Organisers of Asian and Oceanian biochemistry and molecular biology congress give back to local community

The organising committee of the Federation of Asian and Oceanian Biochemists and Molecular Biologists (FAOBMB) will support hospitality operators who will lose out in the absence of a physical event, despite the event taking place virtually. The congress had been slated for the Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre, New Zealand but is now taking place online, 22-25 November. Arna Wahl-Davies, one of the organisers, said that, despite this being the first time New Zealand has hosted a FAOBMB Congress since 1999, the organising committee decided it had to be a virtual-only event. As a result, over 800 delegates from 29 countries are expected to attend the event virtually. Wahl-Davies stated that the committee was aware of the impact this would have on the local supply chain: “So, we thought we could buy all 405 New Zealand delegates a coffee and encourage them to spend to support their favourite local café. We wanted to thank attendees for still participating in a sustainable way by saying ‘have a coffee on us’.” Through SOS, a voucher-gifting platform, a NZ$20 (US$14) voucher was provided to delegates which could be used in over 2,000 New Zealand businesses. Wahl-Davies added: “That’s over $8,100 worth of coffee and cake going into local economies. It’s a small way to give back.” Lisa Hopkins, chief executive of Business Events Industry Aotearoa (BEIA), believes this is a great example of business events supporting local businesses and communities, while at the same time providing education across countries that will ultimately save lives. “With conference groups unable to meet face-to-face and contribute economically and socially to the country, many organisations are missing out on the benefits of business events. Congratulations to the FAOBMB Congress organisers for thinking about ways to support local industry. Every bit helps.” The impact of the business events sector on New Zealand’s economy includes financial, social, regional investment and environmental. In 2019, the industry was valued at NZ$1.45bn per annum, with over 3.6m delegates both domestic and international, and employing 22,000 people. However, since Covid-19, the value of the sector has reduced by 78%.