Those attending EMEC20 in Sevilla, Spain, will have the opportunity to give back to the local community and the industry.
According to research by the Huffington Post, “A positive brain fuels performance, specifically by decreasing stress by 23%, improving creative problem solving by 20% and increasing productive energy by 31%.”
Here are three EMEC20 activities for good that can fuel positivity and leave a lasting legacy for the Sevillian community.
Keep Flamenco Alive
Behind Seville’s beautiful mosaic of baroque and modern architecture also lies the vibrant Andalusian culture of Flamenco. However, like most communities, there are underprivileged neighborhoods like Las Tres Mil Viviendas that are suffering from the presence of drugs, illiteracy and unemployment. The local Alala Foundation has been working within this neighborhood to reincorporate the Sevillian diaspora by stressing the importance of education, art and sports in the community by supporting children’s pursuit of the Flamenco art form.
With corporate social responsibility (CSR) becoming more important than ever, MPI is partnering with Seville’s Alala Foundation in a social impact learning journey to find new ways to help Seville’s most deserving community. Speaker Elena Rodriguez Blanco will be leading the Authenticity Design Challenge, a fast-paced niche experience that allows participants to learn business skills such as design thinking and start-up methodologies to help design a social impact experience that will positively impact this community. Between the Alala Foundation and this learning journey, we can all help underprivileged children find refuge and importance in art.
Empower Rising Talent & Have Some Fun, Too
Similarly, the MPI Foundation is holding a Rendezvous on Monday, Feb. 11. While Rendezvous is one of the most can’t-miss networking opportunities, it is also a nonprofit organization that helps those in the meeting industry community pursue higher education.
“Our Global Board of Trustees are passionate about the opportunity to give back to those that need financial assistance to attend our education, renew memberships, or fund critical studies that reinforce the value of meetings and events,” says Kevin Kirby, executive director of the MPI Foundation. “Rendezvous is one channel we use to raise funds during congresses. Every admission ticket goes towards funding grants & scholarships that ultimately come back to our chapters. Everybody wins!”
The opening session of Dear World takes the inspiration of powerful stories and uses it to help communities and organizations share their stories with one another and this opening session will help those within the meeting community learn from one another.
Give Voice to Their Stories
After the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, the people of New Orleans showcased their resilience in a documentary photography session that would spawn the organization Dear World. A portion of the profits from Dear World go directly to dearworld.org, a nonprofit organization that invests in stories around the globe. Since its inception, Dear World has shared stories of bombing survivors, displaced people, refugees, former child slaves and so many more with powerful stories. Sharing our own powerful stories is a way to not only give back to the meeting community but also the world. Your story is important.
