submitted by Nini Jangulashvili, Kenes Group
The 41st Annual Meeting of the European Society of Pediatric Infectious Diseases (ESPID)<https://espidmeeting.org/>, organized by Kenes Group, concluded successfully, with unprecedented attendance, and an exceptional scientific program. The meeting, held as a hybrid event in Lisbon and Online, brought together 3,734 – 2,873 in-person and 86 online – leading experts, healthcare professionals and industry partners from 111 countries around the world.
Across five days and 85 sessions, the ESPID 2023 Meeting showcased the latest research and clinical practice in paediatric infectious diseases and related topics: 70 renowned experts, including Jordi Borrell Pique, Maria Van Kerkhove, and Frederic Laurent shared their invaluable insights and research findings alongside selected presenters from a record-breaking 1,714 abstract submissions.
Comprehensive Program
The resulting comprehensive program covered a diverse range of issues, including rare diseases such as Rickettsia and Kawasaki diseases, COVID-19 in children, sexually transmitted infections, and many more. The participants left the ESPID 2023 Meeting with inspiration, collaboration and valuable knowledge to improve child health.
One of the standout features of the ESPID 2023 Meeting was the innovative use of technology. The unique interaction via mobile app allowed attendees to actively engage in discussions by sharing their opinions and voting on different polls. This interactive approach fostered meaningful exchanges and enhanced participant engagement, creating a dynamic and inclusive environment.
Investment in Sustainability
This year also brought a greater investment in sustainability for the Society. Guided by the UN Sustainability Goals, ESPID’s newly formed sustainability committee and Kenes Group focused on tangible actions to improve the Meeting’s waste management. Ana Salcedo, a distinguished speaker from the local non-profit organization ZeroWasteLab<https://www.zerowastelab.pt/> was invited as a speaker to further educate and inspire participants in the dedicated session “Towards Zero Waste: Active Participation”. Ana shared a disconcerting statistic from WRAP, the Waste and Resources Action Programme, revealing that a mere 7% of healthcare plastic waste undergoes recycling.
ESPID now looks forward to bringing the community together again next year in Tel Aviv on May 20 – 24, 2024.
About the ESPID Meeting
The ESPID Meeting brings together all professionals across paediatric infectious diseases and related fields each year to improve child health. The Meeting gives centre stage to cutting-edge research, puts a spotlight on the latest clinical practices, and helps foster collaborations across Europe and the world.
For more information about the Meeting, please visit https://espidmeeting.org<https://espidmeeting.org/
About Kenes Group
At Kenes, we’re passionate about delivering superior, world-class conferences. We harness the power of community, strengthening association brands through unforgettable experiences – fostering change, inspiring members, educating, and improving societies’ business performance. Over fifty years of knowledge and market expertise have led Kenes Group to the forefront of global association and conference management (AMC & PCO).
We bring the accrued confidence that comes from hosting more than 4,200 conferences around the globe online and in-person, for over 220,000 participants a year. Founded in Tel Aviv in 1965, and headquartered in Geneva, Kenes Group is the only global PCO and AMC dedicated to medical and scientific events. The company boasts a team of over 350 professionals, in 18 locations on four continents, and more than 100 long-term clients.
