Palais des congrès de Montréal creates MTL Reunion: Its first international conference on rethinking the future together!

MONTRÉAL, Oct. 20, 2020 /CNW Telbec/ - In an effort to foster a collective rethink of the convention industry, the Palais des congrès de Montréal announces it will be hosting the MTL Reunion international conference this coming October 28. This is the first major event of its kind to be developed by the Palais. Intended for the business community and event industry stakeholders, both local and global, this meeting will tackle the issues affecting associations and conventions all over the world, and the challenges the events sector is having to grapple with. Over 1,000 participants from some 15 countries have already signed up to attend virtually.

Designed jointly with the firms Altitude C and Tribu Expérientiel, in the wake of a rigorous tendering process, this bilingual conference will address the current state of the major events industry internationally.

It will also provide an opportunity to present to participants attending from all over the world, some of the innovative solutions to emerge from the resilience and creativity of the Montréal ecosystem.

Internationally renowned speakers
Some big names from the convention industry and the business world have accepted the Palais' invitation to come share their experience.

The conference will begin in the morning with a renowned Montréal entrepreneur, and will follow up with executives from various associations representing convention organizers. The afternoon will focus on the global airline industry and the challenges it is facing, and will be completed by a discussion addressing creativity and the future of events. To commemorate the hosting of this historic event for the Palais, emerging Montréal visual artist Julian Palma will produce a massive mural inside the building, in partnership with LNDMRK.

Lineup of speakers:

THE FUTURE OF INNOVATION IS GREEN AND INCLUSIVE
By Frantz Saintellemy, President and COO, LeddarTech and Cofounder of Groupe 3737

BUILDING THE FUTURE TOGETHER
Hosted by Sherrif Karamat, CEO, Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA), with the participation of:

• Carina Bauer, CEO, IMEX Group
• Carol McGury, Executive Vice President, Event and Education Services, SmithBucklin
• David Peckinpaugh, President, Maritz Global Events
• James Rees, President, International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA)

THE GLOBAL AVIATION INDUSTRY AND ITS CHALLENGES
Hosted by Rebecca Makonnen, with the participation of:

• Luis Felipe de Oliveira, Director General, Airports Council International
• Mark Galardo, Vice President, Network Planning and Alliances, Air Canada
• Yves Lalumière, CEO, Tourisme Montréal
• Philippe Rainville, CEO, Aéroports de Montréal

THE FUTURE OF CONFERENCES: EVENTFUL OR EVENT-EMPTY?
By Andy Nulman, Cofounder and CEO, Play the future, with the participation of:

• Mitch Joel, Founder, Six Pixels Group
• Philippe Telio, Founder, Startupfest
• Marie-Pier Tessier De L'Étoile, Cofounder and Executive Director, Îlot 84/Aire commune

For the full MTL Reunion lineup and to sign up for free to attend virtually:
https://congresmtl.com/en/mtl-reunion/.

Event solutions in action
In addition to delivering free, inspiring, useful content for reinventing events, MTL Reunion will make it possible for organizers to experiment with innovative solutions the Palais has been rolling out to help restart business, with the help of its official suppliers Encore and GES.

MTL Reunion will also be an opportunity to showcase the Palais' hybrid event services and the health and safety protocol it has developed in accordance with the strictest industry standards, i.e. PROGRESS, which stands for the Palais Reopening Operating Guide to Running Events with Safety Standards.

The new Palais Média Propulsion studios the Palais has added to its content creation offering will be made available during the event, as will wellness workshops provided by Organik, the new Palais partner which will be facilitating the day's break intervals.

Quote

"The convention world has suffered tremendously during the pandemic, which is why we wanted to contribute to business restart efforts with this free conference. MTL Reunion is a first initiative created by the Palais des congrès de Montréal to bring together the industry's stakeholders, so that together, we may reinvent the future. Above all, we want to show the world we are ready and that Montréal is resilient, always prepared to provide a stage for innovative topics and finding solutions. We invite all event organizers and professionals working with international associations to join us in thinking up the events of tomorrow. We firmly believe it is our role to support this industry that will bounce back!"
? Robert Mercure, CEO of the Palais des congrès de Montréal

About the Palais des congrès de Montréal
The Palais des congrès de Montréal convention centre, a new leader in hybrid events, continues to respond proactively to the event hosting requirements prompted by COVID-19. Through PROGRESS, its Palais Reopening Operating Guide to Running Events with Safety Standards, the Palais is adhering to the new health standards ratified by the appropriate governmental authorities, at no additional cost to its customers.

The Palais stands in the heart of the top host city in the Americas for international events, as ranked in 2019 by the Union of International Associations. It is the recipient of the highest quality standards certification in the industry, awarded by the International Association of Convention Centres (AIPC), and also a finalist for the prestigious Apex award honouring the "world's best customer satisfaction ratings." In 2019-2020, the Palais generated $228 million in economic benefits along with an invaluable amount of intellectual wealth via the 339 events it hosted. A trailblazer, it operates its own events lab, CITÉ, which houses Montréal startups that are helping redefine how conferences are held. The Palais is among the first convention centres in the world to operate a carbon neutral building, and is also BOMA BEST certified. Visit congresmtl.com.

SOURCE Palais des congrès de Montréal