The BIG Community Conversation panel will unite association representatives and event professionals to find actionable solutions and drive positive change

LONDON: 28 September 2022 – Cvent, a market-leading meetings, events, and hospitality technology provider, shared the preliminary list of leading MICE associations and membership groups that will participate in The BIG Community Conversation panel on Thursday 6 October at the company’s annual conference; Cvent CONNECT Europe. More than 2,300 industry professionals have registered for the multi-day hybrid experience. For additional insights into critical DE&I topics and initiatives, Cvent CONNECT Europe attendees are encouraged to also join the You CAN Sit With Us session on Wednesday 5 October.

Joining The BIG Community Conversation session are representatives from The Association of British Professional Conference Organisers (ABPCO), Association of Event Organisers (AEO), Event & Visual Communication Association (EVCOM), International Corporate Events (ICE), Meeting Professionals International (MPI), Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE) and New Intent – a recently launched DE&I and environmental action advocacy organisation.

The panel will offer in-person attendees an opportunity to share their perspectives and experiences with critical diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) issues that face the industry today and work collaboratively with leading MICE associations to find actionable solutions. Topics include lack of representation within the events industry, how senior leaders can find diverse talent, and how people from marginalised groups feel once they become part of the industry.  

Heather Lishman, ABPCO Association Director, said: "Cvent CONNECT is a key date in the European event industry calendar.  It offers unique learning opportunities, ranging from top level keynote speakers covering issues that impact us all to highly focused industry specific sessions that develop core skills.  ABPCO is delighted to be a part of this year’s event and I look forward to seeing many of our members there in October.”

“We’re proud to bring the industry’s key associations together and provide a dedicated forum to facilitate open and honest discussion on the topics that are vital to the future of our industry,” said Felicia Asiedu, Senior Marketing Manager at Cvent Europe. “The aim of this conservation is to unite across sectors to find strategies and actionable insights that will drive positive change.” 

Cvent CONNECT Europe is open to all MICE, hospitality and marketing professionals and will provide exclusive in-person and virtual experiences. The event programme includes more than 45 breakout sessions, learning opportunities and networking events designed to help industry professionals master the new events landscape.

More About Cvent CONNECT Europe

New 2022 programming:

• Leadership Summit | Running parallel to the conference agenda, this invitation-only programme brings together senior event and marketing leaders from across Europe (from sectors including finance, life sciences, technology and hospitality) to share their ideas and discuss best practices that can inform strategies and plans to maximise business impact in 2023 and beyond
• Fast Forward 15 (FF15) Education Day | Running alongside the main conference agenda FF15, a top mentoring programme for women in the events industry, will bring its mentees and mentors together for an interactive session dedicated to confidence building exercises and upskilling. 
• Cvent Europe Excellence Awards | This prestigious awards programme recognises leading organisations and hotels that prove the powerful role technology plays in delivering more engaging experiences and driving positive results. The inaugural in-person awards ceremony will also be broadcast live to a virtual audience across Europe.

Conference details: 

This year’s hybrid event will take place from 4 - 6 October and will offer both in-person and virtual experience. The in-person event will be hosted at the InterContinental London - The O2. Cvent will also host an in-person experience in Germany on 5 October at the Frankfurt Marriott Hotel offering local attendees the opportunity to view and engage with live sessions streamed from Cvent CONNECT in London. The Frankfurt event will also include localised breakout sessions and networking opportunities with peers and industry experts. 

For more information or to register, please visit the Cvent CONNECT Europe website.

For behind-the-scenes content and real-time updates, follow @CventCONNECT on Twitter / @cvent_inc and #CventCONNECTEurope on Instagram.