A delegation of more than 250 Exhibition and Event Professionals came together in Athens, Greece, June 26 -28, for the International Federation of Exhibition and Event Services (IFES) 21st World Summit with the theme ”The Summit of Inspiration.”
The event featured 30 speakers with from a variety of backgrounds including entrepreneurs, architects, economists, authors, designers and trend experts. The three days lived up to the theme ”Summit of Inspiration” as speakers provided engaging content punctuated with passion, humor and the spirit of collaboration.
e new President, Peter Theodorides of Vision Ltd from Athens, Greece, kicked off the event with enthusiasm and greeted the attendees with Athenian pride. “The Summit of Inspiration achieved what was promised- networking at its best, and an opportunity to seek the greatness within ourselves. This event provided a true cultural and inspirational experience for the 253 attendees representing 31 different countries”. Peter concluded the meeting with a quote from Aristotle " Pleasure in the job, puts perfection in the work. I truly am passionate to make IFES membership as valuable as it can be”.
After the official Annual General Meeting and presentation of 13 new members, some 250 guests accepted the invitation to a Welcome Reception high above the city of Athens at the Orizontes on Lycabettus.
The World Summit Opening Night as a prelude is a fixed part of the event, as is the Gala Diner. This year at Ble, a peninsula jutting out into the Ionian Sea.
For the second time, the World Summit was preceded by the Sustainable Starter: A mini conference on the subject of sustainability. This year, the winners of the UFI Sustainable Award presented their award-winning projects.
”Besides the beautiful backdrop of Athens and record-setting attendance, the highlight of the three days, no doubt, was the impressive line-up of speakers,” remarked board member, John Pavek, IFES VP of marketing and membership.
Dimitris A. Tsouchlos inspired with extensive experience in management, psychology and team dynamics and accompanied the audience on a transformative journey. His key message: 40% of our state of mind depends on our behaviour – ”This has to be actively used.”
Myrto Dimitrou, Origami Master, showed with the help of a Din A4 sheet why communication can go wrong every day. As a social anthropologist, she combined Greek folk art with the Japanese art of paperfolding and an educational
program:” Rethinking.”
The "Design Ambassador" Vassilios Bartzokas introduced four extraordinary Greek architects under the heading "The Greek Inspiration". Ermis Adamantidis, Director, Not a Number Architects, presented spatial installations through to urban planning. Helen Brasinika, designer & co-founder at BllendDesign& Research Office, presented the architectural link between creation and environment. Dimitris Koliadimas, owner / creative director at Semiotik introduced "The Volvo Ocean Race" and Ilias Papageorgiou, Greek architect and founder of PILA, "Mini Living!”
Economist Jochen Witt (JWC Consulting) can look back on a success story of many years in fair strategy, price structuring optimization, business development, planning and building of meeting venues and business intelligence. Witt’s presentation was a follow-up to his highly regarded presentation the 2018 World Summit in Chicago and brought a focus on imerging market in China.
Peter Economides, global brand strategist, presented a motivating and appealing narrative based on what it takes to build a powerful, sustainable brand in these times of rapid change. And author Charles Pappas, discussed how the World Expositions changed life forever.
Panagiotis Podimatas dealt with the thought "When the economy drives your creativity" using the example of the Athens Flight Week before Dr. Christian Coppeneur-Gülz in a fascinating lecture asked attendees to consider whether we should leave the stage to Google & Co.
An amazing panel discussion was seen among the best of the best between Dr. Kyriakos Pozrikidis (Managing Director at TIF-HELEXPO), Irene Tolis, (President of HAPCO), and Theodore Vokos, (CEO of Posedonia Exhibitions), who brilliantly shared with the audience on how the Greek Trade Shows – A Deep Dive, work today and are expected to grow the year to come.
The Eugenides Foundation, as a venue, has been committed to scientific and technical education for more than fifty years and is looking forward to a future with completely renovated and renewed facilities by creating a multi-story education Centre to the highest standards in the Faliro Delta. Dimitris Protopsaltou, Director General of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation's Cultural Centre, took the audience on an informative virtual tour of the Foundation before the Y-IFES (Young IFES) presented itself and its aims.
The secretariat of this world event was carried out successfully and with many encouraging and warm words from all members, from the renowned company ERA Ltd, who managed to carry out all their duties magnificently.
The event concluded with an impressive baton hand-over to representatives from the Netherlands, host of the 2020 IFES World Summit, to be held June 25 -27, in Amsterdam.
Learn more at www.ifesnet.org.
