Dear IACC Europe Community –

My message to today is simple, Thank You. In fact, it is several Thank You’s;

THANK YOU for being an incredible community during a time where we have all taken heart from what we have seen other IACC members around the world doing to adapt today, and the empathy, sprit and heart interwoven into these actions.

THANK YOU to those who have chosen not to take the obvious path in front of them, to hunker down, but to instead step up and give their views and advice to others. Especially via the IACC online virtual presenter led discussions that have taken place over the last two weeks. The huge numbers of IACC members and friends of IACC joining these has been incredible. We will learn our way out of this.

THANK YOU to those who continue to look to the future, seeking to define reality and foresee how the meetings industry might look when our doors re-open. It is difficult with today’s pressures, to look forward with no past similar events in which to compare. You are all true leaders and I am confident IACC venues will remain pioneering businesses tomorrow.

THANK YOU for putting your staff and colleagues first. I have heard so many wonderful stories of you supporting your teams and as a result, protecting our industry for the rebound.

THANK YOU to all of you who have creatively taken your social efforts to new higher levels. IACC members were connected with our communities in the past and are now giving even more, at a time when you have less yourself. These connections will define us all on the other side!

THANK YOU for putting the health and safety of yourself, your family and colleagues first in your personal life, by making the physical distancing sacrifices you undoubtably are. IACC people are social animals, it’s in our DNA. When we come together again, in person, we will celebrate as one giant global family!

THANK YOU to those who give us as leaders, the opportunity to be heard. I want to thank Tracy Stuckrath from thrive Meetings who interviewed me for her blog, I hope it can inspire and give some hope in these challenging times.

I look forward to when we meet again. Mark reminded me of the lyrics to a song made during a past global crisis, World War II, by Dame Vera Lynn. This songs words perhaps have more relevance today, than they did back then;

We’ll meet again,
don’t know here,
don’t know when. 

But I know we’ll meet again,
some sunny day.
 
Keep smiling through,
just like you always do.
 
‘Till the blue skies,
drive the dark clouds far away…..

Yours sincerely,

Lotta Boman
IACC Europe Chapter President
Sigtunahöjden Hotel & Conference