The EPCA Annual Meeting is the annual get together in Europe of the Global Petrochemical Business Community. Approximately 3000 participants from all over the world will gather in Vienna around the City Park area for the opportunity to meet industry leaders and selected external stakeholders and stay abreast of international market developments as well as technological and societal trends.
Transition towards a low-carbon economy
The theme of this years’ Annual Meeting: “Petrochemicals and the Low-Carbon Economy: Versatile Solutions for Greater Sustainability” will look at how the petrochemical industry contributes to the transition towards a low-carbon economy providing innovative and sustainable solutions in cooperation with its suppliers, customers and other stakeholders that support smart cities, smart mobility and climate-resilient society at large.
One of this year’s highlights is the European Youth Debating Competition (EYDC). The aim is to promote the importance of science, technology, sustainability and diversity. This European wide debate is organised jointly by the European Petrochemical Association (EPCA) and PlasticsEurope, one of the leading European trade associations.
The theme of this year’s EYDC competition is: “Living, Learning, working and moving in Smart Cities of the future: with or without plastics and petrochemicals?”
“We are proud to be a regular meeting destination for EPCA.”
Young people between 16 and 19 years, secondary school pupils and first year university students, are invited to participate and have qualified through national competitions held between April to September 2018. In each of the 9 European countries that these qualifications took place in, the three top winners will attend the EPCA Annual Meeting in Vienna and compete in the EU Finals. The jury of the EU Finals will consist of representatives of industry, media, NGO’s lecturers, experts, members of the EPCA Board of Directors and of PlasticsEurope – with winners chosen based on their knowledge, their ability to express themselves and to interact with one another.
Nathalie Debuyst, Communication & Education Manager at EPCA adds: “Vienna is known as a leading smart city and therefore this year’s theme of our competition fits perfectly for the host city of the 52nd EPCA Annual Meeting. We are extremely proud that the Head of the Smart City Agency in Vienna, Mr. Dominic Weiss, will join the jury and will deliver an introductory speech, sharing his experience and knowledge with the students on what Smart Cities mean, with the example of Vienna.”
“The EPCA Annual Meeting takes place in all the hotels around the City Park and we expect an impact for Vienna of approx. 12-15,000 overnights and we are proud to be a regular meeting destination for EPCA”, Christian Mutschlechner, Director of the Vienna Convention Bureau adds.
