On March 5th, 2020, SISO in partnership with UFI launched a global campaign to support the exhibitions and events industry:
SISO is working with our colleagues in all the industry organizations to share and distribute relevant information this includes the Events Industry Council, the Meetings Mean Business Coalition, the Joint Meetings Industry Council, and UFI amongst many others.
SISO and UFI are also working jointly on further tools for organizers to promote that their shows are open:
- Exhibitions and events are essential to millions of businesses around the world. They exist to provide platforms for people and industries to meet, to trade, and to collaborate.
- Small and medium businesses in all industries in particular depend on exhibitions. And, like all types of events, they support the economy worldwide.
- Exhibitions and events are especially important in times of disruption. We stand to fulfill our obligation to maintain opportunities for people to meet wherever possible.
- As part of the exhibitions industry, we are committed to keep our exhibitions and events going around the world wherever we can do so.
- We protect participants by implementing advice from global health authorities like the World Health Organization as well as the national and local authorities.
- We strive to make it possible for every company to come to the show floor, to seek to meet with industry peers, to drive the exchange about how and to what degree their respective industries are impacted by COVID-19, and to secure the successful future for their businesses.
- If the authorities tell us to postpone in light of COVID19, we will do so.