The European Associations & Conference Forum (AC Forum) returned to Vienna, the place where it was founded, to celebrate its 20th anniversary: the organization’s General Assembly and Annual Meeting took place in the Austrian capital from January 17-19, 2019 at the initiative of Vienna Tourist Board’s Vienna Convention Bureau in cooperation with various partners in the city.
Founded in Vienna in 1999, the AC Forum now represents 32 scientific associations from nine countries. Its General Assembly and Annual Meeting are held in a different major European city each year. The 20th anniversary event, which took place in Vienna, the city in which it was founded, set a new attendance record, attracting 138 representatives from its member associations. Inspired by Fit for Future, the gathering gave participants a chance to compare notes on all the latest developments in the congress industry, talk about the use of new technology at large-scale conferences and discuss the association’s future direction. Events took place at Messe Wien, the Austria Center Vienna and Hotel Kempinski, with support from Austrian Airlines.
At the gala dinner at Palais Ferstel, Adrian Ott, President of the AC Forum and CEO of the European Federation of National Associations of Orthopaedics and Traumatology (EFORT), expressed his gratitude at the extent of Vienna’s backing: “This year’s Annual Meeting marking our 20th birthday is something very special. We would like to say a heartfelt thank you to our hosts for all of their tireless work and enthusiasm. They have played a significant role in ensuring that our celebrations and the organization itself are fit for the future. Thank you, Vienna!” Representing Vienna, Alena Sirka-Bred, Head of the Municipal Department of Europe and International Affairs, welcomed the high-profile guests to the Austrian capital, who included Isabel Bardinet, CEO of the European Society of Cardiology, Alessandro Cortese, CEO of the European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology, and Doris Mostl, CEO of United European Gastroenterology.
