63rd FEIBP Preview | September 20-22, 2023 Belfast, Northern Ireland
Guide to Belfast By Gwyneth Bowen
Aerial view of Belfast in autumn
Fáilte! Welcome to Belfast host city of the 63rd annual FEIBP Congress. The program features two days of sessions plus plenty of outstanding opportunities to take in Belfast attractions before, during and after the Congress.
the peace story of Northern Ireland and has transformed into an iconic symbol of Belfast’s survival as well as an outstanding place to stay with one of the best Afternoon Teas in the city. Their Piano Bar is also a local favorite. The Europa sits in the City Centre (less than 3 square km, 1 square mile), which is home to many iconic buildings and attractions.
The keynotes will feature Dorcas Crawford, one of Northern Ireland’s well-known business leaders who will share her expertise on being a leader and Emma Trevor of Valpak who will cover the ever-changing aspects of EPR in manufacturing and also participate in the Friday Brush Forum. The flow of the event will be enhanced and facilitated by its location at the Europa Hotel.
Belfast is the most populous city in Northern Ireland and geographically covers 115 square km (44 square miles). Belfast’s name is derived from the Gaelic Béal Feirste (Mouth of the Sandbank [or Crossing of the River]). The city’s modern history began in 1611 when Baron Arthur Chichester built a new castle there and received a charter of incorporation in 1613.
Opened in July 1971, the Europa was built on the site of the former Great Northern Railway station. During The Troubles, the hotel was where most journalists stayed and was known as Europe’s most bombed hotel, having been targeted 33 times between 1970 and 1994. Today the Europa is part of
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Belfast’s symbol, a seahorse, is featured on their coat of arms along with bells, a ship and a chained Irish wolfhound. The sea, ships and seahorses center around aspects of the city’s history, however, the earliest known use of a seahorse image in Belfast was on tokens used for travels. Since the seahorse was originally a symbol of good fortune and protection that would naturally be welcome to those traveling by boat or ship. Seahorses can