Programme
The ICCA Congress 2025 in Porto is on course to be a transformative, future-focused experience that redefines what a global business events can be. Set against the backdrop of Porto’s rich history, vibrant creativity, and spirit of bold exploration, the 2025 ICCA Congress invites delegates to learn, grow and connect as they chart new courses for their organizations, their careers, and the industry itself.
The city of Porto itself is our stage, with events taking place at some of the most incredible locations the area has to offer. With five distinct, immersive content tracks, all centered around the theme of “Charting the Course,” participants have the unique opportunity to take part in boundary-breaking discussions, exciting out-of-the-box sessions, and meaningful networking experiences — all woven throughout iconic venues across the city of Porto.
This year’s five dynamic content tracks align with the Congress theme of purposeful exploration and bold innovation.
Content Pillars
INNOVATION & TECH
THE CREATIVE EDGE
ICCA 64th Annual Congress Programme
Charting a Course for Change
“Charting the Course” invites delegates not simply to attend, but to actively shape the future individually, organizationally, and collectively. The event will start by intentionally creating a space for open dialogue and vulnerability, fostering openness and preparing delegates for deep personal and collective exploration.
Impact & Sustainability
Shaping a Vision for a Sustainable Tomorrow
Venue: Porto Cruise Terminal
As business events move toward the future, it’s become clear that sustainability is not a trend, but a core responsibility for the industry. Impact & Sustainability invites delegates to explore how our community can innovate and lead with purpose, transforming events into catalysts for meaningful environmental and social impact.
Set against the backdrop of the Porto Cruise Terminal, this track highlights the intersection of innovation and sustainability.
The terminal is one of Portugal’s most iconic architectural landmarks, with a distinctive spiral design and state-of-the-art facilities including auditoriums, exhibition halls, and panoramic observation decks. The terminal represents the region’s commitment to sustainable tourism, research, and forward-thinking design.
The terminal is also home to CIIMAR (the Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research), which advances marine science, climate innovation, and environmental stewardship.
By owning our impact and embracing sustainability, the meetings and events industry has an opportunity to be a highly visible and impactful force for good in the world while transitioning challenges into opportunities: slashing carbon emissions, reducing waste, and conserving resources while advancing UN SDGs through standards like ISO 20121.
Sustainable events not only protect our communities. They also elevate brands, inspire loyalty, and drive innovation. As stewards of the industry, we can be catalysts for change in an increasingly conscious marketplace.
Impact & Sustainability focuses on how business events can become platforms for positive change. Delegates will:
- Find out how events can serve as transformative journeys with a global reach
- Learn about pioneering practices in environmental protection, sustainable logistics, and greener innovation
- Connect with leaders driving collective commitment to sustainability
Inspired by Porto’s legacy as a port city and global connector, this programme champions a vision of events that extend far beyond the venue: events that positively affect communities, industries, and ecosystems around the globe.
At the Porto Cruise Terminal, delegates will engage with the latest sustainability thinking and experience the influence of place in shaping a more conscious, connected, and impactful future for business events.
Future Leadership & Resilience
Building the Blueprint for the Next Generation
Venue: Ferreira Cellars
Leadership is not about maintaining the status quo, but navigating change with courage, clarity, and compassion. Future Leadership & Resilience is designed to guide professionals in charting their own paths through uncertainty, equipping them with the tools, mindsets, and models needed to thrive in today’s rapidly evolving world.
By cultivating future-ready leaders and embracing resilience, the meetings and events industry is positioned to navigate complexities and seize emerging opportunities. Leadership today requires adaptability, emotional intelligence, and collaborative vision - qualities essential to thriving amid constant change. This track will empower ICCA delegates to deepen their leadership capacities, inspiring confident, purpose-driven action to elevate their organisations and communities toward a stronger future.
Ferreira Cellars is the backdrop for this track, which blends timeless tradition with forward-focused learning. With more than 250 years of winemaking excellence, Ferreira Cellars is one of Portugal’s most well-known Port wine cellars, offering a rich sensory and cultural experience. Its centuries-old vaults, exhibits, and historical stories from the Ferreira family tree provide a truly unique backdrop for reflection and transformative learning.
This track focuses on personal transformation as a driver of industry evolution, diving deep into the processes of internal growth that allow true leadership to emerge. Delegates will explore:
- Leadership strategies and models to cultivate resilience and adaptability
- Emotional intelligence and vulnerability as critical components of strong, empathetic leadership
- Frameworks for lifelong learning, agility, and purpose-driven growth
Whether you're thinking about launching a start-up, leading a large organisation, or beginning your own leadership journey, this track empowers you to turn personal development into professional impact. At Ferreira Cellars , participants will not only explore their own resilience but create a blueprint for an inspired and purpose-driven future in the global business events industry.
Purposeful Business Models & Start-Ups
Setting Forth a Strategy for Success
Venue: Alfândega Congress Centre
Global change demands bold new thinking. That’s why Purposeful Business Models & Start-Ups shines a light on the innovators, disruptors, and leaders shaping the future of global business events. This track gives delegates the power to explore how strategic reinvention can lead to profitability and positive global impact.
Purpose is the compass guiding meaningful action and enduring impact in the meetings and events industry. As organisations align their strategies around clear, emotionally resonant purposes, delegates are empowered to define and amplify their personal purpose.
This track will bring clarity to a complex topic, inspiring ICCA delegates to envision how their individual purpose intersects with their organisation's mission — enabling purposeful collaboration and shaping innovative, resilient business models that allow existing organisations and emerging start-ups to flourish, differentiate themselves, and drive transformational change within our industry.
From sustainability-driven enterprises to tech-disruptive start-ups and socially conscious scale-ups, this track allows attendees to explore real-world case studies and practical insights that redefine what business success looks like today. Sessions will give participants tools to:
- Rethink and reframe business models for relevance and resilience
- Learn from entrepreneurial pioneers and mission-driven organisations
- Transform personal leadership growth into organisational momentum
- Embrace values-based leadership that blends performance with purpose
Purposeful Business Models & Start-Ups will be held at the Alfândega Congress Centre in the heart of Porto’s historic UNESCO World Heritage district. The venue is housed in a restored 19th-century customs house along the Douro River, combining historic grandeur with modern functionality.
Alfândega has received accolades including “Best Conference and Convention Center in Europe” and is noted for its sustainability initiatives. In this space, history meets innovation, and the Purposeful Business Models & Start-Ups track invites Congress delegates to build, grow, and lead organisations that not only succeed, but innovate, lead, and thrive.
Innovation & Technology
Forging a Path to the Future
Venue: CEiiA Innovation Centre
The future of the business events industry is no longer on the horizon—it’s here now. In Porto, the Innovation & Technology track offers delegates a front-row seat to the up-and-coming innovations shaping the next generation of global meetings and events. From artificial intelligence and augmented reality to cybersecurity and digital stewardship, this immersive programme is designed for bold thinkers ready take the reins and lead the way.
Innovation & Technology will take place at CEiiA Innovation Centre, one of Portugal’s most advanced institutions in sustainable innovation and product engineering. CEiiA is a dynamic hub for future-focused technology, known for developing cutting-edge solutions.
Innovation and technology are essential accelerators for charting a vibrant future in the meetings and events industry. As the landscape rapidly evolves, embracing groundbreaking ideas and digital advancements empowers ICCA delegates to unlock unprecedented possibilities.
This track will energize delegates to confidently integrate innovative solutions and emerging technologies, clearly revealing that everyone has a purposeful role in driving innovation and positioning their organizations at the forefront of transformative experiences.
Delegates will participate in a rich programme that includes:
- An Innovation Lab featuring demonstrations and interactive experiments
- Insightful sessions with global leaders, startup innovators, and digital pioneers
- Exploration into topics like cybersecurity, AI, and tech-driven sustainability
CEiiA showcases how engineering excellence can drive environmental and social progress, highlighting how the events industry can embrace innovation while staying committed to sustainability.
The Creative Edge
Creating a Map of Ideas & Solutions
Venue: WOW – Cultural District, Vila Nova de Gaia
It might seem like tech reigns supreme, but creativity is still one of the most powerful tools for transformation. The Creative Edge invites delegates to lean into their own artistic talents, unlocking new ways of thinking, problem-solving, and connecting. This track examines how our own innate creativity can spark deeper engagement, foster connections, and reshape the way we interact with each other, as well as how these elements shape meetings and events.
Through immersive workshops and dynamic sessions led by artists, designers, and creative thought leaders, participants will learn more about the role of creativity in storytelling and event design. Practical insights from fields like design, architecture, and visual storytelling will be blended with hands-on experiences that prompt delegates to awaken their inner innovator and understand how their own creativity can be a powerful tool for connection and change.
Creativity is the essential differentiator for navigating complexity and charting a bold, visionary future in the meetings and events industry. Far beyond artistry, creativity is a powerful strategic asset born from the heart — the emotional core that drives innovation, resilience, and meaningful engagement.
This track invites ICCA delegates to discover their own innate creative potential, inspired by successful entrepreneurs and leaders who have harnessed their creative selves to build transformative, thriving businesses. Delegates will unlock fresh perspectives, learning that creativity resides within everyone, irrespective of current self-perception, empowering them to lead with authenticity, originality, and strategic clarity.
The track takes place at WOW – Cultural District Located in Vila Nova de Gaia, which overlooks the Douro River and historic city of Porto, WOW transforms 19th-century wine cellars into a vibrant district celebrating Portuguese gastronomy, artisanry, and cultural heritage.
WOW is a landmark destination, with museums, culinary spaces, conference venues, and panoramic terraces. It blends old and new, making it an ideal setting for a programme focused on imagination, reinvention, and emotional connection.
Key Highlights:
- Sessions inspired by Porto’s thriving cultural and artistic scenes
- Expert-led deep dives into the creative process and how it can intersect with professional development
- Practical tools to infuse more innovation into events and organisational strategy.
The Creative Edge at WOW is more than a learning experience. It takes participants on a personal creative journey of discovery, examining how the artist in us all can help drive personal and professional transformation.
Central to the 64th Congress is an unwavering focus on people — the attendees, stakeholders, and the broader community. Recognizing that meaningful exploration and transformation begin with the individual, the ICCA Congress centres the human experience.
Congress design principles prioritize personal connections, authentic dialogue, and immersive engagement, ensuring that every delegate feels valued, included, and empowered. As delegates embark on their journey, ICCA commits to placing people first, knowing that genuine growth, innovation, and lasting impact are achieved when the human experience remains central to our collective voyage forward.
To chart a course is to step boldly into the unknown, guided by courage, curiosity, and unwavering belief in possibility. It means choosing exploration over certainty, innovation over comfort, and transformation over stagnation. "Charting the Course" invites each of us to become explorers of ideas, perspectives, and potential.
Exploration, Innovation, and Connection
The 64th Congress theme invites delegates into deep, purposeful exploration and meaningful connection. This is ICCA's invitation to gather and actively shape the future, providing the tools, community, and guidance essential for our collective transformative journey ahead. As delegates embrace the spirit of thoughtful discovery, a powerful vision for ourselves, our industry, and the world emerges — one that resonates far beyond the event itself.
ICCA serves as your guide, facilitator, and catalyst, providing ideas, tools, and connections necessary to navigate uncertainty and drive bold innovation.
In Portugal, ICCA 2025 is your call to action: become explorers, innovators, and changemakers. Embrace transformation individually and collectively. Chart a meaningful course, propelling yourself, your organization and your industry forward.
Stay tuned for more details about the 2025 Congress Programme.