A new advocacy movement, called The Athens Promise has launched today to support existing efforts and further unite the meetings and events industry behind one clear message: the work of business events matters, and the world needs to understand why.
The Athens Promise is a cross-organisational commitment to strengthen the voice, visibility and standing of the global meetings and events industry.
The movement is led by the International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO), in partnership with the International Association of Convention Centres (AIPC), AMC Institute (AMCI) and PCMA.
Born from the IAPCO Annual Meeting & General Assembly (AM&GA) held in Athens in February 2026, The Athens Promise is a direct call to participating associations’ members, and the wider global meetings and events community, regardless of country, membership status, business type or role, to sign the pledge to demonstrate their commitment to advocating to their respective policymakers for the value of the sector in their own markets and communities.
The Athens Promise recognises the significant work currently being led by global and national associations, while identifying the next opportunity: to mobilise the people and organisations working at the grassroots of the sector every day.
The Athens Promise is designed to inspire people and organisations to take local action, encourage clearer conversations with governments, media and influencing bodies, and build a stronger shared narrative that articulates the economic, professional and social impact of meetings and events.
The associations driving The Athens Promise believe the industry deserves greater recognition and respect, and that advocacy is strongest when it is both collective and local. It is a promise from IAPCO, AIPC, AMCI and PCMA that they will do their part to support their members in grassroots advocacy and asks their communities, members and non-members, destination partners, suppliers and event professionals of every kind, to also do their part in support of the entire global industry.
Sissi Lignou, President of IAPCO, said The Athens Promise was a powerful example of event legacy in action and a reflection of the collective strength of the meetings and events industry.
“The Athens Promise was born at the IAPCO meeting held in Athens, where global leaders came together with a shared belief that our industry has a bigger story to tell.
“What started as a conversation at our event has now become a global invitation. We are asking every person who works in, supports, supplies or benefits from the meetings and events industry to add their voice,” said Lignou.
Sven Bossu, CEO of AIPC, said: “We are getting behind this initiative because making real change requires more than the voice of one organisation, one country or one part of the industry. It is about all of us. The promise is simple: to stand together, speak more clearly and help the world better understand the value our industry creates every day,” said Bossu.
Tina Wehmeir, CEO of AMC Institute, said: “The meetings and events industry is a powerful driver of economic progress, innovation, professional development and social connection. It supports communities, strengthens industries, creates jobs and delivers lasting value in destinations around the world. Our collective voice has power.”
Sherrif Karamat, CAE, President & CEO, PCMA and CEMA, said this movement was created to support, not replace, the important advocacy already being led across the sector.
“The Athens Promise is not designed to reinvent advocacy; it is designed to help more people take part.
“Across the global meetings and events industry, associations and leaders are already doing extraordinary work. The opportunity now is to empower the wider community to carry that message further, into their own markets, their own communities and their own conversations,” said Karamat.
By signing The Athens Promise, individuals and organisations are making a public expression of support for a stronger and more visible meetings and events industry. The pledge signals a willingness to stand alongside peers across the world and support a shared effort to advocate for the value of the sector, its people and the outcomes it creates.
The Promise asks industry professionals to support locally driven engagement with governments, media and influencing bodies, build momentum behind the work already being undertaken by industry associations, and help generate practical outcomes that can be shared across the global community.
The Athens Promise will be supported by shared marketing assets and partner communications. As part of IAPCO’s support to its members, it will also leverage the forthcoming JMIC Global Manifesto: Third Edition as a resource to help members shape their advocacy messages, discussion points and approaches to policymakers.
The pledge is now open to all business events professionals and organisations worldwide.
Sign The Athens Promise here: www.change.org/TheAthensPromise