A sold out Hybrid event with a spotlight on youth and indigenous people.
IWG World Conference on Women & Sport
The Challenge
The IWG Global Summit on Women & Sport is the world’s foremost gathering on gender equity in sport, with a mission of empowering more women and girls around the world to be active. In 2021, we came on board to deliver the 8th edition, this time set in Aotearoa’s own Rotorua. But after COVID-19 postponed the event and travel restrictions complicated the reschedule, the decision was made to pivot to a hybrid event to accommodate both in-person and virtual attendees.
With the spirit of the conference so grounded in inclusion and connectivity, the challenge was to create a seamless event that allowed attendees to interact with each other safely, while still keeping the virtual delegates a part of the action.
The Solution
Given the status of the global pandemic at the time, the health and safety of our in-person attendees became our biggest priority. We developed a robust health and safety management plan with the venue and suppliers, making regular updates to address potential risks and hazards.
From our wide-ranging afternoon activity program, to our speaker sessions, to our flawless gala dinner, we seamlessly coordinated an experience that brought everyone together safely - without leaving out the digital attendees.
We handled all aspects of the conference - from working with the venue, suppliers and sponsors, to managing audio-visual facilities during presentations, to handling exhibition management (including sales, contracting, coordination, and more).
The Outcome
The 8th IWG World Conference on Women and Sport was an enormous success, wholeheartedly supported by the exhibiting organisations and enthusiastically received by attendees. Our afternoon activity program was particularly popular, with approximately 80% of delegates taking part.
We also broke new ground for efficiency; thanks to our working relationship with the convenor and a streamlined decision-making process, we organised the event in 7 months (as opposed to the traditional 12). The result: an adaptive, inclusive and smoothly-run experience that helped grow the event’s popularity, deliver on its goals, and embody its inclusive spirit.
Acknowledgement
We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
We recognise their continuing connection to land, waters, and culture, and acknowledge the important role Indigenous people continue to play within our community.
Toitū te Tiriti. We recognise the sovereignty of Māori as tangata whenua across ngā motu o Aotearoa. We're committed to a cultural journey of relearning and growing in relationship with te ao Māori and respecting this within our business practices.