On Thursday 27 and Friday 28 April, representatives of international associations will gather for the 11th edition of the European Association Summit. It will take place in Brussels, where more than 2,400 associations have their headquarters. On Thursday evening, the Brussels Meetings Ambassadors will be honoured.
The European Association Summit will address the major topics facing international associations, with the aim of the conference being to enable associations to function as well as possible in a rapidly changing world. Many experts from different fields will share their expertise during workshops and presentations, giving participants the tools to prepare for the future with lots of inspiring ideas and insights.
Much of the focus this year is on networking. After COVID-19, there is a clear need to get to know industry colleagues and exchange ideas. This is much easier now that participants can meet offline.
European Year of Skills
This EAS edition will focus on young members. What is the best guidance you can provide for young members? What about training and retraining opportunities? Several sessions will be dedicated to professional development and preparing the new generation of association professionals. This is fully in line with the European Year of Skills 2023.
EAS is organised by visit.brussels in collaboration with ESAE (the European Society of Association Executives), FAIB (the Federation of European and International Associations based in Belgium), UIA (the Union of International Associations), ASSOCIATIONWORLD and GAHP (the Global Association Hubs Partnerships).
Brussels, business capital
With more than 2,400 setting up their headquarters in Brussels, the number of international associations in our capital continues to rise. This puts Brussels in first place as a hub for international associations. And this is no coincidence. At the heart of Europe, more than 200 locations offer the space and opportunity to organise events with international appeal.
Moreover, during the pandemic, Brussels profiled itself as a hub for hybrid events. So, it is only logical that the EAS should take place in our capital. Brussels can also call itself the world’s leading destination for international association congresses. It has climbed to first place in the UIA’s world rankings.
Venue
The EAS will be held at Sparks in the city centre, near Brussels Central Station. Sparks is the prototype of a contemporary meeting centre with lots of rooms for different types of meetings.
The Brussels Meetings Ambassadors Night will be held at the KBR, a little further down the Mont des Arts-Kunstberg. The KBR is the national scientific library, a museum and a meeting centre.
You can register for the EAS via the visit.brussels website.
