The Estonian Convention Bureau’s annual Conference of the Year award ceremony was held in Tallinn on February 13, where the prestigious accolade was bestowed upon the 72nd International Federation of Medical Students Associations General Assembly IFMSA March Meeting 2023, organised by the Estonian Medical Students’ Society.
Drawing over 800 medical students from 85 countries to the Estonian capital last March, the week-long event involved more than 50 EstMSA members and young doctors in its organisation. IFMSA, established in 1951, is the umbrella organisation for associations uniting 1.3 million medical students globally.
Kadri Karu, Managing Director of the Estonian Convention Bureau, commented, “With numerous conferences occurring in Estonia in 2023, selecting a winner was challenging. However, the Estonian Medical Students’ Society stood out with their exceptional creativity and comprehensive professional education and networking program.”
The honour was presented at the February award ceremony, held at Fotografiska Tallinn, by the Deputy Mayor of Tallinn, Joosep Vimm and Chairman of the Board of ECB, Ott Sarapuu. Elina Osi, the chief organiser of the congress, accepted the award on behalf of the Estonian Medical Students’ Society.
At the event, 27 international conferences held in Tallinn were acknowledged. In the past year, Estonia hosted over 170 major academic and scientific international conferences, two-thirds held in Tallinn.
The Conference of the Year award has been a tradition since 2011, with winners chosen by voting among all ECB members.
Additionally, during the ceremony, the Estonian Convention Bureau and the City of Tallinn appointed three new Conference Ambassadors for Tallinn – academics and professionals who will actively attract conferences to the country. The Estonian Convention Bureau’s Conference Ambassador Programme, initiated in 2010, supports individuals interested in hosting international conferences in Estonia.
