a conference region combines all possibilities for business tourism in the southern part of Belgium. It should come as no surprise that this region has such a diverse range to offer. We can, however, find a common thread in that diversity. Wallonia represents plenty of nature and cultural and historical heritage and can combine this with the presence of several large cities and excellent accessibility.

Gastronomy is not just good food Every year Wallonia-Belgian Tourism promotes one of its key themes, and the theme for 2017 was gastronomy. La Wallonie Gourmande, however, meant much more than the opportunity for a business traveller to eat at a conference in Wallonia. The theme has many variations and makes it clear that you can also go to Wallonia

for cooking classes, gastronomic walks or a visit to chocolatiers, brewers, brasseries or cheese makers. It opens up a new range of venues that can enrich a meeting, team building or incentive in a tasty way.

An unusual 2018 Wherever your meeting or conference takes place in Wallonia, you are likely to be near a location in the green. This gives organisers excellent opportunities when planning the 'meeting after the meeting'. From tastings in the green to walks to sports activities ... the convention office's many partnerships with the hotels and event organisers allow for a wide range of customised meetings. Wallonia is giving this approach a remarkable twist in 2018: 'Wallonie Insolite' focuses on unusual places where companies or organisations can have their meet-

©iStock

ing or seminar. The region wants to get off the well-trodden path and so inject the necessary originality into the solutions for business tourists. It invites business tourists to step outside and to look beyond the traditional offer.

Unusual nature Wallonia, of course, has many unusual green areas. An absolute classic is the Caves of Han, where companies can go for a special meeting experience. Think of an evening in the prestigious armoury, 110 metres below ground, or a meeting and overnight stay amidst the wild fauna in the Cabane du Trappeur under the watchful eyes of the brown bears Willy and Marlène. But you don't always have to stick to the classics. Still pretty unusual is the Lumberjack’s Ardenne Power (Exploraid). In the Ardennes forest, groups get a task that seems almost impossible: they have to build a wooden bridge with only a well-trained draught horse to help. The technical support comes from professionals, but the team has to use materials that can be found in the forest. The program is open to everyone, and all the participants

©WBT J.P. Remy

©WBT Denis Erroyaux

The Euro Space Center provides a unique and thrilling adventure to experience together.

Wine tasting in the Vino Vino winebar in Namur.

The Spa-Francorchamps F1 circuit offers unique possibilities for team building or product presentation.

An industrial classic is the Bois du Cazier, recognised as a Unesco World Heritage Site.

Unusual gastronomy Wallonia also has some unusual options on offer in the gastronomic branch. This ranges from dining at the Liege Opera to indulging at the Bertrix mine. At this location, you can descend into the Ardennes underground and discover the miraculous work of the 'scailtons', the Ardennes miners. This includes giant halls of 8,000m³, created by explosives, galleries and rails and carts that still bear witness to the largely forgotten, yet glorious industrial past. You can also enjoy a tasty meal on the underground route.

©Bernard Lorquet

Groups can have an appetiser, a soup and a 'canadas aux rousses' tasting at the three stops on the way. Coffee and dessert are served when you're back up top.

Unusual sports Those who want to surprise the participants of a meeting or conference can find an original sporty solution at Dottignies. BattleKart is an innovative form of recreation that combines the real world with augmented reality. Participants experience the environment aboard a kart as if they were in a real video game. The vehicles drive but let you interact with the virtual racing experience elements of the decor and the opponents. The 5 ,000 m2 space can be adjusted according to the activity, and the reception area (100 m2) and the panoramic bar (300 m2) are also modular. Another unusual location is Ice Mountain, a 9,000 m2 covered area with two ski slopes of 210 metres and 85 metres on real

snow. The location also connects four outdoor and indoor paintball areas (lit in the evening) and a tree climbing course. Business tourists will also find two restaurants with a panoramic view of the slopes which, in keeping with the theme, offer raclette, stone grill and meat and cheese fondues.

Unusual classic How contradictory it might seem, even the Wallonia classics like to put their most unusual foot forward. The Euro Space Centre has a Space Quad Challenge concept for companies where participants perform six 'space activities'. Like a moonwalk that simulates gravity on the moon or 'Le Mur d'apesanteur' that introduces weightlessness. An industrial classic is the Bois du Cazier, recognised as a Unesco World Heritage Site. This architectural artwork in the heart of a green area south of Charleroi is also an unusual location for receptions and meetings, seminars, conferences, symposia or cocktails.

www.meetinbelgium.com/accueil/en/index.html ↑

©WBT Denis Erroyaux

have testified that it clearly increases the productivity of the business program. By the way, if your favourite piece of nature in Wallonia does not have any meeting accommodation, you can always call on Weventures' meeting bubble. You can install this in the forest or park. A generator makes it possible to use screens and other equipment.

DESTINATION BELGIUM

Flanders is ‘the new kid on the block’

www.meetinflanders.com ↓

The International Association Experts from Visitflanders Milo Vergucht, Tuya Beyers and Gemmeke De Jongh explain why Flanders is the ideal place for association conferences. Visitflanders, the convention bureau that promotes and develops Flanders and Brussels as a destination for meetings and conferences, has started making more of an effort to attract associations this year. As a centrally situated economic hub with a great deal of cultural potential, Flanders has strong assets. The Visitflanders Convention Bureau provides professional advice to international meeting planners and brings them in touch with the right suppliers in Flanders. The Global MICE team has representatives in thirteen countries and regions and is actively involved in bringing association conferences to Flanders. Flanders still has a large growth potential in terms of conference tourism. Visitflanders appointed three association experts to attract more international association conferences to Flanders , and to do this in collaboration with the local convention bureaus. Milo Vergucht, Tuya Beyers and Gemmeke De Jongh explain why Flanders is the ideal place for association conferences.

How do you explain Visitflanders' increased focus on association conferences? Gemmeke De Jongh: "Flanders is the undisputed association

hub. With Brussels as its capital, Flanders is home to more than 2,000 international associations and trade unions. Because of its easy accessibility and central location in Europe, Flanders is the economic hub in the centre of one of the most important regions in the world with a high concentration of people, money and industries. Flanders is an innovative region with important key industries, leading research centres, renowned universities, state-of-the-art infrastructure, the latest technology and a highly-skilled workforce. The association experts have their knowledge and network within the industries, sectors and academic institutions and can use these to add value to associations." Milo Vergucht: "The biggest growth potential in business tourism for Flanders lies with the international associations. Our destination has the potential to grow as an international meeting and conference destination. One of Flanders' biggest strong suits is the location of our convention centres: in the middle of our historic city centres. This characteristic heritage environment allows us to offer conference delegates a special meeting experience. In addition, we have a wide range of unique experiences and activities, such as gala dinners,

and incentive tours with links to our historical heritage, for example, the Flemish Masters." Tuya Beyers: "Flanders owes its substantial and strategic value as a meeting and conference destination to its reputation and expertise in specific key industries. These are often associated with the specialisation of certain cities and regions: for example, petrochemical industry in Antwerp, biotechnology in Ghent, nanotechnology in Leuven, health care in Bruges, …. The large number of association headquarters in Brussels is also an important added value."

Why does Visitflanders work with International Association Experts to make this happen? Milo Vergucht: "Part of Visitflanders' vision is to use conferences as a lever for economic growth. It's not just about bringing a conference to Flanders, but about the support that it brings to our key economic clusters. That is interesting for the associations involved - the conscious support - but also for the local stakeholders. It's a stepping stone to position ourselves internationally and to boost growth in each cluster." Who are you working with? Milo Vergucht: "We build many partnerships doing our job of finding associations that are of interest to Flanders. We work well together with Flanders Investment and Trade (FIT). We also look at industry organisations and at what

Milo Vergucht: "It's about the support that a conference brings to our key economic clusters.”

Tuya Beyers: "Our goal is to host more than 300 international association conferences in Flanders by 2021."

DESTINATION BELGIUM

they consider to be interesting conferences, and we meet with local convention bureaus, universities and R&D organisations like Imec." Gemmeke De Jongh: "In this way, we are creating a local level of support for the members of our Global MICE Team. It can work in all directions. We build local support for an interesting association, but if a Belgian professor wants to organise a conference, we can help provide international support."

comes to culture and heritage, we aim to attract associations with a link to these two fields. An association of beer brewers for example, is active in one of Flander's most important industries and adds value to the Flemish beer brewing tradition. Art associations are right at home in Flanders. Our Flemish Masters will be in the spotlight for the next three years with the Ruben Year (2018), the Breughel Year (2019) and the Van Eyck Year (2020)."

What does the interaction with these economic key industries look like? Tuya Beyers: "There is a lot of expertise embedded in the federations, but with the industries in my domain, you also need strong relationships with the companies. Players like DEME or OVAM have a leading role and the knowledge needed to find tailored solutions." Gemmeke De Jongh: "When it

How would you describe your job? Milo Vergucht: "We have a strong binding task. As International Association Experts, we create links between associations, the key industries in Flanders, our Global MICE Team and the local convention bureaus. But it's about more than just connecting different parties. It's our job to provide these parties with information and

research. We want to give a lot of input to ensure the best possible conference. Consider us the oil that keeps the engine running. Gemmeke De Jongh: "We've identified three key clusters. These are the areas for which we really see Flanders as an ideal convention destination. Milo focuses on life sciences (biomedical sciences & biotechnology, digital health, healthcare, pharma and medtech), Tuya on the strong industries like petro chemistry, port logistics and diamonds. I focus on the tourist attractions like art, architecture, culture, gastronomy, the historic cities, and cycling." Tuya Beyers: "Employing experts is essential in identifying, and approaching, the right contacts and making to correct match between associations' demands and Flanders' meetings industry suppliers. Our goal is to host more than 300 international association conferences in Flanders by 2021."

www.meetinflanders.com ↑

Gemmeke De Jongh: "Flanders is home to more than 2,000 international associations and trade unions.”

• Flanders

DESTINATION BELGIUM

• Bruges

Bruges

Focus on association conferences

www.meetinginbrugge.be ↓

The entire city centre of Bruges is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Stroll through the nostalgic streets, over the attractive squares and bridges and beside stately buildings, and imagine yourself back in time. Belgium is well-known for its high quality culinary delights and that certainly applies to Bruges. The most delicious beers, the best chocolate, the Burgundian cuisine... With just 118,103 inhabitants, the Bruges region has no less than 9 Michelin stars; that’s saying something. But the many restaurants that have not received an award are also out of this world. In and around the medieval Old Town you will also find many diverse conference locations. Fans of industrial heritage can, for example, choose ‘La Brugeoise’ on the outskirts of the city, where congresses can be held beside the giant historical generators. In the heart of the city are the City Halls of the Belfry and the Concert hall (Concertgebouw). These beautiful locations form the setting for countless conferences and gala dinners. Those looking for several budget-friendly venues with auditoriums in one of the following academic institutions, such as Vives Campus Brugge (auditorium

for 650 people), the Howest sites or the St Lodewijks College.

Walkable city Everything is close at hand in Bruges. It is a real ‘walkable city’ where you can do everything on foot and transfers are superfluous. Conference participants walk from the venue to dinner or participate in the social programme on foot. It is also a very safe city, which is important for many international meeting planners. Furthermore, Bruges is an internationally known destination. Many conference participants know the city or have heard of it. The multilingual inhabitants are proud of their city and are always willing to give directions or a tip. They are used to this welcoming and friendly mentality from way back. Medical conferences Medical conferences often find their way to Bruges because of the city's rich medical history. The St John's Hospital (Sint-

Janshospitaal), dating from the twelfth century, is one of Europe's oldest hospital buildings. In the museum, you will learn more about former hospital life and what the wards looked like. In the hospital chapel, you will find artworks by Hans Memling, the most famous of the Flemish Primitives. This painter lived and worked in Bruges in the 15th century and created his most important masterpieces for the St John's Hospital. The conference centre Old St John (Oud Sint-Jan) is located next to the hospital museum. Eight centuries ago, the friars and nuns took care of pilgrims, travellers and the sick here. The medieval exterior is still exactly as it was then. The interior has been transformed into a modern conference centre, while maintaining the historic features. Each room has its own unique charm. The largest two halls have a capacity of 500 persons each, while the other rooms have a capacity of up to 150 places each. In fine weather, the large courtyard is used for receptions and dinners. Another location that is frequently used for medical conferences is Concertgebouw Brugge. The large concert hall (1,289 seats) is extremely well suited for streaming live operations to a big screen.

which opened at KU Leuven in late August in Bruges. The focus is on innovative and creative education and qualitative research. This provides another reason for associations in these disciplines to hold their next conference in Bruges.

Prestigious Conference Centre There are more projects in the pipeline to increase the appeal of the city of Bruges for association conferences. In 2018, the construction of a prestigious project, a stateof-the-art exhibition and conference centre, will begin. It will feature 4,500 square meters of exhibition space, including a conference centre with a maximum capacity of five to six hundred people. The newcomer guarantees the 'three-seat principle'; in other words, every visitor can use a plenary room, a break-out room and catering facilities at any time. For the design, there is a pitch between a number of internationally renowned architects. The chosen design, which will be decided this fall, will then be further refined. If everything goes according to plan, the new infrastructure will open its doors in 2020.

Free support To help conference organisers and meeting planners to find their way through the rich variety on offer, convention bureau Meeting in Brugge offers free professional advice. Within 24 hours of initial contact, they can provide a complete and personalised overview of the availability and prices of conference venues, hotels, special venues, caterers, restaurants, event agencies, audio-visual experts and other conference facilities and services.

www.meetinginbrugge.be

www.meetinginbrugge.be ↑

Association Conferences Today, because Bruges is a conference city where both big events and small meetings deserve a place, the city looks past its medical walls and focuses on association conferences. Visit Flanders and the Flemish Minister of Tourism Ben Weyts want to focus more on congress tourism in the coming years, and Bruges is fully committed to this. The convention bureau recently appointed an additional employee to tackle this association market. The initial focus is on conferences in certain growth sectors or priorities. Bruges has five of these: the port and logistics, with the link to the port of Zeebrugge, tourism and culture, and long-term health care thanks to the presence of the academic hospitals AZ SintJan and AZ Sint-Lucas. The fourth priority is the ICT sector and the fifth and final priority, the world of metal and mechatronics. An additional asset is the brandnew campus for students of Industrial Science, Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Sciences,

DESTINATION BELGIUM

• Mechelen

Mechelen

visitmechelen.be/en-meet-in-mechelen ↓

Attractive and accessible Mechelen

In the coming years, Mechelen will work hard to improve what's on offer for organisers of conferences, meetings and seminars. The city of art's accommodation will increase by a fifth from 2019 and this is welcome because the new top museum Hof van Busleyden is aiming at 100,000 visitors a year.. Oxygen for your meeting These are the advantages you usually find in a big city, but you can easily connect them to the advantages of Mechelen's compact historic city centre. The charm of the historic buildings and narrow streets take you back in time. In the car-free centre, charming restaurants and fun squares invite you to get to know the city better. Business travellers do not have to worry about mobility. Hotels are easy to combine with conference centres, restaurants or outings within walking distance. A great opportunity to provide the necessary oxygen boost to your meeting or seminar through variation. Heritage in the city centre Mechelen is one of the five Flemish art cities (together with Antwerp,

Ghent, Bruges and Leuven) and besides charm and fun, it also offers a large dose of cultural heritage. The centre has eight historic churches in a variety of architectural styles and Mechelen has a total of three hundred protected monuments. The list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Mechelen is also increasing. The Belgian beer culture was recognised as world heritage this year. Those who think of beer, think of the brewery Het Anker in Mechelen known for the Gouden Carolus beers. The carillon culture is also on the intangible heritage list. The Royal Carillon School Jef Denyn (which you can visit) in Mechelen is the oldest and largest carillon school in the world. Previously, UNESCO also recognised the

Groot-Begijnhof, the Ommegang, the city hall belfry and the St Romboutstoren, one of the only towers in the world with two carillons.

For large... Positioned as a compact art city, Mechelen provides accommodation for small and medium-sized meetings or events. This results in a combination of some larger conference venues with a wide range of more original meeting venues. The Nekkerhal and the Nekkerbox definitely belong to the first category. The Nekkerhal has an area of 18,000m² and can host exhibitions of up to 5,000 people. The Nekkerbox is 2,422m² and can host a conference of 2,000 people in theatre style (not based on the three-seat principle). The Nekkerbox can also be divided into three parts, each slightly more than 800m². This split lends itself to a three-seat movement with a reception and welcome-drink zone, a conference zone and a closed walking-dinner zone. In this setup,

The St. Rumbold's Tower

Martin's Patershof

the Nekkerbox can receive groups of up to 600 people. For larger groups, the conference centre Meet in Mechelen now also offers the infrastructure of the AFAS Stadium of KV Mechelen football club, which includes fourteen skyboxes and a Grand Cafe with a capacity of 600 people.

tive setting. A few highlights are the Tivoli castle area or historic buildings like Den Breckpot, Martin's Patershof or the new Haverwerf 20-22, three beautiful buildings from the 16th and 17th centuries that have recently been merged into an event venue with character.

And not so large... In Mechelen, you can also find solutions tailored to the city and its historical heritage. An outstanding example is the former Lamot Brewery, now transformed into The Lamot Congress and Heritage Centre, centrally located and with a varied selection of eight meeting rooms, of which the largest can receive 300 people. Another location that can host conferences or seminars up to 500 people is Technopolis. The remaining locations in Mechelen focus on smaller numbers but have clearly invested in an attrac-

New museum, new hotel In terms of hotel infrastructure, Mechelen is looking forward to the arrival of the Hotel Van der Valk that will provide 120 extra rooms in spring 2019. The 4-star hotel will be located in a protected property (former municipal swimming pool) opposite Het Anker Brewery. It not only adds twenty percent extra accommodation to the Mechelen business tourism, but also offers new services in the wellness branch. The pool will be kept and is to become an outdoor pool. Another newcomer in Mechelen is the Hof van Busleyden

Museum, the home of humanist and art collector HiĂŤronymus van Busleyden. It is considered one of the most beautiful city palaces of the European Renaissance, and was a breeding ground for the development of new ideas, arts and crafts. The beautiful historic building will open its doors and again become a vibrant community of the Burgundian city and a reminder of the early Renaissance mindset. The museum expects 100,000 visitors annually and offers their 'Dodoens' room for meetings and events.

Meet in Mechelen Organisers who want to plan their congress around the size and possibilities of Mechelen can visit the 'modern style' convention bureau in Mechelen. It's called Meet in Mechelen and offers free advice on the integration of interesting formulas or the organisation of targeted meetings, incentives or events.

visitmechelen.be/en-meet-in-mechelenâ&#x20AC;&#x192; â&#x2020;&#x2018;

Beer Tasting

DESTINATION BELGIUM

• Leuven

Leuven is the mindgate of Europe

www.meetingleuven.be ↓

Just a stone's throw from Brussels, but with its own distinct signature. That's Leuven. Aside from being Belgium's number one student city and the city of beer, Leuven is a compact, historical city that is also known as Europe's top research hub. As the home of the renowned KU Leuven university, the nano-electronics research centre IMEC, around 140 spin-offs, more than 130 high-tech companies and one of Europe's most cutting-edge university hospitals, Leuven calls itself the European centre of innovation, and rightly so. Via Leuven Mindgate, Meeting Leuven & Vlaams-Brabant focuses in particular on attracting scientific conferences in the field of health, high tech and creativity.

Mindgate Many knowledge institutes and technological platforms in Leuven carry out high-tech research in sectors such as nano-electronics, cleantech, material research, mechatronics, e-security and ICT. Leuven is therefore the perfect destination for conferences that are linked to interdisciplinary research. At the many high-tech companies in the region, it will always be possible to find a link with your conference. A company visit might be a good option for the social programme? Another thing that makes Leuven

the number one research hub is the university. Leuven Catholic University was founded in 1425. As such, it's not only the oldest university in Belgium, but also the oldest Catholic university in the world. With more than 50,000 students, 1000 professors and 4500 PhD students, KU Leuven is Belgium's largest institute of higher education. Leuven Catholic University is known as one of Europe's most prestigious research universities. Last summer, Reuters even declared KU Leuven as the most pioneering university on the European continent. The University Halls, with the Promotiezaal (374 seats), the Museumzaal and the Jubileumzaal are perfectly suited for exhibitions, receptions and banquets.

M-Museum and Irish College Two other locations that stand out are the M-Museum and the Irish College. M is an impressive, sleek museum building in the heart of the city and a real eye-catcher. The building, designed by top architect Stéphane Beel, combines existing historical buildings with contemporary architecture. The roof affords you with wonderful views over the city and the peaceful

courtyard, with its old, majestic oak, is a great place to relax. M has a number of rooms available for business meetings too. Of course, it's possible to combine all of these with a special M activity, such as a tour, brunch or an after-hours visit. The historical Irish College of Leuven was founded 400 years ago and is now home to the Leuven Institute for Ireland in Europe. The 17th-century chapel now houses a wonderful auditorium (220 seats), featuring all the modern touches, such as simultaneous interpreting. The building is home to many meeting locations, the culinary restaurant Ulysses, a cosy courtyard and comfortable guest rooms with views over the large garden.

Compact & cultural heritage But there are so many other reasons to choose Leuven as a conference destination. Leuven is a compact city that's easy to explore. And it's also a wonderful historical city, full of art and cultural heritage. And the great thing is: the unique conference locations, tourist attractions, picturesque shopping streets, authentic restaurants and bars (with their famous beers and outstanding hospitality)...you can go everywhere by foot. The famous city hall is one of the city's top attractions. But you also get to discover the city's rich past

High Tech innovation DESTINATION BELGIUM

Brewery visits

Remarkable meeting venues

Enjoy the beer & food culture

Tap into the potential of the KU Leuven university

Visit the historical centre

in the picturesque alleys of the beguinage (a sanctuary in the heart of the city) or in the medieval abbeys. From the tower of the university library, which is worth a visit in itself, you get a great view over the city. But Leuven has other unique locations. Like St. Peter's Church and the fully restored Tafelrond on the Grote Markt and the wonderful buildings in the Grand Beguinage. Those who are looking for modern and/or exclusive conference and event venues, can enjoy the renowned M-museum, the Faculty Club and De Hoorn, the birthplace of Stella Artois in the Vaartkom area. Outside of the city centre of Leuven there's also the Brabanthal trade fair and conference centre, suitable for larger conferences with more than a thousand participants.

Accessibility and security Leuven's outstanding accessibility and security also make the city a topclass conference destination. Leuven is located in the centre of Belgium, close to Europe's capital of Brussels. From Brussels Airport, it's just a fifteen minute train ride to the centre of Leuven, and it's only 20 minutes by car. From the international train station Brussels-South, you'll be in the city in just half an hour. Safety is one of the most important issues for conference organisers today. And rightly so. Leuven is known as a safe destination. The people are friendly and welcoming, and that's something you can really feel. Conference guests can comfortably stay out on the streets until the early hours. In order to get a taste of the real Leuven, a night out in this lively student city is a must.

Social programme The buzzing city life is also thanks to the famous Belgian beers that are served. Did you know, for example, that Leuven is Belgium's 'capital of beer' and that the famous Stella Artois has been brewed here for seven centuries? The conference guests will be sure to appreciate experiencing the rich culture of beer, for example during an interesting visit to a brewery, a beer capital walk or a beer pairing workshop, where you find out which beers go with which food. Sample the most surprising dishes in the many restaurants; how about finding somewhere to eat in the Muntstraat, Leuven's cosiest dining street? Immerse the guests in the vibrancy of Leuven and let them go home with an unforgettable experience.

DESTINATION BELGIUM

• Antwerp

Let Antwerp amaze you

www.visitantwerp.be ↓

Antwerp is in the market as an attractive destination for meetings and trade fairs, with a focus on large multi-day events and conferences. It’s new convention centre has expanded the possibilities for extra-large meetings. Antwerp is the largest city in Flanders. It has more diamonds shining in the shops than any other place in the world. The shops in Antwerp almost look like museums. You – almost literally – find a start-up around every corner. Antwerp offers everything you need to have a good time and it does that in a slightly different way from other cities. What is the secret? The city and its residents are convinced that there is always something newer and better to be found. They don’t follow but create.

Ships, fashion and diamonds Antwerp is not only the second largest harbour city in Europe and the second largest petrochemical cluster in the world, the city also has an international reputation in the fields of fashion and diamonds. Therefore, the city marketing organisation Visit Antwerp focusses on facilitating organisations that

have links with the city’s strengths, like transport, petrochemicals, diamonds, fashion and the retail trade. A great success of this new approach is the Associations World Congress (AWC) which Antwerp will host in 2018. AWC is the largest conference for employees and officers of professional, scientific and trade membership organisations in Europe, with over 400 delegates.

sector, print, culture and architecture. The city on the river Scheldt is, in short, an attractive place for innovative and creative people, students and entrepreneurs, who together create a buzzing city. The high concentration of innovators not only means that Antwerp is a city where innovative ideas are created, but also where new concepts are tested. Pop-up shops are really shooting up everywhere here. Also, international companies from other disciplines – design, IT, culinary, et cetera – that want to conquer the European market use Antwerp as a test city.

Creativity is buzzing Antwerp also has a rich creative sector. The university and academies offer every conceivable creative study. Together they attract the most creative students from all over Belgium. In addition, research shows that there are almost 17,000 creative businesses, with new ones being added almost every day. The Antwerp fashion designers are world famous, but other Antwerp residents are also highly regarded in ICT, photography, advertising, music, ballet, design, the audio-visual

Flanders Meeting & Convention Centre The arrival of the new Flanders Meeting & Convention Centre (FMCCA) within walking distance of the historic city centre is an added plus that Visit Antwerp will be making full use of. It is not only the historical building, adjacent to a beautiful historical zoo, but also the capacity that plays an important role in this respect. In the past, the focus was always on medium-sized conferences between 10 and 600 people. Thanks to the new congress

DESTINATION BELGIUM

The Harbour House

Flanders Meeting & Convention Centre (FMCCA)

Central Station

centre, Antwerp has expanded the target group and attracts larger conferences of up to 2,000 people.

Easy transport Organising a conference involves more than just providing locations and hotel capacity. Transport to, from and within the city is also important. Antwerp’s Central Station, according to many lists one of the most beautiful in the world, connects the city with Brussels Airport and with Amsterdam and Paris. The international Brussels Airport is 35 minutes away by train and 30 minutes by car. In addition, Antwerp has its own airport, Antwerp Airport, with destinations such as Alicante, Barcelona, Ibiza, London City, Malaga, Murcia, Nador, Palma de Mallorca, Split, Sion and Innsbruck. Furthermore, Antwerp is a well-known cruise destination for sea and river cruises, with the important advantage of

allowing you to step off the boat right into the historical city centre. Getting around Antwerp is never a problem. The city is a metropolis on a human scale, where 174 nationalities – more than in New York! – coexist. A city where an incredible range of art, culture, history, shops, restaurants and bars can be found within a small area.

Architectural highlights There are many special venues to visit, all in walking distance. Museum Aan de Stroom (MAS museum), for example, is not only an architectural highlight; the panoramic roof offers the best view of the city. That provides good opportunities for receptions or dinners. Or take The Cathedral of Our Lady, dating from 1521, which took 170 years to build. Only one of the two towers was completed, but the cathedral is nevertheless included on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Unique is that conference guests are exclusively offered a

look behind the scenes, and may for example climb the tower to admire the organ or enjoy a reception in the secluded courtyard.

Antwerp Convention Bureau Visit Antwerp in cooperation with the Antwerp Convention Bureau ensures optimal collaboration with local partners for support in relation to conferences. Antwerp believes that this collaboration between partners is crucial to be able to offer tailor-made services to congress organisers. The Antwerp team offers a wide spectrum of professional convention and meeting services free of charge. You can count on them for professional and independent advice. The team has years of experience combined with unique skills and can provide you with the right services for free. The local and international network is put to use in order to give the perfect solutions.

www.visitantwerp.be ↑

The Elisabeth Hall of FMCCA

PHOTO: VISIT.BRUSSELS | JULIE GUICHES

SPECIAL VENUE

Station Europe, on lively Place du Luxembourg, is the ideal starting point for seeing Europe in Brussels. The European Parliament's welcome point is full of interactive tools and has something to pique the curiosity of all ages. Staff are also on hand to show you everything there is to do at the European Parliament and in Brussels itself. Housed in the original building of the Brussels-Luxembourg train station, Station Europe bridges the areaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s past as the Leopold Quarter and its modern role as the home of European democracy. See the European Parliament come alive with an augmented reality model of the campus. Or delve into the history of the European Parliament at touchscreen tables and see which of your favourite inspiring figures youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re following in the footsteps of. You can even peer into the past with peephole dioramas and see the European Parliament from different angles, at different times in its life. Station Europe is also your gateway to Brussels with visit.brussels on hand to give you a taste of everything else there is to do in the Belgian capital. https://visit.brussels/en/place/Station-Europe

DESTINATION MANAGEMENT COMPANIES

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Established in 1991, Downtown Europe specialises in the organisation of large congresses and tailor-made conferences allowing communities to gather, grow and evolve together. Driven by ethical values, we take care of all aspects of meetings' development and management, in light of the objectives to be reached. Visit our website for more information and contact us!

T +32 2 361 65 59 Gemeenveldstraat 93 1652 Beersel (Alsemberg) E events@admire.eu Belgium

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T +32 2 732 35 20 E conferences@downtowneurope.be

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EVENT MASTERS

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As a leading Belgian DMC and PCO with euromic membership, Event Masters provides services in Belgium. We can be your partner for Destination Management, Events & Incentives,... Furthermore, we have all the imagination, expertise and contacts to conduct unique programmes.

MCI Benelux organises and innovates congresses, ensuring that they support the strategic goals of your association. Leveraging best-practises to engage your community, deliver return on investment and drive your congressâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; impact on society.

Venusstraat 7 2830 Willebroek Belgium

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CONGRESS CALENDAR Selection of international conferences that will be held in Belgium. For the complete list visit www.conferencebelgium.be 2018 25 - 26

JANUARY

Genome engineering and Synthetic Biology

Convention Centre Oud Sint-Jan

Bruges

25 - 26

The partial Knee Meeting

Provincial Court

Bruges

JANUARY

04 - 08

FEBRUARY

European Conference for the Humanities

Irish College

Leuven

14 - 18 MAY

12th International Electrostatic Discharge Workshop (IEW)

Priorij Corsendonk

Turnhout

15 - 18

CIBE congres

Handelsbeurs

Ghent

Knowledge for Growth

Gent ICC

Ghent

22 - 25 MAY

"VDRA 8th International symposium on Hormone and Veterinary Drug Residue Analysis"

NH Gent Belfort

Ghent

MAY MAY

2nd European Congress of University Hall Qualitative Inquiry

Leuven

22 - 23

BGES - Belgian Group for Endoscopic Surgery

FMCCA

Antwerp

27 FEBRUARY 02 MARCH

Nationale Conferentie van het European Youth Parliament

Howest

Bruges

23 - 25

IREG 9

Stadscampus Uhasselt, Oude Gevangenis

Hasselt

05 - 07

International Conference on Fast Software Encryption

Convention Centre Oud Sint-Jan

Bruges

23 - 25

Congrès ASTP Proton

Palais des Congrès

Liège

MARCH

08 - 09

Applied Bioinformatics in Irish College Life Sciences (2nd Edition)

24 - 26

HNA Conference

Het Pand

Ghent

MARCH

11 - 13

Codart 21 Congres

26 - 27

Mustang and co

Tournai Expo

Tournai

12 - 14 MARCH

AWC - Associations World FMCCA Congress

Antwerp

30 MAY 01 JUNE

Colloque Parole d'enfants Palais des Congrès

Liège

14th International Het Pand Conference on Renewable Resources and Biorefineries (RRB-14)

30 MAY - 02

04 - 08

HOC EUCO

Antwerp

JUNE

Mystical Theology Network (MTN) Annual Conference

Catholic University of Leuven Leuven

08 - 12

10th International Catholic University of Leuven Conference on Simulation Leuven in Food and Bio Industries (FOODSIM 2018)

Salon du scrapbooking

Tournai Expo

03 - 06 JUNE

WoodFungi 2018 Handelsbeurs International Conference on Lignicolous Mushrooms

Ghent

IOT - Internet of Things

FMCCA

Antwerp

06 - 08

Freezing of Gait 2018

KU Leuven

Leuven

06 - 09 JUNE

European Population Conference

Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)

Brussels

07 - 09

Journées Gynécologie

Palais des Congrès

Liège

11 - 13 JUNE

NordiQC Workshop in Applied Immunohistochemistry

Convention Centre Oud Sint-Jan

Bruges

13 - 15

Journées du Printemps 2018

Palais des Congrès

Liège

06 - 09

FEBRUARY FEBRUARY

MARCH

MARCH APRIL APRIL

Leuven

Martin's Brugge & Bruges Brewery Halve Maan

MAY

MAY MAY MAY

JUNE

Ghent

Tournai

MAY

31st Symposium of the International Society for Laboratory Hematology (ISLH 2018)

Square Brussels Meeting Centre

Brussels

10 - 13

39th American Indian Workshop 2018

Gent University

Ghent

Global Meetings Industry Day

Thor Central

Genk

12 - 13

52nd General Meeting of N/A the European Maritime Pilots' Association (EMPA)

Antwerp

12 - 13

107th General Assembly of the European Federation of Nurses Associations (EFN)

N/A

Brussels

16 - 18

24th Conference of the European Association of Research Managers and Administrators (EARMA)

Square Brussels Meeting Centre

Brussels

18 - 20 JUNE

28th ACI EUROPE General Square Brussels Assembly, Congress and Meeting Centre Exhibition Airports Council International Europe

Brussels

16 - 20

26th Meeting of the Florence Network for Nursing and Midwifery

Odisee

Brussels

18 - 21

Kimberley Process

Antwerp

19 - 20

10th European Conference Thomas More Mechelen on Intellectual Capital Mechelen-Antwerpen (ECIC)

18 - 22

Solar Wind 15 Conference N/A

Brussels

APRIL

21 - 23

Bruges

Het Pand & Aula Academica

APRIL

Update in Medical Imaging Convention Centre Oud Sint-Jan

11th European ACR Conference 2018

Ghent

25 - 28

22 - 24

Ghent

Symposium BCLAS 2018

Palais des Congrès

Liège

4th International Neonatology Association Conference (INAC)

NH Gent Belfort

26 - 27 14 - 16

BioEquity Europe

Het Pand

Ghent

27 - 30

FMCCA

Antwerp

14 - 18

EU Cleantech

FMCCA

Antwerp

CI - International Conference of Clochlear Implants and Other Implantable Auditory Technologies

10 - 12

APRIL APRIL APRIL

APRIL

APRIL MAY MAY

JUNE JUNE

JUNE

JUNE JUNE JUNE JUNE

JUNE

Radisson BLU

CONGRESS CALENDAR

2018 29 - 01

32ème Congrès international du CIRIEC

30 JUNE 02 JULY

7th International N/A Conference of the Society for Philosophy of Science in Practice (SPSP)

Ghent

01 - 05

18th International Conference on Experimental Mechanics (ICEM 18)

The EGG Brussels

Brussels

01 - 06

18th International Conference on Robust Statistics (ICORS 2018)

N/A

Leuven

JUNE

JULY

04 - 06 JULY

08 - 11 JULY

Palais des Congrès

Liège

09 - 13

ESN Conference 2018

Ugent Faculty of Bioscience Engineering

Ghent

09 - 13

SEPTEMBER

20th International Ship and Offshore Structures Congress (ISSC 2018)

N/A

Liège & Egmond aan Zee

Congrès Mondial ISSC

Palais des Congrès

Liège

11 - 13

Plant Protease and PCD symposium

Het Pand

Ghent

12 - 15

16th Conference of the N/A European Association for Research on Adolescence (EARA)

Ghent

17 - 19

SEPTEMBER

International Conference on Noise and Vibration Engineering (ISMA)

KU Leuven

Leuven

18 - 20

Eurbee8

Campus Ledeganck Ugent

Ghent

19 - 21

EUPLAN

N/A

Bruges

19 - 22

MUSCON 2018

C-mine & Z33

Genk & Hasselt

20 - 23

John Main Seminar / The Priorij World Community for Christian Meditation

24 - 25

39th International Meeting The Leuven Institute Leuven on Alcohol and Global for Ireland in Europe Health (IMAG)

24 - 27

SEPTEMBER

24th European N/A Maintenance Congress (EFNMS) Euromaintenance 2018

Antwerp

26 - 29

EDF congres

Oude Vismijn

Ghent

SEPTEMBER

SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER

The 19th International KULAB Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) Research Conference

Bruges

ISPD - international Society for Prenatal Diagnosis

Antwerp

FMCCA

SEPTEMBER

09 - 13 JULY

6th International Congress Academy Palace on Construction History (ICCH)

Brussels

09 - 13

Bioceramics

Hasselt

10 - 12 JULY

12th European Conference Liege University on Foams, Emulsions and Applications (EUFOAM 2018)

Liège

17 - 19

Living Lace - World Lace Congress

Convention Centre Oud Sint-Jan & Concert Hall

Bruges

20 - 24

Particpatory Desgin Conference

Stadscampus Uhasselt, Oude Gevangenis

Hasselt

26 - 30

56th TIAFT Annual Meeting

Gent ICC

Ghent

27 - 31

9th European Ikebana Regional Conference

Crowne Plaza Bruges Bruges

03 - 05

Congrès Soins Palliatifs Pédiatriques

Palais des Congrès

Liège

56th Congress of the 28 AUGUST 01 SEPTEMBER International Association

N/A

Brussels

04 - 7

OCTOBER

Agora Club International World Conference

NH Gent Belfort

Ghent

16th International Conference of the EARLI Special Group on Writing (SIG 12)

N/A

Antwerp

Congrès des AA

Palais des Congrès

Liège

14 - 17

02 - 06

SEPTEMBER

55th Congress of EUROTOX

Square Brussels Meeting Centre

Brussels

5th Meeting and Congress of the European Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians (EAVLD)

MCE Conference Brussels and Business Centre Management Centre Europe

03 - 05

EUCARPIA 2018

Het Pand

Ghent

15 - 17

OCTOBER

Université Catholique Brussels de Louvain (UCL)

04 - 07

Europe Biobank Week

N/A

Antwerp

10th Congress of the European Union for Systemics (EUS)

21 - 25

Brussels

SEPTEMBER

VLESP 17th European Symposium on Suicide & Suicidal Behaviour

Het Pand

Ghent

18th European Congress of Neurosurgery (EANS)

N/A

05 - 08

25 - 26

OCTOBER

Brussels

06 - 07

European Social Marketing Conference

Elzenveld

CEV Autumn Volunteering N/A Congress 2018 including the General Assembly

26 - 27

Journées d'Automne

Palais des Congrès

Liège

10th Congress of the European Society for Paediatric Anaesthesiology (ESPA)

N/A

28 - 31

OCTOBER

The Sixth International Symposium on Life-Cycle Civil Engineering

Gent ICC

Ghent

07 - 10

ECEIM congres

NH Gent Belfort

Ghent

Poussy Cat

Tournai Expo

Tournai

26 - 28

IEEE International Forum: Thor Central Smart Grids for Smart Cities

JULY

AUGUST

AUGUST AUGUST

Stadscampus Uhasselt, Oude Gevangenis

SEPTEMBER

of Young Lawyers (AIJA)

29 - 31 AUGUST

SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER

SEPTEMBER

06 - 08

SEPTEMBER

Antwerp Brussels

2nd European Meeting on KU Leuven Enhanced Natural Healing in Dentistry

Leuven

08 - 13

Ikebana International - European Regional Conference 2018

Bruges

SEPTEMBER

09 - 12

SEPTEMBER

ECLAS conferentie 2018

SEPTEMBER

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER

OCTOBER OCTOBER

07 - 09

SEPTEMBER

Crowne Plaza

Bijloke

Ghent

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER NOVEMBER NOVEMBER

Bruges

Genk