October 8th 2024

BestCities and ICCA Announce 2024 Incredible Impacts Programme Finalists

Three international associations will compete for $20,000 USD grant
at the ICCA Congress in October.

Image showing the 2024 Incredible Impacts Award finalists: ISHA, EACD, and WAN-IFRA. Logos of BestCities Global Alliance and ICCA are at the top right. Paper airplane graphics are in the background.

BestCities Global Alliance and the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) are thrilled to announce the finalists of the 2024 Incredible Impacts Programme: International Hip Preservation Society (ISHA), European Academy of Childhood Disability (EACD), and World Association of News Publishers (WAN-IFRA). 

The Incredible Impacts Programme celebrates the value of international association meetings by rewarding innovative thinking and creativity across the industry. Programme finalists demonstrate proven impact in shaping a better world, inspiring others to incorporate their own legacy initiatives into future events. 

Whether advocating for global access to quality medical treatments, building a better future for people with childhood-onset disabilities, or advancing democratic engagement among younger generations, the 2024 Incredible Impacts Programme finalists share a common goal of achieving equity for people everywhere. They are:

  • International Hip Preservation Society – Africa’s prevalence of hip issues is a barrier to economic development, with treatment only available to the wealthy minority. ISHA’s 2023 Annual Scientific Meeting served as a catalyst for its expansion across Africa, with a key objective of building hip preservation hubs that are accessible to patients across the continent – regardless of class, age or gender. 

    Click here to download the full case study.
  • European Academy of Childhood Disability – EACD developed the EACD+ program to improve quality of life for people with a childhood-onset disability by expanding their access to sports, culture and technology. Following the success of EACD2024 in Bruges, Belgium, EACD seeks to expand the programme to future host destinations, as well as creating an Impact Creation Task Force that raises awareness of the needs and rights of people with childhood-onset disabilities and advocate for more inclusive policy making throughout Europe.  

    Click here to download the full case study.
  • World Association of News Publishers – News avoidance impacts civic engagement and the evolution of informed, open societies that are essential to building a better world. WAN-IFRA initiated the Copenhagen Criteria project in 2024 to identify “news values” that will help news organizations better appeal to younger audiences. The association intends to advance the Copenhagen Criteria at the World News Media Congress in Krakow, Poland in 2025, including other marginalized groups, such as women and immigrants, to ensure diverse voices contribute to the conversation about news consumption. 

    Click here to download the full case study.

These three associations will compete for the Incredible Impacts Programme $20,000 USD grant at the ICCA Congress (October 20-23 in Abu Dhabi, UAE), with each presenting their entry at a plenary session. Congress attendees will be able to vote on the winner, with the final score evenly weighted between jury and audience. 

For more information about the Incredible Impacts Programme and details on the finalist entries, visit www.incredibleimpacts.com.