RAI Amsterdam shares how its recent international liver congress spread awareness among the local population.
A congress with impact
The RAI Amsterdam hosted the EASL (European Association for the Study of the Liver) Conference in May, an event that brought together thousands of doctors, nurses, and scientists from around the world.
The 2025 Congress attracted 8,000 international delegates from 100+ countries and showcased cutting-edge science, leaving a lasting impression on both the global hepatology community and the host city, Amsterdam.
One highlight was a special impact programme to raise awareness about liver health. The ‘Love Your Liver’ programme was organised in the run-up to and during the conference – a collaboration between EASL, Amsterdam UMC, the Amsterdam Convention Bureau of amsterdam&partners, and RAI Amsterdam. The key element was an offer of free liver tests for over-18s, 7–11 May.
The test, carried out by medical professionals using a method called FibroScan, took approximately ten minutes. This scan measures the speed at which sound waves travel through the liver, with results available immediately and explained by a doctor or nurse.
Raising awareness at scale
“Early detection can prevent a wide range of health problems, especially as liver diseases are often only diagnosed at a late stage,” says Dr Bart Takkenberg, gastroenterologist and hepatologist at Amsterdam UMC. “It is estimated that two million people in the Netherlands have a fatty liver. Many are unaware of this. Around 400,000 people are at risk of developing serious liver damage or liver cancer.”
The goal was also to raise awareness of liver health in political circles in The Hague and Amsterdam, while positioning the RAI as a driving force for knowledge sharing and progress.
The Amsterdam Convention Bureau, in collaboration with EASL, also organised the Love Your Liver Project for schools, with pupils receiving lessons on liver health led by gastroenterologists from Amsterdam UMC and Haaglanden Medical Centre (HMC).
Thanks to the programme, EASL delivered a highly visible event that resonated with the public and extended the Congress’ impact far beyond the venue, said Claire Chombeau, events manager.
Collaboration for legacy
Ben Hainsworth, executive director EASL, reflected: “Amsterdam is one of the leading places to meet, and the RAI is one of the leading venues where we can do events like this. It would be fair to say that the city and the RAI have actually helped shape the evolution of events like EASL and many other events.”
Dennis Speet, director of Amsterdam Convention Bureau, highlighted the importance of local collaboration: “When you work with a Convention Bureau that’s really committed to impact, the doors open to doing something meaningful. In this case, that meant collaborating with schools in the Amsterdam region and local doctors to deliver hands-on educational sessions.”
Maurits van der Sluis, COO RAI Amsterdam, added: “If you collaborate with the relevant parties in the city and the organiser EASL in this case, you can create something really everlasting with a lot of impact from all parties.”
About EASL
EASL is a medical association with more than 7,700 members worldwide dedicated to advancing research and treatment in liver health.
