Soroptimist International (SI) is delighted to be shortlisted for the 2018 Incredible Impacts Programme, announced by Best Cities Global Alliance and the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA). SI joins the African Women in Leadership Organisation, the World Environmental Education Congress Network and others, on the final shortlist of 12 international organisations who inspired judges for The Incredible Impacts Programme, which celebrates the ‘beyond tourism’ value of international association meetings in creating a powerful platform to advocate for positive societal impact.
SI submitted its entry illustrating the wider and lasting impacts of its’ quadrennial conventions for the host city, local area and country. Global Executive Director, Deborah Thomas says: “With strategic content grounded in our founding principles of advocating for gender equality and the human rights of women and girls, the socio-cultural impacts of our conventions have potential for impact on value systems, norms, beliefs, perceptions, morals and conduct or behaviours. This exponential impact on human rights per se will permeate locally, host country, grassroots to government, and from developed to developing country.”
The very first Soroptimist International convention was held in Washington, USA in 1928; and with the exception of the years around World War 2, SI has continued to hold an international convention every four years rotating around the globe. In 2019 Soroptimist International will hold its 21st quadrennial international convention in Kuala Lumpur. University students, sponsored by their own universities will be in attendance and will offer one of the greatest impacts in reaching out to the younger generation to learn and share, especially in the youth activism workshops where we will learn more of their knowledge and ideas on core SI subjects.
Dennis Speet, ICCA Interim CEO, says: “This is the second edition of the Incredible Impacts Programme and the quality of legacy projects we have received is truly astounding. We hope that this year’s superb entries inspire other associations and meeting planners to consider how they can create a legacy with their meetings and leave a long-lasting impact on their host destinations.”
Final judging is now taking place and the winners will be announced after 10 September 2018.
Read more at: https://www.iccaworld.org/npps/story.cfm?nppage=114097