BOE INTERNATIONAL on 11 and 12 January 2023 will be flanked by a varied supporting programme spread across six stages: the 'LET'S TALK STAGE', the 'DIGITAL STAGE', the 'SAFETY & SECURITY STAGE', 'ACTS ON STAGE', the 'MICE STAGE' and the 'COMMUNICATION STAGE'. Messe Dortmund has now released an overview of the programme.
LET'S TALK STAGE
Day 1 will be all about sustainability in the event industry, for which BOE INTERNATIONAL is a strong advocate along with its strategic sustainability partner 2bdifferent. The focus will be on the smart circular economy for zero-waste trade show and event models. This topic will be addressed by Dr Christoph Soukup and other experts. Also on the agenda will be techniques for calculating carbon footprints. Another topic will be sustainable destination management with representatives from convention bureaus and event locations, city marketing organisations and congress organisers. Implementing 'systemic certification' in practice will be the subject of discussion at the ISO 20121 Talk between 2bdifferent and various players in the event industry. Legal frameworks such as the Climate Protection Act have been the trigger for the two event industry associations fwd: Bundesvereinigung Veranstaltungswirtschaft e.V. (a.k.a. the German Concert and Event Industry Association) and IFES, the worldwide umbrella organisation for trade show and event service providers, to offer a 'convoy concept' in collaboration with 2bdifferent for ISO 20121 certification in sustainable event management. The background to this concept will also be covered.
The following day will see BOE partner 'digital excellence / act & react' hosting the LET'S TALK stage. Neo Ecology, Digital Natives and Digital Ethics will be the main topics under discussion between 11:00 and 17:00 hrs. The stage will offer two special talks as a foretaste of the 9th 'digital excellence conference' due to be held in Frankfurt on 15 June 2023: Prof Dr Anabel Ternès��von Hattburg is considered one of the leading minds on sustainability and digitalisation, and will offer valuable insights on these topics. Eberhard Schnebel is an economist, philosopher and theologian, having taught business ethics, corporate ethics and digital ethics at the Goethe University in Frankfurt since 2013.
SAFETY & SECURITY STAGE
The stage programme will be organised by the German Event Safety & Security Association (bvvs) and the Media & Event Technology Association (VPLT), and is dedicated to all aspects of safety and security associated with planning and holding events. People are really looking forward to the talk entitled '12½ Years on from the Duisburg Love Parade in 2010 – What Have We Learned From It? How Do We Move On?' by engineering professor Dr. Jürgen Gerlach of Wuppertal University and multiple award-winning safety expert. 'Learning is Everywhere' will present the European education project PACE-VAT. This is a partial certification of lifelong learning – documented in a smartphone app by speaker Randell Greenlee, Head of Business and International Affairs at the Media & Event Technology Association (VPLT).
The big-name panel 'Social Sustainability: Labour and Skilled Workers in Times of Demographic Change' featuring experts from the European Association of Event Centres and the Media & Event Technology Association will explore the question of what sustainable employment relationships in the event industry will be like in future. Dennis Eichenbrenner, specialist planner for visitor safety, proprietor of EVS-Safety and Chairman of the German Event Safety & Security Association since 2020, will be bringing two interesting approaches to the SAFETY & SECURITY STAGE in his talks on 'Modern Leadership at Large Events – Teamwork Required!' and 'Emergency Medical Services at Events – Planning by Humans Instead of Algorithms?'
COMMUNICATION STAGE
This stage will offer visitors a wide range of industry topics in a variety of formats plus ample time for networking. The COMMUNICATION STAGE will be supported by NEXTLIVE and the German National Event Industry Association. NEXTLIVE will present top speakers from agencies and businesses on Learning from the Best – Outstanding Event Showcases, Sustainability, Digitalisation / Top 3 Metaverse Use-Cases, Event Design, Storytelling & Content Design as well as trends in 2023. NEXTLIVE will also be presenting the Business Academy Ruhr & NEXTLIVE ACADEMY.
Another highlight will be the discussion panel entitled 'The Human Touch: New Approaches to Trade Show Interaction!', initiated by the German National Association for Communications in Industry (bvik) and chaired by Steffen Schulze, Head of Communications & Marketing at the Association of the German Trade Fair Industry (AUMA). The German National Event Industry Association (fwd) is planning to hold round table discussions on the national conference, the new fwd service company as a quality marketplace for trade show and event construction work, and on the association itself. Prof Dr Cornelia Zanger will also present the new HR R.I.F.E.L. study.
MICE STAGE + Culinary Talks & Cooking
The MICE STAGE is where MICE professionals will convene to share ideas and take away new ones. Key issues surrounding future trade shows, meetings and events will be covered in talks, best case analyses and discussion panels on the MICE STAGE.
The programme will commence on 11 January with the Winner's Keynote Talk 'Newcomer of the Year 2023 by GSA', who will be chosen by the German Speaker Association just the day before. Afterwards, Five Tips, Ideas and Taboos surrounding Business Events and other matters will be addressed by Ralf Schmitt, speaker, author, Managing Director of 'Impulspiloten' and Vice President of the GSA. A talk by Cristián Gálvez, author, coach, MC and speaker, will address the issue of Speaker Coaching. Anja Engel, Head of Marketing and Communications at MICE Portal GmbH, will investigate what Matching Qualities an event industry marketplace has to offer in order to ensure maximum benefit for those taking part in it. Carsten Fuchs, founder and proprietor of Fuchs von Morgen GmbH and author and developer of the 'Zukunftsbild' (imaging the future) technique, will present his idea of a new approach to Shaping our Futures. Event director Chris Cuhls will also be taking part in a panel discussion with colleagues looking at 'Better Together – the New Way of Working', and will provide exciting insights into the work of a director.
Another highlight will be the keynote talk by Isabel Grupp on 12 January 2023 between 10:45 and 11:30 hrs. The entrepreneur, influencer and state boss of the Young Entrepreneurs' organisation in Baden-Württemberg will speak on 'New Leadership – Leading by Example & Emotion'. Afterwards, Karin Ruppert from the 'She Means Community' will join a discussion with her and Anastasia Barner, founder of Europe's first reverse mentoring start-up 'FeMentor', shedding light on the topics of 'Female Empowerment, New Leadership and Diversity'. Afterwards, Barner will also speak on 'Female Visibility and Personal Branding' on social media.
Also, Ulf Tassilo Münch from the Culinary Delight Connection will be transforming the MICE STAGE into a CULINARY STAGE once a day. Exciting guests from the hospitality scene will be in action on Wednesday (12:00 to 14:00 hrs) and Thursday (12:30 to 13:30 hrs) in CULINARY TALKS & COOKING. The lead topic of VeGanuary (an approach aiming to encourage people to eat vegan for a month) will be the main focus of attention. Other topics will be 'Opportunities in Event Catering', 'The Changed Requirements of Gen Z Decision-Makers', 'No Food Waste – How to Achieve this in Event Catering' and 'Food Trends: Meat Substitutes v. Innovative V-Offerings'. On stage will be personalities such as Michelin-starred TV chef Benedikt Faust, top chef Dominik Wetzel and catering entrepreneur Dr Melanie Linden.
DIGITAL STAGE
Exciting topics ranging from social media, AI and VR/AR, ethics on the web, the metaverse, gamification, robotics, digital tools and trends for events to digital marketing will be on the agenda here. The stage programme being organised for the 7th time in partnership with IST University, is supported by Speakers Excellence.
Things will kick off with an inspiring talk by Dr Georg Kofler, passionate serial entrepreneur and expert in communications, marketing and e-commerce, who will explain why entrepreneurship is much more than just an economic activity for him and why founding a business is a decision to lead a self-determined life, an act of courageous, creative work and, above all, a social achievement.
This will be followed by talks on 'Meme Marketing' by Sebastian Galla, Managing Director of Brandneo, and 'Decathlon Tactics – Success Can Be Planned' by Frank Busemann, competitive athlete, decathlete and 'Sportsman of the Year'. Thomas Szabo, Managing Director of act & react GmbH and founder of d*excellence, will shed light on 'Digital Ethics – Finding one's Way Around the Digital Mindset'. Alexandra Löwe, research associate at IST, will explain what is involved in 'Change Readiness'. Event director Chris Cuhls will also be a guest on the DIGITAL STAGE, highlighting 'Formats that Work Online and Offline' as part of a highly diverse group of colleagues. He will also provide insights into the craft of dramatics through to team play. Marc Gassert, international speaker, trainer and book author, will inspire listeners with his talk entitled 'Do it now! – Achievement is the Fruit of Perseverance, not of Getting Started'. James Morgan PhD CSEP, founder of Event Tech Lab and Tourism, Events and Hospitality Professional will close the day with 'Event Design and Technology Trends 2023'.
On Day 2 of DIGITAL STAGE, Prof Dr Thomas R. Köhler, author and expert in the field of future technologies, will address the topics of 'Digitalisation / Digital Change / Innovation / Future'. In a talk entitled 'PodSelling® (Podcast + Sales)', Ulf Zinne, business graduate, author, consultant, trainer, TV presenter and podcast producer, will outline the way to become No. 1 in the ears of prospective customers. 'Gamification: How to Use AR & AI to Create Fresh Impetus at the POI' will be discussed by Lena Gabold, Customer Success Manager at SENSAPE.
ACTS ON STAGE
At the ACTS ON STAGE, powered by memo-media, Sebastian Messerschmidt will host four live shows each day featuring a varied mix of artistry, comedy, music and great beats. Among others, acrobatic artist Tim Höfel will offer inspiration with his special BMX Flatland show act. Comedian Johnny Armstrong will deliver gags with his unique quick-fire punchlines. A rousing performance of music, juggling and on-stage personal interaction will be presented by Berlin artistic duo FELICE & CORTES. The popular memo-media workshops will also be back on the programme in 2023 and are aimed at artists, agencies and planners.
