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personalised delegate journeys, and seamless accessibility features. It’ s AI with purpose, designed to enhance inclusivity and reach.
Dublin: Speech meets action When Dublin hosted INTERSPEECH 2023, AI-powered live captioning was integrated across sessions, breaking down barriers for attendees with hearing impairments and those for whom English was a second language. Instead of simply discussing advances in speech technology, Dublin applied them in real time – turning research into meaningful legacy.
Vancouver: Community meets code In Vancouver, legacy and inclusion are at the forefront, with technology as the bridge. At Web Summit Vancouver 2025, Indigenous leaders reframed conversations around digital sovereignty, AI, and blockchain, showing how tech can be a tool for cultural resilience and economic empowerment.
Meanwhile, IMPACTFest Vancouver, 24 October, 2025, shaped up to be a powerhouse of immersive learning, with VR, AR, FinTech, and robotics converging in workshops and exhibits aimed at students, underserved or disengaged youth, and educators. Hands-on sessions, student showcases, scholarships, and internship pipelines were on the agenda to highlight how Vancouver is nurturing the next generation of responsible changemakers.
And programmes like HTML500, where hundreds of young people learn coding for free with the support of IBM, Telus, and Microsoft, are further illustrations that Vancouver is cementing its role as a hub for democratising access to tech skills.
Washington, DC: Driving empathy with experience In the policy capital of the world, conferences are becoming empathy engines. At the 2025 Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting, the
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exhibit‘ Empathy at the Intersection’ used AR and VR simulations to immerse delegates in the challenges faced by everyday road users. Attendees could step into the shoes of a city bus driver, a cyclist, or even a truck driver navigating blind spots. It was tech designed to shift perspectives and inspire more humancentred policymaking. |
Berlin: Tech capital with a conscience Berlin doesn’ t just host tech events, it curates civic movements. At re: publica Berlin, Europe’ s biggest digital society conference, discussions around AI, AR / VR, and culture are open to the public, fostering both digital literacy and civic engagement. The city also hosts GITEX Europe, WeAreDevelopers World Congress, and BIG BANG KI Festival, all spotlighting ethical AI, robotics, mobility, and democracy in the digital age. In Berlin, tech legacies take the form of conversations that outlive the conference and shape new civic directions. |
“ Events must leave something tangible behind: new skills, healthier communities, cleaner environments, greater equity. And in this transformation, technology has become legacy’ s strongest ally”
Top left:
IAU General
Assembly
Middle left:
Web Summit-
Credit Destination
Vancouver
Bottom left:
re publica,
Jan Zappner,
re publica- Flickr
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BestCities Global Forum: Where vision meets verification BestCities isn’ t just enabling stories of impactful tech. It’ s documenting, tracking, and scaling them. At the 2025 Global Forum, tech was used to track sustainability metrics, enable real-time multilingual translation, generate session insights, and drive social impact projects across continents. This is where vision meets verification.
“ Technology is no longer just a tool. It’ s a bridge leading towards more impactful, enduring legacies,” says Loren Christie, managing director, BestCities Global Alliance.“ By integrating strategic innovation throughout every stage of the event lifecycle, associations and destinations across the globe can turn inspiration into measurable outcomes.”
The takeaway: Technology is legacy’ s best ally Here’ s the shift: legacy is no longer a side dish – it’ s the main course. The conferences that matter most are the ones that measure their impact, scale it, and make it stick. And the secret ingredient is technology.
From AI-powered accessibility tools in Dublin to VR empathy labs in Washington, D. C., from youth tech pipelines in Vancouver to civic digital movements in Berlin, the examples are multiplying. Tech isn’ t replacing the human element of legacy – it’ s amplifying it, making it more inclusive, more transparent, and more powerful.
For associations, destinations, and PCOs, the takeaway is simple: don’ t tack legacy onto the end of your event. Design for it from the start. Build it into the agenda, measure it in real time, and let tech extend its reach long after the closing session.
Do this, and legacy stops being a buzzword. It becomes your event’ s greatest proof of purpose. n
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