23rd World’s Poultry Congress (WPC 2008)
18 Aug 2008

Event Details: 
23rd World’s Poultry Congress (WPC 2008)

2,300 delegates from 82 countries attended the Congress
June 30 – July 4
Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, Queensland Australia

Host Organisation:
World’s Poultry Science Association, Australian Branch

Principal Objective of Event:
Held every four years with the last event in Istanbul in 2004, World’s Poultry Congresses are the peak global poultry science and technology forums involving researchers, poultry industry personnel, government regulators, suppliers and poultry producers. The forums facilitate international information exchange of science and technology and provide a global perspective of the poultry industry.

Event Profile:
The program of the 2008 congress was relevant to the needs of the poultry industries globally, with the added challenge of incorporating five individual associations’ programs into one cohesive scientific and technical congress program. The program  included 16 key note plenary session speakers, 600 oral presentations (100 from invited speakers) in 16 concurrent symposia sessions each day and 400 poster presentations.

Highpoints:
Congress Chair, Dr Bob Pym named the keynote address by Professor John Hodges in the Opening Ceremony, as one of the highpoints. “It set the scene for a series of thought provoking addresses from keynote plenary speakers challenging the industry to examine its practices and consider how to ensure its sustainability in the future. “

Challenges:

• This was the first time that a concurrent industry exhibition was organised by the host body in conjunction with the congress and with 220 exhibitors it was the largest poultry trade exhibition ever held in Australia. Apart from the logistics of the exhibition itself with some very large and complex machinery displays, a great deal of effort went into developing contacts and in follow-up negotiations with exhibitors from 30 countries world-wide.
• Many of the delegates were from developing countries, which necessitated an active and effective fund raising program to support the attendance of these participants.  A successful strategy, to encourage a higher level of industry sponsorship and support was applied in conjunction with a dedicated fund raising drive by congress organiser, Event Planners, which resulted in the participation of record numbers of delegates from developing countries.   
•  In promoting the Congress at International Meetings there was the obvious challenge of distance and this was countered by the strong appeal of the destination and by the successful marketing and information provided on pre and post touring packages. In addition the committee sought the assistance of local chapters of WPSA internationally to encourage delegations

Destination:
Brisbane was chosen ( from other Australian capital cities) by the bid team in 2000 based on 15 criteria including conference and exhibition facilities of the venue, international access, accessibility and cost of accommodation, transport and traffic and climate, with all 10 members of the assessment committee independently giving Brisbane the highest total score.
Brisbane then won the right to host the Congress over Glasgow and Salvador.

Overall Summation:
The unquestionable success of the Congress according to Congress Chair, Dr Bob Pym, was due to a number of factors including ‘a superb facility in BCEC, a relevant and broad based scientific and technical program, thought provoking, challenging plenary sessions from keynote speakers, excellent oral and poster presentations, the inclusion of a number of concurrent affiliated meetings and the close involvement of poultry producers.’
“The contribution to the success of the Congress by Event Planners in pulling this incredibly complex meeting together cannot be overstated,” Dr Pym said.

Delegate Feedback:
‘The venue in Brisbane was splendid. I cannot think of a congress which has gone so smoothly from an organisational point of view.’ – Dr Colin Fisher (UK)

‘The Congress was one of the best in which I have ever participated. ’- Dr Piet Simons, General Secretary World’s Poultry Science Association.

‘…the IT, venue and the food were all way above average and of course the programming was amazing.’  - Dr Claire Weeks, University of Bristol, UK.  

‘Congratulations …on a very interesting and beautifully organised meeting.’  - Dr Anni McLeod, FAO, Rome.

‘...everything was perfect, the scientific papers were of a very high standard and the exhibition impressed us all. The opening ceremony with the cultural show was simply excellent.’ Professor Ruveyde Akbay, President of World’s Poultry Science Association (Turkey).

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Enquiries: Gail Sawyer, Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre
  Ph 61 7 3308 3023 Mob 0439 733 509
  Email gails@bcec.com.au

August 2008