Global Exhibitions Day 2018 (#GED18) kicks off today, 6 June. This year, AEFI explores the value of the Italian trade fair system as a hub for generating economic value for the country.
After the success of the first two editions, which involved thousands of sector professionals from 74 countries, Global Exhibitions Day has now become an international annual event.
Global Exhibitions Day – which came into existence following a proposal from UFI, The Global Association for the Exhibition Industry – is an occasion to celebrate the trade fair sector and highlight its positive impact on employment, businesses, innovations and local investment.
In 2016, GED concentrated on the value of trade fairs as a bridge between cultures and peoples – with “Meet Italian Excellence: Trade Fairs as a bridge to development”. Under the theme “Think Global, Act Local”, last year’s extensive programme of events in Rome were supported by many initiatives at individual trade fairs.
This year, AEFI – Associazione Esposizioni e Fiere Italiane – will focus on the value of the Italian trade fair system as a hub for generating economic value for the country.
‘The Power of Italian Exhibitions’ is the title of the event that AEFI has been preparing for in order to celebrate and showcase the national trade fair sector.
Taking the themes of ‘Talent’ and ‘Advocacy’ as a starting point, AEFI will develop a concept that centres on the job opportunities offered by the world of trade fairs, for young people in particular, on the creativity that future generations can bring to the sector and on new expertise.
GED18 is an opportunity to demonstrate Italian excellence to the world, but above all to show how coordinating the system is key to standing out. Italian trade fairs: a synergy made of skills, values and contacts. Italian trade fairs: a real multiplier of opportunities.
AEFI, a private non-profit Association, was established in 1983 with the goal of generating synergies between the most important Italian exhibition districts.
AEFI would like to be seen as a privileged partner for operators and institutions alike, and its role is to support members through the development of activities and programmes in the sphere of training, marketing, promotion and research, as well as to provide services for trade fairs through the activities of its Committees: Exhibition Hub Technical Committee, Legal-Administrative Committee, Internationalisation Committee and Trade Fairs Network Committee.
AEFI supports members thanks to agreements with strategic markets. To date, partnerships have been agreed with Iran, Taiwan, Lebanon, India and Thailand, with AmCham, the American Chamber of Commerce in Italy, and with CENTREX, the International Exhibition Statistics Union. A memorandum of understanding has been signed with SACE and SIMEST. AEFI has promoted the foundation of ISFCert, the Certification Institute for Exhibition Industry Statistics which, through rigorous methodologies, enables Italian organisers to present and recognise standardised data, in the name of transparency and reliability.
AEFI represents Italian trade fairs in UFI - Union of International Fairs. Chaired by Ettore Riello, AEFI includes 35 member exhibition districts, which organise over 1,000 events a year over an overall exhibition area of 4.2Msqm. Nearly all-international and national trade fairs which take place each year in Italy are held in AEFI-member exhibition districts.
For more information, click here.
