The Future of Association Meetings Workshop – in collaboration with ASAE

April 2025 (exact dates TBA)
Washington DC, USA  

Event Background Information  

ICCA will host a workshop during Business Events Industry Week 2025 in Washington, D.C. (April 7-11), with April 9 or 10 as potential dates. This workshop will build on previous successes and address hot topics association executives are facing in 2025.  

The event also took place in 2024.

Event Dates  

April 2025 (exact dates TBA)

Event Format  

The programme lasts 1 day.

Target Audience  

• ASAE Association Executives  
• Those who are involved in negotiating, planning and/or running international association meetings.     
• ICCA Members  
• Mid-level sales and marketing professionals (managers and executives) who are responsible for regular contact with international association clients

Content  

The key issues which we’ll look to explore and collaborate on includes:   

1. Extreme Weather, Natural Disasters, the Future of Sustainability and its Business Impact on Associations Globally. As extreme weather and natural disasters become more frequent and severe, associations around the world are facing significant business impacts and operation disruption. These challenges underscore the need for associations to adopt resilient event strategies and risk management approaches that prioritize sustainability – a core value for both ICCA and ASAE.   

ICCA and ASAE will explore how associations can proactively respond to these risks by integrating climate resilience measures and sustainable event tactics into their meetings. Together, ICCA and ASAE will share strategies and resources to help associations minimize their ecological footprint while building adaptive frameworks for nature disruptions.   

2. The Future Workforce: Navigating Generational Shifts, AI, and Inclusive Talent Strategies. Today’s workforce is undergoing transformative shifts driven by generational shifts, technological advancements like artificial intelligence (AI), and evolving work environments.   

Associations are not immune to these shifts and must address them to remain relevant to their members. ICCA and ASAE will discover how associations can adapt to changing work preferences and behaviours across generations and create supportive environments for everyone to thrive.   

ICCA and ASAE will also explore the impact of emerging technology, specifically artificial intelligence (AI), on the workforce and how organizations can harness the potential in improving workflows and beyond. Lastly, a significant focus will be on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) from a business perspective – understanding how DEI strategies can strengthen talent pools, enhance workforce resilience, and spark out-of-the-box ideas that drive innovation  

Content should be aligned with ICCA's guiding values and principles. See here.  

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.