ICCA CEC MEETING PROGRAMME

Sunday August 31^st

14:30 - 16:30 Discover Poznań with exciting City Exploration Tours

Meeting point: Sheraton hotel

TOUR 1: In search of Poznań’s sweetest treasure
TOUR 2: Discover the roots of Poznań hospitality
TOUR 3: Step into the Emperor’s shoes
TOUR 4: Journey to the roots of Polish history

17:00 - 18:00 Parallel sessions: Business Exchange & ICCA Database Training

Location: Sheraton Hotel

19:00 A joint walk from Sheraton Poznań Hotel and Mercure Poznań Centrum Hotel to PORT SOŁACZ for dinner

Around 30 minute-walk – accompanied by guide / alternatively by public transport

19:30 - 22:00 Welcome Reception at the iconic PORT SOŁACZ

Monday September 1^st

07:00 - 08:00 Morning bicycle ride

Meeting point: Sheraton Hotel

09:00 - 09:20 Official opening of the Central European Chapter meeting

Introduction by the Chapter leaders and the local hosts

09:20 - 09:30 From ICCA Global to Central Europe: What’s Next?

Speaker: Efi Koudeli - Regional Director for Europe ICCA

A forward-looking update from ICCA’s global stage to our Central European community.

09:30 - 10:30 Opening Panel: Events as Bridges in Turbulent Times

Moderator: Jan Orsic, Head of Ljubljana Convention Bureau at Ljubljana Tourism

Panelists:

Sissi Lignou, President & CEO, AFEA Congress, President, IAPCO, Board Member, Immediate Past President, HAPCO & DES
Efi Koudeli, Regional Director Europe, ICCA
Sabrina Zymierska, Director, MTP Group and Poznan Event Hub
Ioannis Pallas, Executive Director of ESAE
Petra Stušek, CEO at Ljubljana Tourism and Immediate Past President Of The Board at City Destinations Alliance City DNA

What happens when events become more than meetings?

How congresses like the ICCA Congress, and Conventa strengthen destination positioning
New insights from ESAE’s survey on how geopolitical instability is affecting associations
Highlights from IAPCO’s Global Socio-Political Impact Survey 2025 – by Sissi Lignou
How Ljubljana Tourism and local stakeholders are using events as a lever for diplomacy and growth

10:30 - 11:15 Keynote: The Trend Map – Your Strategic Compass in Uncertain Times

Speaker: Marcin Maciejewski

How can destinations, associations, and event professionals prepare for what’s next – and shape it?

In this keynote session, discover the Trend Map, a cutting-edge strategic foresight tool developed by infuture.institute. Already used by forward-looking businesses and governments, the Trend Map is a practical framework to navigate change, manage uncertainty, and make smarter decisions.

You’ll gain insights into:

The most significant long-term shifts in the global business and social landscape
How to use the Trend Momentum Index (TMI) to evaluate which trends matter most
Real-life applications for strategy, innovation, and resilience planning

Whether you’re building bids, shaping association strategies, or managing destinations, this keynote equips you with a future-facing mindset and actionable tools.

11:15 - 11:45 Coffee Break

11:45 - 12:30 From Host City to Strategic Ally – Rethinking Partnerships

Moderator: Łukasz Cioch

Panelists:

Dr Robert Leach – President of European Society for Emergency Medicine
Ioannis Pallas – Executive Director of ESAE
Sissi Lignou – President & CEO, AFEA Congress, President, IAPCO, Board Member, Immediate Past President, HAPCO & DES
Jan Mazurczak – CEO of Poznan Convention Bureau

What if your next congress destination wasn’t just a venue, but a long-term partner in impact?

This high-level panel brings together leaders from European associations and large-scale events to explore how aligning vision, mission, and values between associations and destinations leads to a more meaningful, lasting collaboration.

Through real-world perspectives from science, sustainability, and innovation, we will explore:

Why associations are redefining what they expect from destinations and partners
How cities like Poznań are shifting from hosts to co-creators of long-term legacy
The role of shared values and purpose in securing trust and engagement
Case studies

12:30 - 12:45 Member stories: Poland CVB Support Programmes for the Polish meetings industry

Speaker: Aneta Książek, Head of Poland Convention Bureau, Polish Tourism Organisation

12:45 - 14:00 LUNCH

14:00 - 15:00 PARALLEL TRACKS:

1. Air Traffic Management & the European Green Deal - Can Aviation and Sustainability Coexist?

Moderator: Marta Wisniewska, Director of Sales, LOT Polish Airlines, past ICCA Board Member

Panelists:

Mateusz Dziudziel, Director of the Fuel Office, LOT Polish Airlines
Jan Oršič, Head of Ljubljana Convention Bureau at Ljubljana Tourism
Johannes Müller, Director of Commercial Planning, Steering & Sustainability at Lufthansa Group

What does the future of air travel look like in the era of the European Green Deal?

Join this dynamic session led by LOT Polish Airlines and Ljubljana CVB as we explore the environmental impact of aviation, current regulatory challenges, and real industry solutions, including sustainable fuels, new aircraft technology, and smarter air traffic control systems.

Highlights:

How aviation is adapting to climate goals
LOT’s green initiatives, including Book & Claim
Rapid-fire “Myth or Reality?” segment on sustainability claims
Where and how destinations and airlines can collaborate better

2. Can Data Reveal the Ideal Event Profile for Venues? - Workshop for venues

Speaker: Thorsten Hilber, Thynk.Cloud

Every Jack has his Jill and every venue has its perfect event. An event that fits this venue better than any other congress centre, any other stadium or convention centre. An event that´s the perfect match for that particular venue. But do venues know about that? Have venue managers defined a set of criteria that lets them identify those kinds of events? If you think of the perfect event for your venue, is your knowledge based on data or on a gut feeling?

Together with you I want to explore the concept of the "ideal event profile" and start defining the markers and criteria and also see how that kind of data based knowledge can influence acquisition and delivery of events.

15:00 - 16:00 WORKSHOPS - parallel tracks

1. AI Readiness: People, Purpose, and Practice
From personal data literacy to collective responsibility and real-world industry use cases.

Speakers: David Ralita from Infor, Thorsten Hilber from Thynk Cloud and Alex Meyrieux from K.I.T. Group

Brief session introduction.
Three 10-minute segments, each offering a different perspective:

David - AI readiness. Building the foundations for the future.
Thorsten – Societal impact of AI.
Alexandre – Use cases of AI in the meetings industry and AI tools.
Rest of available time. Open discussion - Q&A

What to Expect:
This session aims to cut through the AI hype and take a practical look at technology’s role in our industry. Together we’ll explore three perspectives: how organisations need strong data foundations to be AI-ready, what the societal impact of AI means for our people and culture, and how real use cases and tools are already being applied.

2. Reimagining the Event Organizer Experience - Design Thinking exercise

Speaker:

Sven Bossu, CEO, AIPC
Katharina Reimann, Manager Global Sales – Meetings, Conventions & Events, Lufthansa Group

16:00 - 16:30 Coffee Break

16:30 - 17:30 Leading for the Well-Being: How to balance high demands with self-kindness

Sponsored by Symposium Cracoviense

Speaker/Moderator: Ewa Stelmasiak

Panelists:

Lenka Žlebková, CEO, Prague Congress Centre; Vice Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of the Prague Convention Bureau
Agnes OPITZER, Director of Hosted Event Sales, HUNGEXPO Budapest Congress and Exhibition Centre
Christina Strohschneider, bnetwork

How can today’s leaders maintain excellence—without burning out?

In this highly relevant session, leadership and well-being expert Ewa Stelmasiak takes us on a powerful exploration of self-leadership, resilience, and the future of people-centered performance. The session includes a keynote, interactive reflections, and a panel conversation across generations.

What to expect:

A keynote on leading for well-being in demanding environments
Practical tools to restore energy and foster psychological resilience
A panel discussion on real-life work–life balance strategies, including how leaders of different generations cope with stress and tech overload
Space for audience interaction and personal insights

Don’t miss this opportunity to explore a more sustainable leadership model, grounded in empathy, energy awareness, and excellence.

19:00 Meet-up in the recommended hotels for a joint walk to Młyńska 12

Meeting point: Sheraton and Mercure hotel

19:30 - 22:30 Monday dinner at MŁYŃSKA 12 restaurant

Hosted by Poland Convention Bureau, Polish Tourism Organisation

Tuesday September 2nd

07:00 - 08:00 Morning run

Meeting point: Sheraton Hotel

09:00 - 09:30 Collaboration with B2B Influencers and MICE KOLs in the era of Instagramisation

Speaker: Jaroslaw Marciuk, Chief Marketing Specialist at Poland Convention Bureau, Polish Tourism Organisation

In today’s era of “Instagramisation,” digital visibility can make or break your destination brand. In this inspiring session, Jarosław Marciuk from Poland CVB will share how strategic collaboration with hosted buyers, B2B influencers, and MICE Key Opinion Leaders can elevate a country’s reputation across the global meetings industry.

From creative campaigns like Poland: More than You Expected, to high-impact collaborations with IMEX Digital Team, Anne Peters (Evolve Events), and LinkedIn voices, you’ll hear real-life examples of how to identify the right people, structure win-win partnerships, and measure success beyond vanity metrics.

If you want to turn digital engagement into long-term destination value, this session will show you how to go from “likes” to legacy.

09:30 - 10:15 Destination Insights Report by Mastercard Data & Services

Speakers: Adam Głąb and Karolina Wawrzyniak

Mastercard works with cities around the world, sharing insights on payment trends to support smarter, data-driven decisions. The presentation will be led by Adam Głąb and Karolina Wawrzyniak from Mastercard. The session will start with an introduction by Jan Mazurczak, CEO of the Poznań Convention Bureau, who will show how the city uses these insights in practice. We will also present examples of Mastercard research on events in Poznań and Poland. Together, we will explore questions such as: How can data help manage a city’s strategy more effectively? Do differences in visitor behavior come from their country of origin or from what the city offers? And what shopping habits make visitors in Poznań and Poland different from those in other destinations

10:15 - 10:30 Member Stories: How the venue can operate and work together on a local level

Speaker: Agnes OPITZER, Director of Hosted Event Sales, Hungexpo

10:30 - 11:00 Coffee break

11:00 - 11:30 AIPC Future Lab: Leadership, Innovation, Exchange

Speaker: Sven Bossu, CEO, AIPC

Introduction to 3 key and interconnected programmes run by AIPC

Future Shapers
AIPC Incubator
Staff Exchange Programme

11:30 - 12:30 Ambassador Programme session

Moderator: Mickael Benaim, Associate Director & Head of Research, SFA-Connect

Panel: Bringing together diverse perspectives from cities and associations

Gerald Howard - Senior Business Development Manager, Lausanne Ambassadors Program
Roman Muška – Managing Director , Prague Convention Bureau
Jan Oršič - Head of Ljubljana Convention Bureau at Ljubljana Tourism, Ljubljana & City DNA, sharing ambassador initiatives
Agnieszka Szymerowska, President of Polish Conference and Congress Association
Krzysztof Walas – Assistant Professor, Poznań University of Technology/ Research Team Lead IDEAS-NCBR

Roundtable Discussions:

Small-group discussions on practical questions, with reflections captured on post-its for collective review. Topics include:

Engaging the Next Generation: How to Identify and Support Young Ambassadors Who are the emerging ambassadors of today and where can we find them? What motivates younger academics and professionals to host conferences, and how can we better engage and support them?
Rethinking Ambassador Education: What Works in Today’s Environment? Are traditional seminars still effective in educating ambassadors? How can we attract the right individuals and what role should universities and research institutions play in today’s collaborative landscape?
Expanding the Circle: How Can More Partners Play an Active Role? Is the Ambassador Program just for CVBs, PCOs, and major venues or can other stakeholders also contribute meaningfully? How do we create space for a wider range of partners to be involved?

12:30 - 12:45 Closing notes and next destination announcement

12:45 - 13:45 LUNCH

13:45 - 14:45 Site visit of Poznan Congerss Center and MTP Poznan EXPO

14:45 - 17:30 Discover Poznań tours

TOUR 3: Step into the Emperor's shoes

TOUR 4: To the roots of Polish history