The island of Lampedusa is not perhaps the first destination that springs to mind when looking for a training ground. However, it was to prove to be the host of a very special event, brought about by a collaboration between AIM Group International and SIAARTI, the Italian Society for Anaesthesia, Analgesia, Resuscitation and Intensive Care.

SIAARTI was eager to find an innovative way to train its young members focussing on fieldwork. The island of Lampedusa was chosen as the most appropriate host, being a backdrop for migrant boat landings and major socio-sanitary challenges; well acquainted with human sufferings and known for its ability to handle emergencies. Collaborating with SIAARTI, AIM Group created an emergency scenario in which to provide hands-on training in a real-life situation.

It was this partnership which led to AIM Group International and SIAARTI being voted the winners of IAPCO’s Collaboration Award. Supported by IBTM Events, IAPCO’s Collaboration Award is one of four awards in IAPCO’s stable of Driving Excellence Awards. Collaboration is key to everything in which IAPCO believes. Behind each successful event is a solid and dependable partnership that seeks to deliver excellence. The IAPCO Collaboration Award celebrates these partnerships.

 

Three companies were shortlisted, with the final winner being judged by IAPCO’s Destination Partners – Hong Kong, Dubai, Toronto, Hamburg and Melbourne – in the true spirit of collaboration.

Runner-up was EDGE Team Athens, comprising of Greek IAPCO members, AFEA, SA, ERA Ltd, ERASMUS who wanted to bid for hosting an IAPCO EDGE Seminar. Instead of entering into competition to win the bid they decided to join forces and apply for IAPCO Edge 2017 in Athens collectively. The 3 PCOs had to overcome the challenge of their competitive nature and of aligning different working cultures and ways of thinking in order to put together an attractive bidding proposal for Athens and subsequently staging a very successful seminar.

KW Conferences in partnership with the Novotel & Hyderabad International Convention Centre was the third collaboration in the shortlist, joining forces to create a winning bid for India in 2020 against the odds of other strongly competing destinations.

But it was AIM Group International and SIAARTI who won the day and were presented with their awards and an education voucher valued at over 1000 euros at the IBTM Leaders’ Summit, one of the industry’s key networking events.