If you aren’t already involved with Global Meetings Industry Day on Thursday, April 14, now is your last chance! Meetings Mean Business, the Convention Industry Council and many other related organizations and partners are hosting or taking part in advocacy events this week. They aim to raise awareness of the impact and economic value of meetings, conferences, conventions, trade shows, exhibitions and incentive travel on people, businesses and communities. (Before its expansion worldwide, North American Meetings Industry Day last year included 88 events that generated 3.2 million social media impressions.)

And because music can add meaning to events, there’s even a GMIC anthem and video! SongDivision, an experiential music agency, led the crowdsourcing process among industry participants and musicians, who contributed lyrics, chords, and song styles. The chorus: “We bring the world together, there’s always a time and place, cause life’s always brighter, when we’re meeting face-to-face.” Download the video, share it on social media, send it to business leaders, embed it in your communications.

Here’s a sampling of what’s scheduled for April 14:
• Meeting Professionals International’s Texas Hill Country chapter hosts a rally, press conference and panel discussion, joined by 11 participating chapters of MPI and other organizations. Headlining the panel (which will be live streamed) are Paul Van Deventer, president and CEO, MPI; Sherrif Karamat, CAE, COO of Professional Convention Management Association; Cathy Breden, CAE, CMP, executive vice president and COO, International Association of Exhibitions and Events; Ken Sanders, president, Freeman AV; and Mike Dominguez, co-chair, Meetings Mean Business, and senior vice president of sales, MGM Resorts.
• In Las Vegas, a keynote address by Roger Dow, president and CEO of U.S. Travel Association, will be followed by a panel discussion moderated by Rossi Ralenkotter, president and CEO, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.
• Senior Planners Industry Network — SPIN: Atlanta joins with other area organizations to recognize the industry’s value in Atlanta and around the globe.
* Among MPI chapters with planned events are: Greater Calgary, Carolinas, Orange County and San Diego (joint), Ohio, Atlantic, Virginia, Kansas City, Wisconsin, Philadelphia, British Columbia, North Florida, Arizona Sunbelt, Toronto. PCMA Chapters hosting events include Greater Philadelphia, Chesapeake and Potomac (the latter jointly with PCMA Capital Chapter).
• Destination management organizations — many in concert with local industry association chapters — are hosting events. They include Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau, Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau, Richmond Region Tourism, and Visit St. Pete/Clearwater with SITE Florida & Caribbean and MPI Tampa Bay Chapter.
• Sectur, CPTM and MPI Mexico will broadcast its event to local groups in several other states in Mexico.
• COCAL members in Latin and South America have four ways to participate in GMID, from a press conference to a marathon with local industry members, a congress with speakers, or a video they can prepare to promote the industry’s benefits.
• Some MPI affiliates In Europe have scheduled annual conferences and new events to coincide with GMID and promote the value of meetings to businesses and the economy. These include: MPI Belgium, MPI Finland; MPI UK & Ireland; MPI Italy; MPI France Suisse Chapter; MPI Sweden; MPI Netherlands.
Click here for these and more events. — Maxine Golding