Leading regional and international association leaders and experts are set to converge in Abu Dhabi for the inaugural edition of Middle East Association Congress (MEAC), running at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) from 31 March to 2 April, 2016.

Organised by CIMGlobal, the organiser of many major association congresses in the South Asian region and supported by Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC) and Abu Dhabi Convention Bureau (Abu Dhabi – CB), MEAC is designed to provide an international platform for association leaders, leaders of chapters of global associations and industry partners to share knowledge and information on opportunities to enhance the profile of the association sector in the region. Held under the slogan “Creating opportunities, Associations and beyond”, the event will host a number of panel sessions, education seminars and networking opportunities, drawing a strong participation by association leaders from the GCC, Middle East, America and Europe.

Prasant Saha, Chairman of MEAC and CIMGLOBAL said: “It is a historical moment to bring all stakeholders on the same platform. Associations are the lifeline of industry and community, and the stronger the associations are, the stronger will be the nation.”

Mubarak Al Shamisi, Abu Dhabi-CB Director, said: “The selection of the UAE capital to host the first edition of MEAC reflects the emirate’s burgeoning MICE credentials. This is validated by Abu Dhabi’s awarding of the Middle East leading meetings and conference destination accolade in the 2014 World Travel Awards.

Hosting the inaugural Middle East Association Congress is part of our long- term strategy to increase the number of association conferences coming to the emirate. The opportunity to showcase Abu Dhabi’s first-class conference and meetings event facilities and expanding portfolio of international hotels, and experiences to these global influencers will reinforce our standing as a leading regional MICE destination,” he added. 

Khalifa Al Qubaisi, Head of Sales - Conferences at Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC), said: “ADNEC is delighted to welcome yet another major association event to Abu Dhabi. Our support for MEAC articulates our continued efforts to attract more association conferences to Abu Dhabi through offering various incentives and world class facilities. This is in line with our new strategy to promote the specialised conferences and association sector due to its significant impact on the economy, while boosting Abu Dhabi’s growing reputation as the knowledge capital of the UAE.”

International association leaders and experts from the industry will host sessions to impart global best practices to audiences. The event is strongly supported by the global industry organizations in the association’s community, creating a platform of knowledge for the association community in the region to benefit from.

The MEAC is expected to be attended by senior association leaders who are members of the American Society of Association Executives and from Europe. These leaders will join the regional Middle Eastern association community to network and collaborate.