AFEA Congress

From 20–22 September, Athens hosted ICCA’s The Future of Healthcare Meetings 2026, bringing together healthcare association leaders, destinations, PCOs and industry professionals to explore how medical meetings are evolving and how they can create greater value and impact across the healthcare ecosystem.

As the official PCO of the event, we were proud to contribute both behind the scenes and to the conversation itself.

Our CEO, Sissi Lignou, joined the programme in her dual role as IAPCO President and AFEA Congress CEO, taking part in the Interactive Panel and Workshop: “Can we transition from a traditional sponsorship model to a true partnership approach?”, exploring how the industry can move towards more meaningful and collaborative partnerships around healthcare meetings.

Another highlight of the programme was the Opening Keynote by Dimitris Papanikolaou, Former Professional Basketball Player and Motivational Speaker, and his daughter Aria Papanikolaou, Autism Awareness Motivator. Through their personal perspective, they invited healthcare leaders to rethink inclusion, diversity and the untapped potential of neurodiverse talent, while considering how meetings can better reflect and empower neurodiverse perspectives.

Our colleagues Eva Birbilopoulou, Project Manager for AFEA Congress’ scope of the event, and Kleopatra Giatsou, Senior Director, Global Business Development & Strategy, also represented AFEA Congress throughout the event.

With years of experience and expertise in delivering national and international healthcare meetings, being part of this conversation was a natural reflection of the work we do every day, bringing people together to create meetings with purpose, value and lasting impact.
ICCAWorld

Celebrating 20 years with AFEA Congress!

Today, we celebrate Martha Kornarou and two decades of dedication, experience, and contribution to our “journey”.
Over the years, Martha has worked as a Project Manager across major international and national scientific events and medical congresses, building deep expertise in healthcare meetings and a strong understanding of the needs of both clients and delegates.
But beyond the experience and knowledge she brings to every project, Martha has built something equally valuable over these 20 years: lasting relationships with our clients. Her dedication, trust and long-standing connections are a true asset in every cooperation.
Thank you, Martha, for 20 years of commitment, professionalism, and for being such an important member of the AFEA Congress family. Here’s to celebrating this incredible milestone, and to many more achievements and memorable events ahead!

Happy World Tourism Day 2026 🌍

AI is changing the way we travel.
It is also changing the way we work.

From discovering destinations and planning journeys to managing events and making decisions behind the scenes, digital technology is becoming part of almost every stage of the tourism experience.

At AFEA Congress, we're experiencing that transformation in our daily operations.

Through the daily use of AI and digital tools, and through initiatives such as theMICE-VISION project as part of the EU-funded fuTOURiSME programme, we're exploring how technology can help us work more efficiently, make better-informed decisions and create more sustainable events.

But there is one thing technology can't replace: the human connection that brings people together in the first place.

This World Tourism Day, we're celebrating both aspects of the journey, the innovation that moves us forward, and the people who give it meaning.
World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)

Discover more here: https://www.untourism.int/world-tourism-day-2026

από την τελετή έναρξης του !

Το 37ο Πανελλήνιο Συνέδριο Περιεγχειρητικής Νοσηλευτικής συνεχίζεται έως αύριο, 27 Σεπτεμβρίου στο ξενοδοχείο Grand Serai στα Ιωάννινα.

Η φετινή διοργάνωση έχει ξεπεράσει κάθε προσδοκία, προσελκύοντας περισσότερους από 700 συνέδρους, ομιλητές, προεδρεία και εκπρόσωπους εταιρειών.

Οι εργασίες του συνεδρίου, συνεχίζονται με ιδιαίτερο ενδιαφέρον, δημιουργώντας ένα πλούσιο πρόγραμμα επιστημονικής ανταλλαγής και διαλόγου.

Με χαρά συνεχίζουμε να στηρίζουμε την επιστημονική κοινότητα του ΣΥ.Δ.ΝΟ Χ. την οποία ευχαριστούμε θερμά για την εμπιστοσύνη και την πολυετή συνεργασία!

What if the challenges we face in events are actually opportunities to rethink how we design them?

This was at the heart of the “Event Design Lab: Turning Challenges into Design Opportunities” Micro Lab at PCMA Convening EMEA 2026 in Lisbon.

Representing IAPCO and AFEA Congress, Sissi Lignou, CEO & President of IAPCO and CEO of AFEA Congress, joined Ginevra De Bellis and Asiia Sattarova for an interactive session exploring how intentional event design can respond to real challenges, create greater stakeholder value and strengthen connection, community and belonging. AFEA Congress also attended the event, represented by our colleague Kleopatra Giatsou, Senior Director, Global Business Development & Strategy.

With practical insights, case studies and hands-on exercises, the session offered a different perspective on event design: not simply as a way of shaping an experience, but as a strategic tool for addressing challenges and creating meaningful outcomes.

A valuable conversation at a key industry gathering, and an opportunity to contribute to the ideas shaping the future of business events.

The latest issue of IAPCO’s The PCO Magazine is now live and explores an important and timely topic: how the role of the PCO is evolving alongside the changing needs of clients and the wider meetings industry.

From delivering high-quality events to becoming strategic partners who understand purpose, impact, community and long-term value, the issue looks at what the future holds for the PCO profession.

We’re also proud to see our very own Alexandros Kostakis, Digital Marketing Officer at AFEA Congress, featured in this issue with his article, “Beyond the Event: Creating Awareness, Community and Impact.”

Drawing from his perspective in digital marketing, Alexandros explores the growing distinction between promotion and awareness, and how communication can contribute to building stronger event communities and creating lasting impact beyond the event itself.

Feel free to read the issue here: https://www.iapco.org/resource/the-pco-issue-125-edition-4-2026.html

The official website of the 12th International Conference of MikroBioKosmos is now live!

Taking place in Chania, Crete, from 21–23 April 2027, the conference will bring together researchers and professionals from across microbiology, microbial ecology, biotechnology and related fields.

As the Official PCO, AFEA Congress is pleased to support the organisation of this international scientific meeting.

Explore the official congress website and discover the first details about the 12th International Conference of MikroBioKosmos.
🔗https://afea.eventsair.com/12th-mikrobiokosmos-conference/

Sometimes, changing your perspective is the way forward.

Earlier this month, we had the opportunity to be part of the ICCA Central European Chapter Meeting 2026 in Ljubljana, joining colleagues from across Europe for three days of conversations, ideas and new perspectives on where our industry is heading.

Under the theme “Change Your Perspective,” the programme went beyond the usual conference format. From creativity and experience design to AI, connectivity, bidding and the future of live events, the discussions kept coming back to an important question: what will make meetings matter in the years ahead?

One of the highlights was The Great Event Exchange, where Sissi Lignou, IAPCO President and CEO of AFEA Congress, joined Ori Lahav and Alexandre Meyrieux to explore what PCOs and event agencies can learn from each other, and how sharing knowledge across different parts of our industry can lead to better ideas and stronger collaboration.

And Ljubljana itself became part of the experience!

Thank you to ICCA Central Europe and everyone involved in creating such an engaging and thought-provoking meeting.

ICCAWorld