Events

Discover events that members of our team are speaking at or our partners are hosting – keynotes, webinars, or conferences.

3 December, 2026

Recognising 2026 Innovation and Progress – 3 December Session

Virtual

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10:00 to 11:30 CET - The 2026 Innovation Award Shortlist and Winner, and the GDS-Index Most Improved Destination

It's time to celebrate innovation and progress in destinations and events. Join us to hear directly from the destinations using innovative solutions to drive sustainability performance.

Guest Speakers

We'll hear from representatives of the 2026 Innovation Award winner and the shortlisted destinations, each presenting their project.
  • Gdansk Convention Bureau, winner: "Nothing about us without us"
  • Göteborg & Co: "The Gothenburg meal"
  • Ottawa Tourism: "À la Carte - Ottawa's food recovery programme"
  • VisitAarhus: "So much to enjoy, so close to you"
We'll also hear from the GDS-Index 2026 Most Improved Destination awarded to Bremen Tourism and Convention Bureau, for the greatest year-on-year growth in sustainability contributions. There is also an earlier instance on 02 December, 16:30 to 18:00 CET.

2 December, 2026

Recognising 2026 Innovation and Progress – 2 December Session

Virtual

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16:30 to 18:00 CET - The 2026 Innovation Award Shortlist and Winner, and the GDS-Index Most Improved Destination

It's time to celebrate innovation and progress in destinations and events. Join us to hear directly from the destinations using innovative solutions to drive sustainability performance.

Guest Speakers

We'll hear from representatives of the 2026 Innovation Award winner and the shortlisted destinations, each presenting their project.
  • Gdansk Convention Bureau, winner: "Nothing about us without us"
  • Göteborg & Co: "The Gothenburg meal"
  • Ottawa Tourism: "À la Carte - Ottawa's food recovery programme"
  • VisitAarhus: "So much to enjoy, so close to you"
We'll also hear from the GDS-Index 2026 Most Improved Destination awarded to Bremen Tourism and Convention Bureau, for the greatest year-on-year growth in sustainability contributions. There is also a later instance on 03 December, 10:00 to 11:30 CET.

10 November, 2026

Guy Bigwood at the 2026 ICCA Congress

In-person

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14:00 - 15:00 EST, Panama

When Purpose Becomes Practice - Lessons from the IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025 on leading sustainability across complex event ecosystems

Sustainability in international congresses is not just about reducing environmental impact. It requires diverse organisations, stakeholders, and partners to align around shared goals and make collective decisions in increasingly complex environments.

Drawing on the experience of the IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025, this session explores how sustainability can be embedded across governance, procurement, partnerships, operations, and organisational culture. Moving beyond individual initiatives and certification schemes, the discussion will examine how leadership, collaboration, and shared decision-making can help transform the planning and delivery of large-scale international congresses.

Participants will gain practical insights into integrating sustainability across organisations and creating the conditions for lasting change."

Learning Outcomes:

Evaluate how governance, procurement and stakeholder relationships create the conditions for meaningful sustainability outcomes while navigating budget and delivery constraints.

Assess how decisions made during congress planning and delivery can influence local partnerships, legacy and longer-term value.

Apply systems thinking to strengthen decision-making, collaboration and long-term sustainability across their own events

29 October, 2026

Recognising 2026 Impact and Leadership – 29 Oct session

Virtual

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10:00 CET

The 2026 Impact Award Finalists & Winner, and the GDS-Index Leadership Destination, in collaboration with #MEET4IMPACT

It's time to celebrate impact and leadership in destinations and events. We warmly invite you to the Feeling the Pulse webinar, "Recognising 2026 Impact and Leadership, in collaboration with #MEET4IMPACT". Discover the Impact Award winner, Failte Ireland, and get to know its winning ways. We'll also showcase this year's Leadership Destination, Helsinki, named from the 2026 GDS-Index ranking. Plus! We'll hear from representatives of the Impact Award shortlist:
  • Barcelona Convention Bureau
  • Göteborg & Co
  • Invest in Bogotá
Each year the Impact Award winner is chosen by a panel of independent industry experts. The 2026 winner was announced at the GDS-Awards Ceremony on 17 June 2026 in Szczecin, Poland, during the GDS-Forum and Impact Day. Register to join us on 29 October, 10:00 to 11:30 CET. * There is also an earlier instance on 27 October. Click here to open its registration page. Please note: daylight saving time changes in several regions just days before this event. Double check the webinar time against your own local time zone.

27 October, 2026

Recognising 2026 Impact and Leadership – 27 Oct

Virtual

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16:50 CET

The 2026 Impact Award Finalists & Winner, and the GDS-Index Leadership Destination, in collaboration with #MEET4IMPACT

It's time to celebrate impact and leadership in destinations and events. We warmly invite you to the Feeling the Pulse webinar, "Recognising 2026 Impact and Leadership, in collaboration with #MEET4IMPACT". Discover the Impact Award winner, Failte Ireland, and get to know its winning ways. We'll also showcase this year's Leadership Destination, Helsinki, named from the 2026 GDS-Index ranking. Plus! We'll hear from representatives of the Impact Award shortlist:
  • Barcelona Convention Bureau
  • Göteborg & Co
  • Invest in Bogotá
Each year the Impact Award winner is chosen by a panel of independent industry experts. The 2026 winner was announced at the GDS-Awards Ceremony on 17 June 2026 in Szczecin, Poland, during the GDS-Forum and Impact Day. Register to join us on 27 October, 16:30 to 18:00 CET. * There is also a later instance on 29 October. Click here to open its registration page. Please note: daylight saving time changes in several regions just days before this event. Double check the webinar time against your own local time zone.

15 October, 2026

Milda Salciute at IMEX Las Vegas 2026

In-person

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12:05 - 12:50 PDT
About
Bring sustainability closer and make it feel more achievable. While 2050 can seem distant and the scale of the task overwhelming, our new strategy focuses on practical, measurable action. Explore lessons from the event's CFO and three lead partners on building a realistic approach to sustainability. Learning outcomes: Explore how we built a practical, measurable sustainability strategy Review our four strategic sustainability goals and how we’re putting them into action

Speakers

David Harrison

CFO
IMEX Group

Kate Holliday

Head of ESG
GES

Milda Salciute

Director, Events and Academy
GDS-Moevment

Moderators

Anna Abdelnoor

CEO
TRACE by isla

23 September, 2026

The 2026 GDS-Index Results Celebration

Virtual

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We’re turning our results announcement into a global party and you’re on the guest list! The 2026 GDS-Index Results Celebration

  • Date: 23 September 2026
  • Time: 10:00 – 11:30 UTC+02:00/CET
  • Where: Online - link supplied when you register
  • Dress code: Come dressed in the colours of your destination's flag or logo. Wear it, hold it up, however you want to show your vibrant colours.
What are we celebrating? During the celebration, we will:
  • Reveal the 2026 GDS-Index results, which are vetted, verified, correlated, and validated by our benchmarking assessors
  • Celebrate and recognise the Leadership, based on ranking, and Most Improved destinations, based on year-on-year improvement (independent of ranking)
  • Share inspiring, real-world, recent stories of progress, innovation and collaboration from around the earth
All Changemakers Invited Join us for a lively celebration of the 2026 GDS-Index results and rankings, with warm recognition for the leaders and the most improved. Hear uplifting stories from across the globe that will inspire your city’s own sustainability efforts. Bring your colours, your favourite snack, and your party spirit!

16 June, 2026 - 18 June, 2026

GDS-Forum & Impact Day 2026

Szczecin Poland

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From 16–18 June 2026, Szczecin, Poland, hosted this year’s GDS-Forum and Impact Day, convened by the Global Destination Sustainability Movement (GDS-Movement) in collaboration with #MEET4IMPACT, the City of Szczecin, the Szczecin Convention Bureau, the Polish Tourism Organisation, and the Poland Convention Bureau. Through collaborative workshops, deep dialogue, peer-to-peer learning, and place-based exchange, participants explored practical responses to the urgent challenges shaping destinations today, from climate disruption and social change to impact measurement, community engagement, and legacy creation. The conversations and connections formed in Szczecin will continue beyond the event, supporting shared learning, cross-sector collaboration, and action towards more regenerative destinations and impactful business events.