Khan will join interviewer Oisin Lunny for The Courage to Connect: How Listening Can Bridge Divides, Transform Relationships and Inspire Hope, on Thursday 19 November at 9.15, exploring what her extraordinary encounters can teach us about listening, challenging assumptions and creating meaningful human connections.
With more than 30 international awards, including two Emmys, two Peabodys and a BAFTA, Khan is recognised for her documentary work exploring some of society’s deepest divisions. Her films have brought her into direct contact with neo-Nazis, extremists and convicted terrorists.
Through courage and a willingness to listen, she has challenged prejudice and built relationships in circumstances where trust might once have seemed impossible. Khan will reflect on what these encounters have taught her about empathy, the power of listening and how human connection can create change and inspire hope in the most unexpected places.
More sessions revealed for the Main Stage
Set against IBTM World’s 2026 theme, The Age of Disruption, the wider Main Stage programme explores how event professionals can navigate change, embrace innovation and create experiences that bring people together.
On day two of the show (Wednesday 18 November), documentary filmmaker Cheryl Miller Houser will take part in the Exceptional Experiences Forum with Human-Centred Storytelling: Spark Emotion, Deepen Connection and Inspire Awe.
Houser will explore how storytelling can help event professionals create more emotionally engaging experiences. Drawing on a practical framework, she will examine how shared human emotions can foster belonging and inspire audiences to take positive action, giving attendees ideas they can apply to their own events.
Ruth Balbach, Head of Global Brand Creative at Universal Destinations & Experiences, will explore the power of lasting memories in We Are Not in the Experience Business. We Are in the Memory Business, while Delisha Fields, Global Event Strategy & Experiential Marketing Leader at Waymo, will examine the growing role of community in The New Community Economy: Why Community Is the Next Growth Strategy.
Claudia Hall, Exhibition Director, IBTM World, said: “We’re incredibly excited about this year’s Main Stage programme and the range of perspectives it will bring to the conversation around disruption. From the impact of AI and emerging technologies to the growing value of human connection, our speakers will explore how the events industry can respond to change and turn it into opportunity. These aren’t just conversations about the future of events, they’re about giving our industry the ideas, confidence and connections to help shape it.”
The value of face-to-face interaction
Michelle Kennedy, founder and CEO of Peanut, the social networking app for women, and former executive at dating app Bumble, will examine the growing value of face-to-face interaction in Why AI Is Making IRL the Next Gold Rush in her session on the Main Stage on Tuesday 17 November at 12.20. Drawing on her experience in the technology sector, Kennedy will explore why real-life connection is becoming increasingly important as AI changes how people communicate.
The conference programme will also look at how event professionals can put AI to practical use. In You’re Not Behind. You’re Just Getting Switched ON, taking place on the Main Stage on Tuesday 17 November at 16.10, Nishma Patel Robb, Founder of SwitchedOn, a media and advisory company that helps people and businesses understand and navigate AI, will offer an accessible introduction to using AI to save time and support creative thinking. Her session will focus on practical applications while exploring why human judgement remains essential as the technology develops.
Artist and creator Doddz will bring art and technology together in Technology You Can Feel: Live Experiments in Art, AI and Human Connection, taking place on the Main Stage on Tuesday 17 November at 15:30. Through live experiments involving the Main Stage and its audience, Doddz will demonstrate how creative technology can make complex ideas tangible and turn delegates into active participants. The session will offer inspiration for creating experiences that audiences remember and that connect with the culture of their destination.
IBTM World brings together more than 12,000 event professionals and 2,500 exhibitors, connecting industry-leading global brands and senior event professionals with Event Tech & Services, creative and experiential partners, next-gen innovators and world-class hospitality for three days of business meetings, knowledge sharing, interactive experiences and meaningful networking.
Learn more about IBTM World here.
