Thursday, September 3, 2015
This July and August the Helsinki Convention & Events Bureau invited international congress organisers to a special event to present Helsinki from the perspective of expertise.
The first ever “Highlights in HEL” event was organised on a completely different basis than previous FAM visits.
In addition to presenting various congress services, the programme featured networking, interesting speakers and visits to research facilities in Helsinki, as well as unforgettable experiences in Helsinki.
The ambitious programme proved to be worth it, as the event received only positive feedback from partners and participants alike.
Expectations exceeded
Altogether 19 decision-makers and representatives of international organisations and congress service agencies from across Europe participated in the “Highlights in HEL” event, which was organised together with the help of partners.
The participants commended the variety in the programme, the interesting speakers and conversations, the unforgettable experiences and the splendid venues. The event stimulated interest in Helsinki as a centre of expertise and a functional host city, and it is expected to attract a large number of congress enquiries.
”The program was so well balanced, we met such interesting people, had such deep emotional experiences, visited outstanding venues with each such a warm welcome…..to say “just great” is not enough” (comment by a Highlights in HEL participant)
The partners who participated in the event were also unanimously of the opinion that the effort was well worth it and that the event was a success that will benefit all parties.
Interesting speakers and venues
The three-day programme included many interesting speakers. Atte Hujanen spoke about the burgeoning start-up scene and the impact of Slush on entrepreneurs, investors and the media. Timo Santala in turn charmed the audience by talking about Helsinki’s trends, popular movements and food culture.
The participants were introduced to expertise in Helsinki and Finland as a guest of Tuula Helander to the Helsinki University Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Center, which represents the highest standard of expertise, research and care in Europe. The Comprehensive Cancer Center has established a position as a major European centre of expertise in cancer treatment.
At the Finnish Meteorological Institute the participants met Sini Merikallio, one of the best known space researchers in Finland, who presented an innovation that could facilitate space travel to Mars.
The participants also got to learn more about design and its importance for Helsinki by listening to Helsinki’s design story as told by Laura Aalto, as well as to the panel discussion that featured Miisa Asikainen from Globe Hope and Jarno Ekströn from Helsinki Region Transport.
The participants enjoyed accommodation at the Hotel Indigo Helsinki-Boulevard. During their stay they also got to experience Helsinki’s archipelago aboard a sailing cruise, as well as visit the balcony of City Hall. The banquet dinner was held at Wanha Satama and featured a performance by Signmark, as well as a flash mob fashion show presenting the creations of young Finnish designers as worn by professional models, as well as the hosts and hostesses of the event.
Source: Visit Helsinki.
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