Global Association Hubs
Newsletter – May 2020
This edition concentrates, unsurprisingly, on Covid-19 related issues: where you can access great factual information, in general and from our four partner cities, what associations are doing and thinking about their future direction, and speculative musings about the “new normal” we’re going to face after the initial crisis is past.
There has never been a time in human history when international association activities have been as critically important.
The potential of international associations to drive positive societal progress should neither be underestimated nor downplayed! Never before have there been so many dangerous, globally connected, immediate problems to overcome: scientific; healthcare-related; economic; environmental; educational.
Associations have to step forward and lay claim to this leading role - it will not be handed to us on a plate! If the last few weeks have taught us anything, it is that the future is not a fixed environment that we have to prepare for, it is an exciting range of possibilities that we will have to proactively invent.
Martin Sirk
Global Association Hubs International Advisor
ms@associationhubs.org
You’ll see that we have entirely redesigned our website and newsletter to better showcase our library of valuable resources for our association friends, including a platform for association leaders’ voices, and to make navigation as easy as possible. We look forward to hearing your feedback, and welcome recommendations for new content that you would like to share with your peers about the future of international associations.
Covid-19 resources at your fingertips
Comprehensive advice and resources!
Global Association Hub partner cities: official Covid-19 advice & resources
Find the latest information and policy in each city here:
Brussels | Dubai | Singapore | Washington DC
Global business events industry resources
Comprehensive information and advice on organising your events during the pandemic:
Food for thought!
Imagining the Post-Covid-19 International Association
In this recent Boardroom article, Martin Sirk argues that the successful post-Covid19 association will be one that is extremely agile and flexible, and one that will take roads less travelled.
Reinventing the Association Wheel
Another thought-provoking Boardroom article by Juanita Vorster, in which she challenges associations to re-think the value proposition of their collective expertise, especially when faced with increasing competition from fast-moving data-hoovering corporations.
Association Laboratory Covid-19 Strategic & Economic Impact Study
Global Association Hubs research partner Association Laboratory has made freely available the complete report of their recent survey, with data and opinions from a wide range of associations, both US and international.
European Association Summit
10-11 March 2020
EAS was possibly the last international association conference to take place before the world entered our Covid-19 intense lock-down phase!
EAS was a great success, with extremely positive feedback by attending associations.
All the EAS presentations and supporting materials can be found here.
We are proud to be an official supporter of this not-for-profit advocacy platform for international meetings, especially those run by international associations.
Virtual Association Focus takes place on Monday 18 May. Invitations to regular attendees were sent out by IMEX on 7 May. Bona-fide international association executives can register here.
