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CO-CURATORS

A new perspective is entering #ICCACongress26. This year, we’re introducing a multi-modal format. But what does that mean for you? Multiple creators, multiple worlds, all in one place. It’s like several congresses happening at once, and you choose where to go, who to meet, and what you take away.

 

Each content stream is designed by a Co-Curator. A global leader from outside our industry, bringing fresh thinking, real-world expertise, and new ways of learning into the programme.

 

This is where #CrossWorlds comes to life, and this is just the beginning. Different worlds are coming together. Are you ready to cross yours?

IEEE - Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

IEEE is the world’s largest technical professional organization dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity. With a global network of engineers, researchers, innovators, and industry leaders, IEEE drives technological progress and fosters collaboration across disciplines and industries.

Internationally recognied for its leadership in areas such as artificial intelligence, engineering, computing, telecommunications, and emerging technologies, IEEE creates platforms for knowledge exchange, innovation, and real-world problem solving.

As the first Co-Curator of #ICCACongress26, IEEE will bring a fresh and future-focused perspective to the programme through specialized sessions, cutting-edge insights, and cross-sector collaboration experiences that embody the spirit of #CrossWorlds.

AC Forum - Associations & Conference Forum

AC Forum is the leading peer-to-peer organization established exclusively by and for associations. As a unique global community of association leaders, AC Forum advances excellence in association leadership and management by fostering collaboration, knowledge exchange, and professional development among organizations facing similar opportunities and challenges.


Recognized for its commitment to strengthening the association sector, AC Forum provides a trusted platform where peers can share expertise, experiences, and best practices in a confidential, collaborative, and non-commercial environment. Through meaningful networking and learning opportunities, it empowers associations to enhance their impact and effectiveness.


By connecting self-managed, not-for-profit associations across professions and fields, AC Forum supports a community dedicated to serving the interests of professionals, industries, and society. Its work is guided by the core values of integrity, inclusivity, community, collaboration, and accountability, which underpin all its initiatives and activities.


As a Co-Curator of #ICCACongress26, AC Forum will bring the voice and perspective of the global association community to the programme, contributing thought leadership, peer-driven insights, and collaborative experiences that reflect the spirit of #CrossWorlds and support the future growth and resilience of associations worldwide.

UN Tourism - United Nations World Tourism Organization

Globally recognized for its leadership in tourism policy, research, education, and capacity building, UN Tourism generates knowledge, supports innovation, and provides guidance to help destinations and stakeholders maximize the positive impact of tourism while addressing global challenges.

Through the promotion of ethical and sustainable practices, the implementation of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, and technical cooperation projects worldwide, UN Tourism works to strengthen the sector’s contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and create lasting benefits for people, places, and economies.

As a Co-Curator of #ICCACongress26, UN Tourism will bring its global expertise and unique perspective on the future of travel and destination development, contributing strategic insights, thought leadership, and collaborative experiences that embody the spirit of #CrossWorlds.

What are you personally looking forward to discussing at the 65th ICCA Congress in Panama?

The ICCA Congress in Panama is an opportunity to explore how business events can become stronger catalysts for innovation, talent development, capacity building, competitiveness and long-term economic and social impact. I always like to talk about “the legacy” we left behind.

For many years, the success of meetings and events has been measured primarily through attendance numbers, economic contribution and knowledge exchange. Today, however, destinations and organisations are asking broader and more strategic questions: How can events help develop the talent and capabilities our sector needs for the future? How can they foster innovation, inspire entrepreneurship, accelerate investment and strengthen the competitiveness of destinations? How can they create lasting benefits for local communities?

I am particularly looking forward to discussing how design thinking and co-creation can help us respond to these questions. By putting people at the centre, listening to diverse perspectives and working collaboratively across sectors, business events can become living laboratories for learning, innovation and transformation.

Panama provides a powerful setting for this conversation, as it invites us to think about connection, exchange and competitiveness in a rapidly changing global landscape. I look forward to engaging with leaders from across the ICCA community to explore how our sector can move beyond being a platform for knowledge exchange and become a driver of talent development, ecosystem building and sustainable growth.

 

What can people expect from your session in Panama? What are three key takeaways delegates will take back?

Participants can expect a highly interactive and forward-looking session that moves beyond theory and focuses on practical applications, real-world examples, collaborative methods and actionable ideas.

The sessions will explore how design thinking can be used as a tool for capacity building and competitiveness: helping destinations, associations, venues, suppliers and event professionals identify needs, unlock talent, strengthen collaboration and design more meaningful event outcomes.

Three key takeaways will be:

1. Competitiveness starts with people and talent

Delegates will explore how human-centred approaches can help identify skills gaps, motivations, barriers and opportunities within teams, destinations and communities. Stronger talent pipelines and future-ready capabilities are essential for destinations and organisations that want to remain competitive in a changing global market.

2. Innovation is built through ecosystems, not in isolation

Innovation is not only about technology. It is about creating the conditions for people, ideas, investment, entrepreneurship, academia, creative industries and public-private collaboration to come together. Participants will reflect on how business events can act as connectors that strengthen innovation ecosystems and generate long-term value.

3. Co-creation turns challenges into actionable solutions

Capacity building is not a top-down intervention. Through design thinking, rapid prototyping and collaborative problem-solving, delegates will learn how to involve diverse stakeholders in shaping practical initiatives — from new talent programmes and learning formats to community engagement models and cross-sector partnerships.

More broadly, the session will invite delegates to see business events as platforms where people do not only meet, but learn, grow, collaborate and build the capabilities that make destinations, organisations and communities more resilient and competitive.

As a Co-Curator, how is your specific “World” going to challenge and cross with the traditional thinking of the business events industry?

Our World will challenge the traditional thinking of the business events industry by shifting the conversation from event delivery to capability building, innovation ecosystems and competitiveness.

Traditionally, the industry has often focused on what happens during the event: the programme, the speakers, the logistics, the attendance and the immediate economic impact. Our World invites delegates to look at what happens before, during and after the event in terms of talent development, capacity building and long-term competitiveness: who is being empowered, what skills are being built, what collaborations are being strengthened and what value remains in the destination or organisation once the event is over.

Through the lens of design thinking, co-creation and collaboration, we want to challenge the idea that solutions should be designed by a few experts and delivered to many. Instead, we believe the future of business events depends on designing with people: with emerging talent, local communities, education partners, entrepreneurs, startups, institutions, investors and cross-sector collaborators.

This World will cross with traditional industry thinking by bringing voices, ideas and experiences from outside the meetings industry into the ICCA conversation. Some of the most transformative solutions are emerging from education, entrepreneurship, technology, creative industries, investment ecosystems and local communities — spaces that are not always fully connected to the business events sector.

By crossing these worlds, we hope to inspire delegates to rethink how events are designed, how partnerships are built, how talent is developed, how innovation is activated and how destinations can strengthen their competitiveness through meetings and events.

Ultimately, the goal is to move from knowledge exchange to shared capability building, from networking to meaningful collaboration, and from short-term event impact to long-term destination competitiveness and sustainable development.

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