ECB’s ‘Conference of the Year’ Awarded to the 72nd International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations General Assembly

The Estonian Convention Bureau’s annual ‘Conference of the Year’ awards ceremony was held in Tallinn on Tuesday, where the prestigious accolade was bestowed upon the 72nd International Federation of Medical Students Associations General Assembly “IFMSA March Meeting 2023,” organized by the Estonian Medical Students’ Society.

Drawing over 800 medical students from 85 countries to the Estonian capital last March, the week-long event saw the involvement of more than 50 EstMSA members and young doctors in its organization. IFMSA, established in 1951, serves as the umbrella organization for associations uniting 1.3 million medical students globally.

Kadri Karu, Managing Director of the Estonian Convention Bureau, commented, “With numerous conferences occurring in Estonia in 2023, selecting a winner was a challenging task. However, the Estonian Medical Students’ Society stood out with their exceptional creativity and comprehensive professional education and networking program.”

The honor was presented at Tuesday’s awards ceremony, held at Fotografiska Tallinn, by Deputy Mayor of Tallinn Mr. Joosep Vimm and Chairman of the Board of ECB Mr. Ott Sarapuu. Elina Osi, the chief organizer of the congress, accepted the award on behalf of the Estonian Medical Students’ Society.

A total of 27 international conferences held in Tallinn were acknowledged at the event. In the past year, Estonia hosted over 170 major academic and scientific international conferences, with two-thirds of them held in Tallinn.

The ‘Conference of the Year’ award has been a tradition since 2011, with winners chosen through a vote among all ECB members.

Additionally, during the ceremony, the Estonian Convention Bureau and the City of Tallinn appointed three new Conference Ambassadors for Tallinn—academics and professionals who will play an active role in attracting conferences to the country. The Estonian Convention Bureau’s Conference Ambassador Programme, initiated in 2010, supports individuals interested in hosting international conferences in Estonia.