Six personalities who significantly contributed to the development of the meeting industry in Prague were acknowledged during the 14th Ambassador Awards Evening on Tuesday, 8th April. The laureates received prestigious awards at the Residence of the Mayor of Prague. The Prague Convention Bureau, which overarches the Prague meeting industry, together with representatives of the City of Prague and the Ministry of Regional Development, awarded leading Czech scientists, professors, doctors and other leading experts for their merits in bringing important international events to the metropolis of Czechia.
The Ambassador Awards Evening was held under the auspices of the Mayor of Prague, Bohuslav Svoboda, who attended the award ceremony in person. The winners of the individual categories were traditionally selected by an independent 16-member committee composed of representatives of tourism, the meetings industry, academics, and the private and public spheres.
“At this year’s 14th annual Ambassador Awards Evening, we awarded six exceptional personalities who have made a significant contribution to the development of the meetings industry in Prague. Their efforts help build the Czech capital’s international reputation as an attractive meeting destination. An example of an inspiring approach is the creative use of Prague public trams rental to transport conference participants with more than two thousand delegates. This environmentally friendly and logistically efficient solution has won the enthusiasm of organisers and international guests. It has become one of the reasons why the event is returning to Prague in 2025. Since the beginning of this year, we have also improved the comfort of international delegates even further, thanks to the digitisation of the so-called congress fare, which is now available entirely in electronic form – conveniently, clearly and with regard to sustainability,” says Roman Muška, Managing Director of the Prague Convention Bureau.
For the past year (2024), the following ambassadors and events were awarded in the following six categories.
Congress of the Year 2024
Jacky Schweinzger, CMP for the 44th Annual Meeting & Scientific Sessions of the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT)
The congress, the largest of its kind in the world, was attended by 3,700 delegates over four days, half of whom arrived in Prague from the USA. The importance of the congress is also evidenced by the large number of scientific sessions (120) and invited speakers (250). There were lectures on heart transplantation during the war by cardiologist Borys Todurov, head of the Kiev Heart Institute, and the use of artificial intelligence in decision-making about heart transplants. The event takes place outside North America only once every three years, yet we managed to bring the event back to Prague after only 12 years. Thanks to the quality work of local entities, the congress was attended by 600 delegates more than initially expected with regard to the choice of the same destination.
Congress of the Year 2024 for up to 500 Participants
Prof. Dr. Ing. Karel Bouzek for the 14th International Conference on Hydrogen Technologies (Hydrogen Days)
The 14th edition of the conference stressed the importance of hydrogen technologies as the key to a sustainable future. It brought together the scientific community, industry and politics to accelerate the real application of hydrogen technologies. The focus was primarily on legislative challenges, integrating hydrogen with renewable sources and practical solutions for the efficient use of hydrogen in everyday life.
Candidacy of the Year 2024
Professor Pavel Calda, M.D., for his candidacy for the 22nd World Congress of Fetal Medicine
Thanks to his world reputation, Professor Calda managed to win the organisation of the World Congress of Fetal Medicine for 2025, which will, in July, welcome more than 3,500 leading experts in prenatal diagnostics, perinatology and fetal therapy – three fields in which several specialised Czech workplaces excel. A congress with this professional focus and scope will be held in the Czech Republic for the first time and through its workshops, seminars and lectures it will enable young doctors to gain the latest knowledge directly from world experts, and it will contribute to improving the quality of local care for pregnant women and unborn children.
Corporate Event of the Year 2024
Larry Čermák on behalf of the Emergence Conference on Crypto’s Collective Future
At the end of 2024, the conference connected the physical and digital worlds of blockchain and crypto communities from the Americas and Asia. It offered them two days of lectures with more than 90 expert speakers, side events, startup presentations, and the competition.
Inspiration of the Year 2024
Lynn M. Beierschmitt, CITP, CMP, CIS on behalf of the One Conference
The conference welcomed more than two thousand persons, many of whom were children of all ages. The event schedule was planned so parents could focus on the conference topic, and an age-appropriate programme was prepared for their children simultaneously. Thanks to this and the selection of individual venues for the programmes, arranging transport entirely by private rental of public transport trams with memorable event branding was possible. This arrangement had both a positive ecological and economic impact, and, at the same time, it was very unconventional for such a significant event and the participants themselves, coming from all over the world. Thanks to this unique experience and positive feedback, the client will return to Prague in the summer of 2025.
Long-term Contribution to the Meetings Industry
Professor Ondřej Viklický, M.D., CSc., FERA, Dr.h.c., Head of the Transplantation Centre, Head of the Department of Nephrology, Head of the Transplantation Laboratory, IKEM
Professor Viklický is a recognised expert whose research in kidney transplantation and transplantation tolerance brings fundamental knowledge. With his professional activities, he has made a significant contribution to the development of the meeting industry in Prague not only through the organisation of national and international congresses and symposia in the field of organ transplantation and nephrology, but also through establishing of the annual Czech-Austrian nephrology symposia in 2011, which Professor Viklický has been organising to this day. Thanks to his activities, the Czech Republic has become a popular destination for expert conferences. Professor Viklický was also the initiator of the School of Transplantation Medicine in 2012 and continues to educate young scientists who receive prestigious awards under his leadership.
“Congresses, conferences, and small symposia are places to meet and establish contacts that will result in future cooperation, which is necessary. Above all, international events are essential for us as a smaller country in central Europe,” says Professor Ondřej Viklický. “On one hand, we have the opportunity to present our findings and achievements, but we can also absorb new information and quickly implement it in clinical practice and research, which we excel at in the Czech Republic. That is why I am glad that we have managed to regain the organisation of the ESOT European Transplant Congress for Prague after 20 years, which will take place here in 2027.”
