The UIA is pleased to report that the Round Table held in Seoul on 11 and 12 October was generally heralded as a resounding success. The lockdowns and restrictions occasioned by the Covid pandemic have made us all realise how important it is to meet and to interact, how valuable we find networking and enjoying the stimulus of exchanging information and experience.

The 10th UIA Round Table Asia-Pacific was held in the splendid surroundings of the Lotte Hotel, and attracted some 200 participants from associations, academic institutions and services active with conferences and meetings, not only from South Korea but also from other countries of Asia and the Pacific region. The general theme of the event was ‘Diversity, Equality and Inclusion’, with Sustainability, highly appropriate to the life of international organizations and meetings, and the UN Sustainability Development Goals.

The programme was composed of presentations and workshops of relevance to international associations, and speakers were generous in sharing their expertise and knowledge. Following the opening ceremony, the keynote speech by UIA President Cyril Ritchie on ‘War, Peace, Politics, Associations – Chapter 2’ introduced discussions by a panel and also a first opportunity for group interventions. Taking up the theme of ‘Diversity, Equality and Inclusion’, lawyer Hemant Batra discussed the impact of these concepts on individuals and the organization employing them. Paula Rowntree, Founder of the Business Events Network, showed how trends in the design of events are involved with implementing strategies, enhancing member experience and increasing value while respecting sustainability. Ryan Brubaker, of UIA, advised how the vast resources of the UIA’s Global Civil Society Database may be used to find partners and achieve goals. The day closed with the Welcome Dinner hosted by Seoul Tourism Organization (STO), host and partner of UIA: all participants were guests of STO to lunch and dinner throughout the Round Table.

The presentation of case studies resumed on 12 October with other highly topical subjects. As relevant today for associations as for commercial firms, marketing is moving rapidly towards the use of digital tools: this was Olena Lima’s topic, Founder of MemberBoat, as she reviewed how this transformation and a member-centric approach are essential for the modern age. Cyril Ritchie returned to discuss the relations between the United Nations and non-governmental organizations: thousands of NGOs have consultative status with UN entities, and his workshop aimed to explain the history, benefits, possible future, and much more. The power of collaboration is vital to associations: Angela Shelton, CEO of Answers for Associations, explained the use of such power to drive change in an organization at the same time as backing personal and professional growth.

These six case studies were the basis for the final session: another chance for those taking part to exchange views on all they had heard, widen the debate, and to imagine how they would integrate new insights into their own responsibilities on returning home.

Reflections from speakers on their experience of the event were very positive. One had found it transformative, emphasising the impact of both global and local influences, and describing this event as ‘a stepping stone toward greater collaboration and understanding’. Another commented favourably on the pleasure of being part of discussions on potential active contributions to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals to make the world a better place. The UIA greatly appreciated their professionalism and the quality of their presentations.

The UIA Round Table was held in conjunction with the Seoul Symposium on Global Competitiveness 2023, which continued the theme of the event with ‘The Future of Sustainable Tourism transformed by AI’ and ‘The Influence of K-Contents and Collaboration with Seoul Tourism’.

The entire programme was complemented by well-attended tours before and after the discussions to allow participants to discover the wide variety of facilities, interests, cultural riches and activities available in Seoul and the surrounding region.

The role of associations in bringing people together is vital in difficult times.