ICCA Middle East Summit

1 September 2025
Bahrain  

Event Background  Information

Unlocking Urban DNA: Leadership, Innovation, and Regenerative Tourism for a Sustainable Future  

As the global population approaches 10 billion, distributed across 10,000 cities, urban areas face unprecedented opportunities and challenges. This summit theme, Unlocking Urban DNA, delves into how cities, particularly in the Middle East, can leverage their unique "genetic structures" and shared "epigenetic" experiences to craft compelling narratives, foster unity, and drive sustainable growth.  

Central to this exploration is the integration of transformative leadership, sustainable tourism, and urban innovation, which together form the blueprint for thriving, inclusive cities.  

Key discussion areas include:  

• Regenerative Tourism: Exploring tourism as a catalyst for environmental restoration and social progress, inspired by landmark initiatives like NEOM and Red Sea Global.  
• Leadership in Global Hospitality: Insights into steering the industry toward innovation and resilience in a rapidly evolving landscape.  
• Emerging Destinations: How bold, visionary projects are shaping the future of tourism and hospitality.  
• Urban Evolution: Strategies for harnessing inherent and acquired urban traits to create cities with distinct global identities.  
• Sustainability and Inclusion: Building cities that address the demands of urbanization while promoting environmental and social equity.  

This theme sets the stage for a transformative dialogue, offering participants inspiring stories and actionable insights to shape the future of urban landscapes, tourism, and leadership. It aligns seamlessly with the expertise of keynote speaker Aradhana Khowala, a visionary leader at the intersection of innovation, sustainability, and tourism.  

Event dates  

1 September , 2025

 Target Audience  

• Government Leaders  
• Professional Leaders  
• Tourism and Hospitality Professionals: Executives from tourism boards, luxury hotels, and convention bureaus.  
• Urban Developers: Leaders in smart city projects and mega-developments / infrastructure  
• Corporate Innovators: Tech, AI, and sustainability-focused companies.  
• Academia and Think Tanks: Researchers and experts in Business events industry and regenerative tourism.  
• Media and Influencers: Journalists and thought leaders shaping regional narratives.  

Timing  

Submission Guidelines  

Terms and Conditions  

• This call for speakers/moderators is open to anyone, from anywhere in the world, you do not need to be an ICCA member to submit a proposal.   
• Any ICCA members submitting a proposal participating must be in good standing.   
• We welcome proposals from professionals outside of the events industry. 
• Applications must be submitted in English. 
• In the name of remaining impartial, an independent Education Committee will be responsible for deciding which speakers/moderators form part of the final programme. The ICCA Team will not be responsible for making the final decision.   
• Only those speakers/moderators selected will be contacted after submission of your application.  
• Upon selection, ICCA staff will communicate the specific terms and conditions that will apply for your participation. These differ for each event.  
• Please indicate the session format and time indication needed for your proposal.  

Priority will be given to proposals that fulfil the following criteria:  

• Consider gender balance and DEI. We will prioritise session / speaker proposals that demonstrate diversity in people's backgrounds, age, religion, cultural background, perspectives, and experiences, fostering an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and heard.  
• Include diverse perspectives (geographical, industry sector, association viewpoint etc.).  
• Accessibility: Prioritize making the event as accessible as possible for all attendees.  
• Sustainability: Incorporate sustainable practices and promote eco-friendly initiatives throughout the event.  
• Multi-Stakeholder Engagement: Highlight the importance of involving diverse stakeholders in business events for broader perspectives and collaboration.  
• Address a provocative topic, trending for the meetings and events industry and with clear learning outcomes, however, keep the 4 key areas in mind.   
• New formats: Any format is acceptable, as long as it effectively supports the objectives of the session.  

How to Apply  

Applicants must submit the following information to be eligible to be selected. Choose what is relevant to you. Applications must be submitted in English.    

1. Moderator     

• Moderator name    
• Bio  and references   
• Description of what you can do and what they've done before    

Session name / headline    

• Name/headline, session    
• Which topic do you want to moderate    
• Session description     

Proposed moderator    

• Please summarise your approach in 1 sentence    

• Summary in 300 words how you will moderate    

Max 3-minute video summarising your approach    

Session format    

What format would you propose to deliver your session in. Remember — the more creative, the better!    

2) Speaker    

• Speaker name    
• Bio  and references   
• Description of what you can do and what they've done before    

Session name / headline    

• Name/headline, brief session outline and description    
• What is your proposed topic  
• Session description     

Proposed speaker    

• Please summarise your session in one sentence    
• Summary in 300 words    
• Max 3-minute video summarising your topic    

Session format    

• What format would you propose to deliver your session in. Remember - the more creative, the better!    

Late submissions will not be accepted. One person can submit more than 1 proposal.     

 Send your proposal to: education@iccaworld.org. See deadlines above.   

Questions?  

For questions, please contact us at education@iccaworld.org.  

General Principles      

ICCA Head Office will provide marketing and promotion services and full administrative support for the event and holds the authority to manage the finances of the event.    

Disclaimer: Unless otherwise stated, any reference herein to “ICCA” shall be deemed to refer to International Congress and Convention B.V., a private limited liability company registered with the Dutch trade register under number 85598232.