The Incredible Impacts Programme celebrates the value of international association meetings by rewarding innovative thinking and creativity across the industry. Programme finalists demonstrate proven impact in shaping a better world, inspiring others to incorporate their own legacy initiatives into future events.
Whether advocating for global access to quality medical treatments, building a better future for people with childhood-onset disabilities, or advancing democratic engagement among younger generations, the 2024 Incredible Impacts Programme finalists share a common goal of achieving equity for people everywhere.
Wan-Ifra has been selected as one of the finalists for the 2024 Incredible Impacts Programme with the International Hip Preservation Society (ISHA) and the European Academy of Childhood Disability (EACD). The three international associations will compete for a $20,000 USD grant at the ICCA Congress in October.
Wan-Ifra has been selected among the finalists for its Copenhagen Criteria project.
News avoidance impacts civic engagement and the evolution of informed, open societies, which are essential to building a better world. Wan-Ifra initiated the Copenhagen Criteria project in 2024 with the Danish Media Association, the Copenhagen Legacy Lab and International People’s College students to identify “news values” to help news organizations better appeal to younger audiences. The association intends to advance the Copenhagen Criteria at the World News Media Congress in Krakow, Poland, in 2025, including other marginalized groups, such as women and immigrants, to ensure diverse voices contribute to the conversation about news consumption.
Other selected projects include:
International Hip Preservation Society – Africa’s prevalence of hip issues is a barrier to economic development, with treatment only available to the wealthy minority. ISHA’s 2023 Annual Scientific Meeting served as a catalyst for its expansion across Africa, with a key objective of building hip preservation hubs that are accessible to patients across the continent – regardless of class, age or gender.
European Academy of Childhood Disability – EACD developed the EACD+ program to improve quality of life for people with a childhood-onset disability by expanding their access to sports, culture and technology. Following the success of EACD2024 in Bruges, Belgium, EACD seeks to expand the programme to future host destinations, as well as creating an Impact Creation Task Force that raises awareness of the needs and rights of people with childhood-onset disabilities and advocate for more inclusive policy making throughout Europe.
The three associations will compete for the Incredible Impacts Programme $20,000 USD grant at the ICCA Congress (20-23 October in Abu Dhabi, UAE), with each presenting their entry at a plenary session. Congress attendees will be able to vote on the winner, with the final score evenly weighted between jury and audience.
“Congratulations to all three finalists of the 2024 Incredible Impacts Programme. Each has shown a tremendous commitment to advancing legacy initiatives within their association and leaving a lasting, positive impact in their host destinations. They are shining examples of the transformative power of the meetings industry, and we hope associations around the world will take note and be inspired by their successes,” commented Loren Christie, managing director, BestCities Global Alliance.
“ICCA is pleased to congratulate the European Academy of Childhood Disability (EACD), the International Hip Preservation Society (ISHA) and the World Association of News Publishers (Wan-Ifra) for their extraordinary initiatives and participation in the Incredible Impacts Programme. Incredible Impacts helps shine a light on the valuable work organizations do to expand and improve the legacy associations bring to host destinations, and it’s crucial that we support these efforts, which not only strengthen our industry but positively impact the communities we visit,” said Senthil Gopinath, CEO, International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA).
“It is an honor to be considered among finalists who do such important work to improve lives. Our project was a rewarding lesson in what is possible by working together with local and legacy associations and citizens – in our case, with the Danish Media Association, the Copenhagen Legacy Lab and International People’s College students. It is a model of engagement and collaboration that we want to replicate and share with others,” said Cherilyn Ireton, executive director of World Editors Forum at Wan-Ifra.
