In the year the global conference sector ground to a halt due to the pandemic, we turned an unprecedented crisis into an extraordinary opportunity. With the digital landscape still uncharted territory and off-the-shelf platforms virtually non-existent, we took on the challenge: Venice 2020 became one of the very few industry conferences worldwide that was not canceled, honoring its original dates by reinventing itself in a fully virtual format.
We brought together over 400 people connected simultaneously from every continent. Navigating the immense challenges of technologies that were emerging in real time, we coordinated a massive scientific program. Leveraging the elimination of physical distance, we introduced the Meet the Expert format – giving delegates direct access to leading global figures – and ran Venice and SUM back-to-back to strategically link Waste-to-Energy with the Circular Economy. Even technical visits evolved into engaging Virtual Tours of cutting-edge facilities: through local partnerships, we took participants inside Copenhagen’s famed Copenhill waste-to-energy plant, world-renowned for its rooftop ski slope.
Behind the screens, Eurowaste transformed into a high-efficiency command center – a maze of cables, monitors, and flying wires where we never lost our cool or our smiles. Driven by overwhelming enthusiasm, our team of collaborators, researchers, and students seamlessly stepped into the roles of video technicians, directors, and IT specialists. To wrap it all up, we captured our signature hospitality in a massive Delegates Wall: a virtual aperitif where the entire global community raised a glass to toast the future. To this day, it remains our greatest professional achievement and the adventure we are most proud of.
