Florence, 10^th May 2021. The 26^th CONGRESS OF FADOI (Italian Federation of Associations of Hospital Doctors on Internal Medicine) – the scientific society bringing together Italian hospital doctors on internal medicine, who have been on the front line for over one year to assist COVID-19 patients – will take place at Palazzo dei Congressi from Saturday 2^nd to Tuesday 5^th October 2021. For FADOI, one of the most important scientific societies of our country, this is a return, since its Congress had already taken place inside the Florence congress and exhibition center in 2019, when there was no medical emergency, bringing over 2,000 representatives to Florence.  In October 2021, instead, participants will be 400 and will come from all over Italy. Their number was necessarily reduced in order to respect anti-contagion security protocols.

This is an important sign of restart for the congress and exhibition sector, coming alive and ‘live’ again, and for the city of Florence, which won over other cities which applied to host the event thanks to a series of organisational advantages – first and foremost for being able to offer an attractive ad convincing proposal in just 48 hours, both for its conference spaces inside Villa Vittoria, and for hotel accommodation, thanks also to a teamwork implemented by Firenze Fiera, Firenze Convention Bureau, the agency Planning Congressi in Bologna and hoteliers in these last months.

Florence, 7^th April 2021. The Global Meetings Industry Day (GMID) will take place tomorrow, Thursday 8^th April 2021, at 15:00, offering important moments of training and networking, and seeing the online presence of the main operators of the national and international event industry. Spotlights will be turned on the best practices and on scientific studies and insights to support the restart of this sector. Among the topics discussed, the safety of MeetSafe events, declined in the claim “Meetings are Safe”, which also gives the name to the event.

During the meeting, several case histories will be presented, which might become best practices for the restart of the events sector – from the Dutch experiments of the last few weeks, presented by MaartenSchram, Founder & CEO at LiveComAlliance, and Thijs Peters, President of MPI The Netherlands Chapter, to the similarly successful experimental initiatives in Spain, presented by Jorge Rubio Navarro, Director of Turespaña – Tourist Office of Spain in Rome, to end with the all-Italian experience offered by Firenze Fiera with Ilaria Da Frassini, Head of Congress & Corporate Department, who will  share the success of the 37^th edition of the National Congress CONOSCERE E CURARE IL CUORE (PREVENT & TREAT YOUR HEART CONDITION) , which took place from 1^st to 4^th October 2020 at the Fortezza da Basso.

“It is absolutely possible to organise events in complete safety – said Ilaria Da Frassini – as was the case for the last Cardiology Congress, which was held inside Firenze Fiera’s venues, and which brought together 1,500 cardiologists coming from all over Italy, thanks to the work and commitment of our staff and partners, but most of all thanks to these brave and optimistic clients who believed in us and carefully relied on our Safe Firenze Fiera protocol”.

“What is certain –Da Frassini concluded – is that everyone is looking forward to restarting, and that our sector is already prepared to welcome participants in full compliance with rules”.

Florence, 2^nd February 2021 – Being an integral part of the Florence congress and exhibition citadel managed by Firenze Fiera – Congress & Exhibition Center, along with the Fortezza da Basso and Palazzo dei Congressi, Palazzo degli Affari is now undergoing an aesthetic and functional restyling.

Firenze Fiera entrusted the project to Politecnica – among the most important Italian integrated planning company in the architecture, engineering, and urban planning fields – which is carried out in partnership with Architect Elio di Franco for the architectural design, Consilium for the engineering part, and Engineer Riccardo Chiti for the energy-related aspects.

The upgrading of the building touches various fields, including its architecture, structure, and systems, in synergy with the restoration of contemporary architecture, and features the reconstruction of the external façades, whose original aspect will be preserved to create a unique and coordinated image from a historical and functional point of view.

Carried out following the HBIM (Historic Building Information Modelling) method – an innovative design technology to restore existing buildings – the key objective of this renovation work is also to upgrade the building in terms of energy efficiency and effectiveness, to make it sustainable, particularly by redeveloping, reconstructing, and adapting its envelope, as well as upgrading the existing systems.

A new corridor obtained on the back, on the ground floor, will allow to maximise the aesthetic qualities and functionalities of the building, optimizing the use of spaces, thanks also to the construction of a large staircase connecting the basement, the ground floor and the first floor. Furthermore, the building will feature a panoramic terrace at the top available for the events, with a view of the main city monuments.

The restoration work was preceded by extensive historic and archival research which, thanks also to the support of a team of conservation and enhancement restoration experts, allowed to retrieve the original documents relating to the design and construction of the building, thus carrying out an operation of great scientific and documental value.

“The restoration of the building is proceeding according to the scheduled timetable”, said Lorenzo Becattini, President of Firenze Fiera. “Upon completion of the work, Palazzo degli Affari will be an elegant congress center, as well as an ultra-modern exhibiting space according to the most state-of-the-art technological standards, combining high technology, innovation, the use of renewable resources and a spatial and functional optimization. The ongoing renovation will also aim at upgrading the building in terms of energy efficiency and effectiveness to make it sustainable, particularly by redeveloping, reconstructing, and adapting its envelope, as well as upgrading its systems”.

“The project of Palazzo degli Affari stems from the property’s need to renovate the palace, built in the 1970s, turning it into an emblem of excellence and modernity within the great congress and exhibition center of Florence and Tuscany”, said Beatrice Gentili, Sales Manager of Politecnica for Italy. “The expertise of Politecnica, combined with the competence of the partners involved, made it possible for us to carry out a restoration project which will greatly improve the use of spaces, making Palazzo degli Affari a reference in the congress and exhibition sector for its equipment and its use of latest technology. This restoration and enhancement project is of great relevance, as much as other important works already implemented on the territory, such as the detailed design of the Uffizi, the project to monitor public access at Palazzo Pitti, and finally, the one of the ‘ex-Dogana’.”

Florence, 26th January 2021 – Florence secured the International Congress of Psychology – ICAP 2026. The destination convinced the board of the International Association of Applied Psychology, which will bring the International Congress of Applied Psychology in the city, on schedule for 2026. A coveted and awaited event for professionals from all over the world, with over 4,000 participants, including academicians, operators, and students. According to estimates by Firenze Convention Bureau, official partner of the Florence Municipality for the promotion of the destination as a congress location, during the 4 days of the event the turnover will be of around 5 million euros. On schedule for the summer of 2026, the event will take place inside the pavilions and the premises of the Fortezza da Basso.
The medium-long term planning of the events for Florence as a destination thus begins to emerge, giving also a first and clear sign of restart.
The winning choice of Florence and its congress and exhibition centre made by the IAAP (International Association of Applied Psychology) Board is the result of an in-depth preparation work and bid proposal of an Italian partnership headed by Prof. Edoardo Lozza of the Catholic University in Milan, Prof. Giuseppe Scaratti from the University of Bergamo, and Prof. Annamaria Di Fabio of the University of Florence for the scientific part, and, by the Congress department of Rossoevolution srl – one of the most important Italian companies of this sector – for the managing-organisational part, which guaranteed the success of the operation.
The synergy between the universities of the three cities – Milan, Bergamo, and Florence – is not coincidental but, as stated in the motivations of the board’s decision, as it aims at joining the two important Lombard cities, which where the epicentre of the first pandemic outbreaks, and Florence, cradle of the Renaissance, regarded as a symbol of rebirth.
“This is an important result for the post-Covid resumption of congress activities in Florence – said Cecilia Del Re, Tourism Councillor for the Florence Municipality – after the break imposed to this sector and the difficulties experienced by many companies. This event will bring 4,000 participants and a 5 million Euro turnover to the city, revitalising a key sector and helping fight ‘touch-and-go tourism’, thanks to a higher average stay, spending power and attention to our city”.

“During these months of lockdown, work never really stopped”, added Federico Barraco, President of Firenze Convention Bureau, which supported the bid. “We analysed and implemented a coordinated strategy in synergy with agencies, operators and institutions to make our destination increasingly appealing and suitable to host events of global interest, with a turnover always higher than the average: it is estimated that each congress participant will spend around 600 euros per day for the services on the territory. This convention is the first great result, giving us a sign of optimism, and most of all offering a great opportunity to resume activities. We wish to thank Rossoevolution srl for their work and for successfully bringing forward the bid.”

“Securing the ICAP 2026 International Congress shows an extraordinary sign of restart which allows us to look to the future of our market with more confidence and optimism – said Lorenzo Becattini, President of Firenze Fiera. “During these long months, we remained firmly by our clients’ side, we invested in our premises and strengthened our relationships with all the operators involved in the city. Once again, teamwork proved to be a key success driver”.
Becattini concluded: “Our co-operation with Firenze Convention Bureau made this major result possible for the city, reasserting the role of Firenze Fiera as a key driver for the economy of Florence and its territory. That is why we wish to further consolidate it”.

Florence, 25^th September 2020.  Florence RE:Start , a new study dedicated to congress tourism in Florence, was presented today along with a new strategic plan implemented with the help of public and private partners to acquire  international associations congresses from 2023 on. According to OICE (Italian Congress and Events Observatory) figures, in 2019 Florence hosted nearly 15,000 events for a total of 1.5 million presences. Within this dynamic, the purpose is to relaunch the international congress sector, characterized by a higher average expenditure of participants (670 euros per day).

“The congress sector – said Federico Barraco, President of Firenze Convention Bureau – should be one of the strategic assets to restart tourism in Florence. Now, more than ever, we need to create a system to face a competition which is set to become increasingly fiercer”.

“As a priority, we are working on thirty bids for the near future, to encourage the organisation of new international congresses in the next 3-5 years”, explained Carlotta Ferrari, Director of Florence Convention Bureau.

“As municipality – added Cecilia Del Re, Tourism Councillor for the Florence Municipality – we are collaborating with the other shareholders of Firenze Fiera to follow the development of works for the congress and exhibition centre, which we believe is the real driving force to restart quality tourism in our city”.

“Even in these difficult times – said Leonardo Bassilichi, President of Firenze Fiera – Firenze Fiera never stopped its activities thanks to a series of scheduled investments, resources allocated and projects approved, in addition to other activities implemented during the lockdown, such as the restyling of the Nazioni Pavilion. We are determined to go forward on this path”.

Firenze is among the top 40 congress cities in Europe and ranks fourth in its category, next to cities such as Geneva, Glasgow, Lyon, Valencia, Gothenburg, Hamburg, and Rotterdam. Among the winning points of our city, the attractiveness of the destination and the wide range of accommodation, destined to be further enriched with a fierce incentive plan created specifically to acquire scientific congresses, in synergy with the Florence academic world.

Florence, 29^th September 2020. Five half days in ‘full digital’ – Friday, 2^nd and Saturday 3^rd October, and from Thursday, 8^th to Saturday 10^th October 2020 – for the 21^st National Congress of the Italian Society of Periodontology and Implantology which, every year, contributes to develop  scientific knowledge in periodontology, implantology and in their relevant medical-biological disciplines. Over 1,000 participants among periodontal specialists, general dentists, dental hygienists, and students have subscribed to the congress so far.

The title of this year’s edition is “Orientarsi tra novità e terapie consolidate” (Navigating through Innovations and Established Therapies) to remind the importance of a correct diagnosis to implement the most appropriate therapy according to the needs and characteristics of each patient.

Among the main topics of this event dedicated to all oral health care professionals, the spotlight will be on the impact of the recent periodontal classification in clinic and operational terms, along with the interdisciplinary approach towards a therapy for stage IV periodontitis. Dental hygienists will benefit from a session dedicated to an in-depth analysis of how to manage periodontal patients, and their risk profile.

Due to COVID-19 health emergency, this event “will have a TV format featuring a new and original formula – said Dr. Luca Landi, President of the Congress –  an interactive platform combining both the need to train oral health professionals and to create discussion among the sector operators”.

For the occasion, two virtual studios in TV format will be set up inside Palazzo dei Congressi to digitally broadcast all the congress sessions.