A new advocacy movement, called The Athens Promise has launched to support efforts to unite the meetings and events industry behind one clear message: the work of business events matters, and the world needs to understand why.
The Athens Promise is a cross-organisational commitment to strengthen the voice, visibility and standing of the global meetings and events industry.
The movement is led by the International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO), in partnership with the International Association of Convention Centres (AIPC), AMC Institute (AMCI) and PCMA.
Born from the IAPCO Annual Meeting & General Assembly held in Athens in February 2026, The Athens Promise is a direct call to participating associations’ members, and the wider global meetings and events community, regardless of country, business type or role, to sign the pledge to demonstrate commitment to advocating to their respective policymakers for the value of the sector in their communities.
The Athens Promise is designed to inspire people and organisations to take local action withits founders believing the industry deserves greater recognition and respect.
Sissi Lignou, president of IAPCO, said: “What started as a conversation at our event has now become a global invitation. We are asking every person who works in, supports, supplies or benefits from the meetings and events industry to add their voice.”
Sven Bossu, CEO of AIPC, said: “We are getting behind this initiative because making real change requires more than the voice of one organisation, one country or one part of the industry. It is about all of us. The promise is simple: to stand together, speak more clearly and help the world better understand the value our industry creates every day.”
Sherrif Karamat, CAE, president & CEO, PCMA and CEMA, stressed the new movement was created to support, not replace, the important advocacy already being led across the sector.
“The Athens Promise is not designed to reinvent advocacy; it is designed to help more people take part.”
The Athens Promise will be supported by shared marketing assets and partner communications and the pledge is now open to all business events professionals and organisations worldwide.
Sign The Athens Promise here:
