The This is Athens Convention & Visitors Bureau team recently had the pleasure of participating in Convening EMEA 2025, the flagship European conference organised by the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) in Rotterdam. As active members of PCMA, the world’s largest community for Business Events Strategists, we see this annual gathering as an essential platform for learning, networking, and engaging with the latest trends shaping our industry.

Our engagement at the conference was a direct reflection of the core benefits of our PCMA membership: fostering Community, participating in premier Global Events, committing to our ongoing Career Development, and contributing to industry Thought Leadership. Convening EMEA provided an invaluable opportunity to connect with leaders and trailblazers from around the world, exchanging insights and strengthening our professional network.

The conference programme was structured around three pivotal themes: Future, Connection and Integration by Design, offering a clear roadmap for navigating the complexities of the modern events landscape.

1. Building Tomorrow Together: This theme explored the necessity for agile and purposeful leadership. Sessions focused on empowering teams to build resilience and develop a future-ready mindset to thrive amidst constant change.
2. Unlocking Potential Through Meaningful Connection: In our increasingly hybrid world, discussions centred on bridging the gap between digital and physical spaces. The emphasis was on fostering authentic, cross-regional, and cross-generational collaboration to drive collective growth and innovation.
3. Seamless, Strategic, and Sustainable: This track delved into the practicalities of creating cohesive event ecosystems. It highlighted how to strategically integrate people, technology, and data to deliver sustainable solutions and generate measurable impact.

Beyond the conference halls, the programme offered a unique opportunity to explore the host city's innovative spirit through a series of Exploration Tours. Our team selected the 'Rooftops & Resilience' tour, which offered a fascinating perspective on how Rotterdam is transforming its unused flat rooftops into vibrant, functional spaces to tackle urban challenges.

This focus on transforming urban spaces for climate adaptation and sustainability resonated deeply with our own local efforts. It provided a valuable international perspective that complements initiatives right here in our city, such as the 'We are going Green the Gray' programme, a Municipality of Athens initiative supported by partners to increase green spaces in our urban fabric. Witnessing Rotterdam's rooftop revolution firsthand reinforces the global importance of creating more sustainable and liveable cities.

Our participation in Convening EMEA 2025 has equipped us with fresh insights and strengthened our global connections. We are committed to applying these learnings to further enhance Athens' position as a leading, innovative, and sustainable destination for business events.

For more information on our international activities and to see where the This is Athens CVB team is heading next, we invite you to visit our Meet Us Events Page.

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