In November 2023, I had the incredible opportunity to support the European Master in Migration and Intercultural Relations (EMMIR) program at the "Young Africans on the Move: Exploring Intra- and Inter-continental Migration Processes and Dynamics" conference held in Entebbe, Uganda. This unique event took place from November 28-30, 2023, both in-person and virtually, and brought together experts, activists, and scholars to delve into the complex dynamics of African migration.
As the communications lead EMMIR and for the conference, one of my primary responsibilities was designing the entire conference program, both for online and print use.
A significant challenge I faced was creating a cover page (and overall conference visual identity) that would represent the topic of the conference without perpetuating stereotypes about Africa or African migration. To address this, I solicited photographs and media from the conference participants ahead of time, asking them to share images related to their work or what they envisioned when thinking about the conference's theme. The result was a beautiful collage that transcended national borders and, in line with the EMMIR style, turned the continent upside down, offering a fresh perspective on African migration.
The conference saw over 200 participants attend virtually. My role during the conference also involved facilitating the online participation, ensuring a seamless experience for remote attendees. This included managing the online platform throughout the three days, encouraging engagement, and asking questions on behalf of the online audience during in-person sessions. It was crucial for the conference organizers to bridge the gap between virtual and physical attendees, and I worked hard to ensure everyone felt included and heard.
Throughout the event, I was also responsible for capturing key insights from the speakers and sharing them on social media.
Being part of the EMMIR team on-site also meant being ready to handle any issues that arose. From coordinating with hotel and venue staff to ensuring that participants who had flown in were comfortable and had ample networking opportunities, a full team effort was needed to make sure everything ran smoothly and that all attendees could fully immerse themselves in the experience.
Overall, the event ran very smoothly and participants remarked at how great the conference was. I am very proud of the small role that I played in making it happen as it did!
👋 Hey, I’m Gabriella, a versatile communications consultant specializing in strategy and impact. With experience across branding, content creation, public relations, and cross-border campaigns, I help clients communicate clearly and with purpose.
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