Serious play will accompany serious discussions on trending topics, including wellness, diversity and rising costs, at IBTM World 2022’s Association Leaders’ Forum.

The show will take place at Fira Barcelona from November 29th to December 1st. The Forum will be held on November 28th, the day before the show opens.

Curated by Stylianos Filopoulos, an international associations expert, this year’s Forum will consider the role that associations can play in our changeable world. Through the sharing of case studies, interactive sessions, and round table discussions, the tailored program will explore issues such as sustainability, diversity and inclusion, socioeconomic instability, wellbeing, and creativity, and discuss how associations can leverage these challenges and opportunities to increase the impact of their future events.

“The Association Leaders’ Forum is a cultural melting pot, where association leaders from around the world come together in the forum’s safe space, to exchange best practices and learn from each other. This year we will take a step forward and transform the forum to an innovation lab, where people will listen to amazing stories from thought leaders, and will have the chance to experience innovative event formats,” says Filopoulos. “We will discuss trending topics from wellbeing to diversity and from rising costs to new business models and we will try to see how events can build legacies in fluid and uncertain times. Be ready for some serious play.”

One of the highlights of the Forum is the Presidents’ Talk, which will open the program and bring together all five Association Executive Society leaders. This interactive session is an opportunity for association professionals to hear how different global associations innovated and solved problems in the design and delivery of their own international events, as well as a chance to discover different cultures and celebrate diversity and points of convergence.

In partnership with MeetDenmark, the program features an innovative session to help design the future of in-person events through Lego Serious Play. This interactive session will enable delegates to share ideas and learn what in-person events of purpose-driven organizations will look like in the future. It will also enable them to experience new and innovative formats through play and reflect on the impact of events gamification.

“The Associations Leaders’ Forum is an integral part of IBTM World, and this year as we come together to reflect on how culture impacts events, the forum is a fantastic opportunity to learn from and exchange ideas with different global cultures. Stylianos has produced an unmissable program that explores all the issues facing associations today,” said David Thompson, event director, IBTM World.