Not knowing the city makes it crucial to have someone local on the ground

BMCC Brugge
© Filip Dujardin
In October 2024, Flanders hosted a conference whose impact can hardly be overestimated: the regional forum of IUCN. Such an important event is an excellent opportunity to sound out the organizer's experiences about support in Flanders.

Interview with Divija Jata, organizator of IUCN Regional Conservation Forum 2024

In Flanders, we roll out the red carpet for conferences with impact. And few conferences have as much impact as those devoted to the status of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it. That is why we were so much looking forward to the regional forum of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, a membership union composed of more than 1,400 organizations of both government and civil society.

The conference took place in Bruges, from Sept. 30 to Oct. 3, 2024, and brought together members from two statutory regions: Western Europe, and Eastern Europe, North and Central Asia. A good opportunity to sound out the impressions of Divija Jata, coordinator of the Belgian IUCN Focal Point and driving force behind the congress.

What was the highlight of the conference for you?

"In most events that I organize, I try to allow ample networking time. Each day, we had about two hours for lunch breaks, which is quite generous. Usually, people are given only 45 minutes to an hour before they have to return to the plenary sessions, but I insisted on having those two hours. It was greatly appreciated; people mentioned that they actually had time to talk to their colleagues."

"It was wonderful to hear how much people enjoyed it. Many attendees said this was one of the best conferences they had ever participated in. This feedback came not only from newcomers but also from veterans who have been coming to conferences for 20 or 30 years."

Divija Jata

What do you hope people will remember from this conference?

"This was the first time in the post-COVID world that all of our people were meeting again. The previous conference was held before COVID, and since then the world has changed. This conference served as a reminder of the importance of meeting and networking in person. While we can exchange a lot online and there is a shift towards hybrid events, I strongly believe that live meetings are crucial. I hope people will appreciate this and continue to join conferences and events in person in the future."

How was the cooperation with VISITFLANDERS Convention Bureau?

"I am forever grateful to VISITFLANDERS Convention Bureau for connecting us with the Professional Conference Organizer (PCO), Geoffrey Van Hulle. Geoffrey was with us throughout the entire process and helped us manage everything on the ground. His assistance was truly a godsend, especially since I had never worked with a PCO before. This was my first time organizing such a large conference. At this level, you really need someone who knows what they’re doing and can stay calm under pressure."

"Not knowing the city made it even more crucial to have someone local on the ground. VISITFLANDERS Convention Bureau introduced us to the right partners, handled the tender process, screened the applications, and ultimately selected the PCO for us. Their support was fantastic, and we couldn’t have done it without all this expertise."

WG 22-23 BMCC (c) VisitBruges-Jan Darthet(4) © Jan Darthet
Jan Darthet
058 BMCC_Brugge © Filip Dujardin
Filip Dujardin

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