Press Release – For immediate release
Contact: Joel Fischer press@uia.org
Brussels, Belgium 24 November 2021
UIA’s 14th Associations Round Table Europe took place at the Prague Congress Centre in Prague, Czech Republic on 18 & 19 November – hosted by Prague Convention Bureau (PCB)
The Associations Round Table Europe event of the Union of International Associations (UIA) was held in the Prague Congress Centre on November 18 & 19. This 14th Round Table Europe, hosted by the Prague Convention Bureau, took place in a hybrid format, which provided an excellent solution for those delegates unable to attend the event in-person.
131 delegates, from 34 countries, representing 98 international organizations participated. 58 in- person participants were welcomed onsite in Prague. Easy platform access, networking and educational content combined to provide an engaging and rewarding experience for all delegates. Plenary sessions were presented on “Associations in the World: Speaking Truth to Power” and “Achieving goals, finding partners: UIA’s Global Civil Society Database”. Interactive workshops addressed current topics such as: membership retention and engagement; the application of artificial intelligence in society; empowering teams by design thinking; the organization of hybrid events; and the relations between the United Nations system and civic associations.
The presentations and the workshops were led by association experts and the delegates shared and discussed their associations’ experience, challenges and solutions.
The Associations Round Tables are organized annually by the Union of International Associations (UIA). The Round Tables, the core of UIA’s education project, provide an opportunity to learn through networking and through practice, to meet other international associations and share experience and knowledge.
“The Union of International Associations is happy to have seen Round Table Europe finally happening in Prague on 18 and 19 November. The hybrid format, which has been made possible by Prague Convention Bureau and its technology partners, has given any association in Europe and beyond, the opportunity to be part of this learning and networking event for associations. Round Table Europe 2021 has been a successful and a joyful event: for association delegates, and no less for Prague Convention Bureau and for UIA.” -- Jacques de Mévius, Secretary General of UIA
"Hosting the UIA 14th Associations Round Table Europe in Prague in a hybrid format was a valuable experience for both the UIA and the Prague Convention Bureau. The hybrid format proved its great value in terms of flexibility and inclusivity. Even in the current unpredictable time we were able to deliver the full content to all delegates who decided to join the Round Table, but finally could not come to Prague in person. Moreover, the hybrid concept allowed us to include a remote speaker on a very last moment. I would like to thank the UIA for the opportunity to host the Round Table in the hybrid format and have the chance to discuss the problematics of hybrid events with association representatives in our specialized workshop we ran together with our colleagues from the Hybrid City Alliance. Our thanks go also to all the local partners and supporters, who have helped us to make the 14th Associations Round Table Europe happen." -- Roman Muška, Managing Director of the Prague Convention Bureau.
About the Union of International Associations
The UIA was founded in 1907 in Brussels with the aim of researching international associations, regardless of location or field of activity. Today the UIA is the world's oldest, largest, and most comprehensive source of information on global civil society. The UIA collects, hosts, and provides up-to-date, reliable information on global civil society and maintains the most comprehensive source of information on international associations, their activities and concerns, and their meetings activities.
The UIA publishes the International Congress Calendar Online with more than 500,000 meetings and events organized or sponsored by international associations worldwide, and the Yearbook of International Organizations Online, which includes detailed information on over 41,000 active and approximately 32,000 dormant international organizations from 300 countries and territories. Approximately 900-1,200 new organization entries are added each year.