This is my personal journey as a volunteer in various positions within MPI.
Finding My Tribe
I began volunteering for MPI on my local chapter board in July 2014. Having returned to my home country Finland two years prior, joining the board helped quickly expanded my network across the industry. In February 2015, before the European Meetings and Events Industry, I met with other European chapter leaders in Krakow. This is when I found my tribe. Given the stress and busyness inherent in our business, it was wonderful to find energetic and positive colleagues who invested so much of their time for the collective benefit.
Soulmates and expanded networks
From 2015 to 2019, my volunteer career at MPI was marked by finding soulmates, expanding my global network, and experiencing some of the best parties of my post-young life. During this time, we also raised the status of our industry by hosting world-class charismatic speakers at our local events. Occasionally, we shared travel costs with other European chapters to make these events possible.
We met with Finnish politicians and advocated for our agenda to be heard at the decision-making tables. We got together monthly at our Finnish events and annually in different European cities. None of us who joined EMEC 2019 in The Hague can forget how innovative, engaging and special that conference was.
Surviving the first year of Covid-19 with MPI
During the turmoil of the first year of Covid-19, MPI provided relief, comfort, and vital information. By participating in the online meetings, I was able to learn what measures were taken in other countries and what solutions event organizers tried within their legal frameworks. We also collectively believed that hybrid events were here to stay. In 2020, I was serving my second term on the MPI Advisory Council. I appreciated our strategic discussions how the European chapters should evolve. On a weekly basis, I also had the pleasure of joining masterclasses from the hard-working Belgian MPI chapter. During the first terrible year of Covid-19, MPI was my solid cornerstone. While I attended numerous online events, it was within MPI where I connected with my informative friends.
Lost in Covid and back home again.
As Covid-19 persisted, I grew weary of the challenges of our industry. It seemed that there was no crisis that did not affect us. I went back to my memories of joining the industry in July 2008, only to witness a third of my colleagues lose their jobs due to the financial crisis in September. Faced with inflation, energy crises, and now a pandemic, I left my volunteer positions at MPI. Instead, I studied the inspiring economic model of the circular economy. Although I found a new international network through various online events and courses, I didn't find my tribe. Fortunately, MPI welcomed me back with open arms. This year, I am volunteering for the Sustainability Advisory Council.
Proud Moment
In addition to expressing my love for the MPI community, I want to share a project that I am especially proud of. It is also a project that would not have happened without the connections I made through my volunteering at MPI.
As a result of a coincidental meeting at IMEX between representatives from my client EAIE (European Association for International Education), the venue I work for, and my MPI friend, sustainability super star Fiona Pelham, an idea was born. The EAIE conference held at our venue in 2019 could become an inspiring case study for our industry on sustainability. Conducting workshops on ISO 20121 in cooperation with the client was a new way to achieve sustainability.
Carrying out this large event of 6,000 participants, with fixed budget parameters and in limited time was not only a wonderful learning journey for us; It also generated interest. My client and I shared our concrete solutions at various events, including together with world-leading sustainability experts. Who would have thought that by joining a fun party you would grow so much professionally?
If anybody interested in our EAIE project, more information is found here https://www.messukeskus.com/en/cases/case-eaie/
