Leaders of the MPI Italia Chapter went through some of their achievements over the past year (including receiving two RISE Awards), focusing primarily on how to gather safely during the pandemic. It was clearly a challenging year—from managing government lockdowns that banned all in-person events to mobilizing in the streets and meeting with officials to advocate for the industry. These efforts led to the prime minister recognizing the value of meetings and events.
Notably, the chapter worked with researchers, such as Professor Luca Stabile from the University of Cassino and Southern Lazio, who has been studying many aspects of COVID-19 and events—including droplet dynamics and the various routes of transmission as well as the impacts of social distancing and ventilation. Specifically, he’s helped to calculate the risk of infection through different in-person scenarios, which led to the creation of the Airborne Infection Risk Calculator, a free tool that offers solutions and insight for executing safer meetings and events. (Download the Excel-based calculator at https://tinyurl.com/WEC21aircalc.)
Importantly, Stabile said that we cannot adopt only good ventilation or vaccination, it’s important to do both as there are some people who will be more susceptible to infection and serious health outcomes. All of the Italia chapter news was delivered under the optimistic and powerful banner #StrongerThanEver.
Christine Cashen and Tami Evans, emcees for WEC Vegas, once again opened the day’s General Session with jovial quips, followed by several speakers, including Don Welsh, president and CEO of Destinations International, who noted, “I don’t think a meeting will ever be taken for granted again at any destination after the pandemic.”
Champions for Change, the main panel of this General Session, hit home on the myriad social issues not only challenging meeting professionals but highlighting the impacts that the industry can have on these issues. While not exclusive to the WEC Digital Experience audience, this session proved exceedingly important as all of the panelists shared their own experiences with the shifting business and social dynamics.
The segue between that component and a surprise live marriage proposal was a rousing song by Voice of Service. It acted as a wonderful, short reprieve—a calming, soulful break.
Day 2 of the WEC Today Show, broadcast live from the Hyatt Hotels Studio Powered by Freeman, expanded on yesterday’s successes with the inclusion of Marcel Coleman, manager of Exchange programs for MPI, for exclusive interviews with Kate Walsh, managing vice president of Maritz Global Events; Norma Dean, director of specialty sales for Delta Airlines; Tammy Routh, senior vice president of global sales for Marriott International; and more.
That’s a snapshot of some of what was happening for participants of the WEC Vegas Digital Experience on Wednesday. More to come—stay tuned!
