BestCities Global Forum 2021: Time to push legacy impacts forward!

The BestCities Global Forum showed us again that legacy can and should reflect the political capital and intellectual heritage of an event, both in the host city and in the organisation's raison d'être; leaving a deep mark on society at large and a series of long-term impacts that can range from industry transformation, research progress and policy making.

Manuel A. Fernandes, HQ Magazine Manager, reports from Madrid.

If I were to ask you, dear reader, what you understand by event legacy, what would be the first thing you would come out with? Sustainability? Right, but that would only be the tip of the iceberg that hides so many other layers. Economic development? Sure, we can't run away from numbers but it is not the be all end all of an association conference. Customer loyalty? Also, but that might put the cart before the horse as to the real reasons why that loyalty happens in the first place.

Even today this concept, which is gaining traction in the global events industry, often raises eyebrows out of mere mistrust or sheer ignorance of its true scope. On both sides of the fence (i.e. destinations and associations), this notion of tangible results that last way after a one-off event and capable of generating a quantified social impact is often underestimated in favour of the "good ol’ business as usual". But if money always talks, it's time to take a step back and let other voices do the talking. It would therefore be useless to waste the expert contributions of a local scientific community for the programmatic agenda of a medical congress. Or strong synergies made possible with innovation companies and start-up 'unicorns' to pump new blood into a tech summit.

All ambassadors of BestCities partner cities.

For several years now, BestCities Global Forum has been a committed advocate of this collaborative matrix, pushing the idea that neither the convention cities nor the associative community are apart from a common pathway and set of goals. The three-day event brought together 25 international association executives and ambassadors from the 11 convention bureaus that make up the Global Alliance, under one roof - the Hyatt Regency Hesperia - to explore this time the achievements and transformations of the Madrid chapter. But those who think that this annual meeting is just another hosted buyers programme spiced up by the liveliness of the Spanish capital should not be fooled.

Here, the very legacy of BestCities has been unpacked in the search for a broader understanding of this cooperative axis between destinations and associations; a bridge was established between the objectives endorsed by Copenhagen - the former organising city - and its Legacy Lab; and, finally, the first seeds have been sown for what Madrid Convention Bureau (MCB) plans to take on as sustainable applications and long-standing co-operations with associations in the form of its Madrid Challenge.

At the heart of this idea were the various programme presentations that helped to crack the code on how to institute legacy design and create/predict impact. The testimonies were both personal - with the radical life story of Armando del Rey, co-owner of the famous Flamenco tablao, "Corral de la Morería" - and collective, when visiting the Spanish Red Cross. Through the voice of their EMEA director, Kai Troll, we also learned about the work of Best Buddies - an international non-profit organisation running a global volunteer movement that aims to develop opportunities, integrated employment, and inclusive living for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

The delegation gathered for two more presentations at Madrid's City Hall

“Madrid has long since set itself the objective of valuing the impact of events beyond the merely economic. This forum aims to leave as its "legacy" how to improve social, environmental or working conditions through well-designed actions" - David Noack, Director of the MCB, thus positions this forum on the city's wide convention scene. A strategy that promoted a prodigious and unique outcome in the European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology's (ESTRO) curious case study. Through the joint legacy project with MCB, the impact of ESTRO's 2021 congress ultimately led to a €700 million investment by the Spanish government in a roll-out of radiotherapy machines, which were in short supply not only in Madrid but throughout Spain. A real life-saving operation! – (do not miss the HQ interview with ESTRO CEO in the issue #103).

But this forum was not only made by cases and stories, there were also tools and projects to be launched. Madrid Plus, for example, is as simple as it is brilliant at honing in on RFPs that take into account sustainability and impact actions in their core legacy. A digital platform open to all associations that offers specific reports and filters for meetings and events in Madrid, calculating the impact from the planning stage to the actual implementation of the event. The adoption of the UN Sustainable Development Goals as a framework can also guide the thought process and trigger legacy plans with this service.

The event came to an end with a symbolic gesture: all the association executives and destination leaders agreed and committed to this set of ideas and ambitions in what will be remembered as the Madrid Challenge. Smart mobility, eco-friendly venues, community inclusion, any of these points can make a difference to a better society and a more compact event, under this ‘challenge’.

Nigel Brown and Lesley Williams from BestCities together with David Noack present an award to the Spanish Red Cross.

Wrapping up, legacy can and should reflect the political capital and intellectual heritage of an event, both in the host city and in the organisation's raison d'être. Leaving a deep mark on society at large and a series of long-term impacts that can range from industry transformation, research progress and policy making. “Financial sustainability is also a precondition for having impact. If your meeting doesn't have a purpose people won't show up again, but if you're not surviving as an organisation your impact will be limited as well. The sweet spot is to make these two factors progress hand in hand,” says Lesley Williams, managing director, BestCities Global Alliance. Her team will be sure to amplify this dialogue and extend legacy-related topics at their next forum scheduled for later this year in Vancouver, Canada.