Appeal of the Council of the Meetings and Events Industry 'TUgether' - let us meet so that we can effectively help Ukraine!

The Council of the Meetings and Events Industry 'TUgether' appeals not to cancel events, meetings and trips planned as part of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) action plans, which can now additionally serve important aid purposes.

'Our industry creates help zones, both for our clients and refugees. However, to be able to help, we need to get up on our own two feet. After two years of pandemic, meetings are needed more than ever, both for the mental health of us all and for rebuilding business relationships and knowledge transfer. Now they can take on an even more help dimension,' explains Olga Krzemińska-Zasadzka, CEO of the Association of Incentive Travel Organisers (SOIT).

Following its call, the Council of the Meetings and Events Industry 'TUgether' is preparing a nationwide action under the slogan LET US MEET TO HELP, bearing the hashtags: #strefaPOMOCY (#HELPzone), #PRACUJĘ=POMAGAM (#I AM WORKING=I AM HELPING), #SPOTKANIAdlaUkrainy (#MEETINGSforUkraine), #MusimyPracowaćByPomagać (#WeMustWorkToHelp).

TUgether members who joined the integrated aid campaign declare to donate 'tickets' from each participant or square meter of space of the meetings and events organised. The funds collected in this way will be credited to the accounts of selected aid foundations/NGOs helping Ukraine.

The aim of the campaign is to make business clients and event participants aware that the organisation of corporate meetings, trips, conferences, trade fairs, or participation in sports and cultural events can play a great role in the aid chain for refugees from Ukraine.

TUgether members stress that the current situation behind Poland's eastern border should not put additional strain on the condition of the meetings and events sector. Quite the opposite should happen. It should become an impulse for bigger activity in the field of event marketing, which may become an additional source of help for those in need.

'Meetings are a way to manifest our support and solidarity, but also to integrate with refugees - let us not stigmatise them with war. Instead, let us invite them to participate in events that will allow them, as well as us, to restore our balance,' appeals Michał Drelich, President of the Association of Mass Sport Organisers.

Representatives of TUgether member organisations point out that MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions Industry) market players - such as agencies, transport companies, hotel venues, caterers, organisers of tourism, concerts, cultural and sporting events, trade fair venues, stage-technical companies and many others - have launched a long list of grassroots help activities since the beginning of the conflict, using their own resources and funding them from their ongoing work with clients.

Out of the hundreds of initiatives undertaken, a few selected examples are worth mentioning (*):

- an aid initiative by the Association of Mass Sport Organisers within the framework of 80 running events across Poland called ‘United for Ukraine’,

- launching a contact database of 'tłumaczedlaukrainy' (translators for Ukraine), created among the members of the Polish Association of Conference Interpreters (PSTK),

- organisation of a reception point on the premises of the Poznan International Fair, where over 3.5 thousand refugees have been already registered; organisation of the Central Assistance Warehouse and making two trade fair halls available for accommodation purposes (MTP - hall with 700 seats, Arena Poznan - finally up to 1000 seats),

- trade fair centres in Kielce, Krakow and Gdansk: collection of the most needed products, reloading points, equipment for reception desks, transfer of part of the income from the organised events, to the aid campaigns (LNE, Exactus), construction companies (Partner), those involved in the transport of aid to Ukraine.

- more than 600 coaches from carriers associated in the Polish Association of Coach Carriers, made available for the transport of aid and refugees, in cooperation with SHELL Poland,

- launch by the Association for Marketing Communication SAR of the platform www.AdAid.eu supporting Ukrainian marketing communication specialists, which is a joint initiative of industry organisations from EU countries. The goal is to support people from Ukraine in searching for cooperation offers in EU countries and to facilitate contacts with advertising and media agencies, production companies, event marketing companies, marketing, communication and PR departments on the client's side, as well as with other entities of EU countries' creative industry,

- cooperation of members of the Events Industry Association (SBE) with the Mazovian Neuropsychiatric Center: launching a free psychological aid station and a day-care centre for Ukrainian children. Co-creation of the #behuman project - 'small acts, great gestures', by building international relations in communication and obtaining donations from outside Poland for Polish families and institutions caring for Ukrainian refugees,

- continued support for a range of individual activities under the launched initiative www.turystykaukrainie.pl.

* a full list of aid projects in which TUgether member organisations are involved will soon be published on the TUgether website under the tab: #pomagajMĄDRZE (#helpWISELY).

'The event industry, which just a moment ago recovered from the pandemic and is still rebuilding, is again confronting an uncertain situation. And once again, the event world demonstrates its above-average creativity and flexibility and uses its organisational skills, talents, time and capabilities, this time for in initiatives aimed to help Ukraine and the Ukrainians refugees coming to Poland. Event creators are great coordinators of collections and aid, excellent incubators of initiatives and process organisers. That is why we are ready to help, and we recommend the attention of the government and our clients to the potential of our branch. We believe that, together, we can act very effectively, support the recovery of the sector, and at the same time, help even more people in a constructive way,' concludes Rafał Krawczuk, member of the Management Board of the KAE SAR.

'At the threshold of the migration crisis, we have declared the industry's readiness to support the coordination of aid activities. We have the competence to do so based on our 30 years of experience in meetings and events, including mass events, festival towns and tent cities. We respond to all enquiries from public administration and local governments. At the same time, we are afraid that as the industry we are going from one crisis to another. A powerful economy means a strong state ready to support those in need and defend its way of life. It is also our duty to counteract uncertainty on the market. Poland is a help zone. By organising events, we support those in need and those who provide aid directly. A military conflict is taking place at the borders of our country, a member of NATO and the EU, and we must help,' sums up Łukasz Adamowicz, President of TUgether.

LET US MEET TO HELP aid action will have a nationwide range and is expected to last half a year. Information on its details will be available soon.

THE COUNCIL OF THE MEETINGS AND EVENTS INDUSTRY 'TUgether' – the member organisations:
- Harmony Polish Hotels
- Chamber of Commerce of the Polish Hotel Industry (IGHP)
- Chamber of Commerce for Managers of Polish Artists (IGMAP)
- Polish Chamber of Exhibition Industry (PIPT)
- Polish Association of Conference Interpreters (PSTK)
- Polish Association of Coach Carriers (PSPA)
- Polish Association for Sports and Leisure Facilities (IAKS)
- Events Industry Association (SBE)
- Association for Marketing Communication / Event Agencies Club (KAE SAR)
- Polish Congress & Conference Association (SKKP)
- Association of Organisers of Artistic and Entertainment Events (SOIAR)
- Association of Incentive Travel Organisers (SOIT)
- SITE Poland Association
- Polish Association of IATA Agents
- Association of Mass Sport Organisers (ZOSM).

Source and photo: the Council of the Meetings and Events Industry 'TUgether'.