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Lettering by Stephanie Snider
“In the past, maybe you could ignore or skip over this. Now there’s no getting around it.”
“It” is emotional engagement, and according to the Amex GBT Meetings & Events 2025 Global Forecast, it’s a big focus for the business events industry, as we experience a “stronger demand for human connection in an increasingly AI-driven world.”
With that in mind, we’ve turned our attention to what is needed to foster meaningful emotional engagement at events: a sense of trust, the feeling of belonging, and the satisfaction of socially connecting with others.
Tapping into these basic human needs has never been more important. We are experiencing a loneliness epidemic. The American Psychiatric Association says that one quarter of people in the U.S. are lonelier today than they were before the pandemic. At the same time, numerous polls reveal that public trust in U.S. institutions is at an all-time low — and that includes science and media as well as the government.
Are events the solution? Of course not, but they are uniquely positioned to be an occasional oasis in the desert.
We know that to be the case when it comes to trust. Last year, Freeman research found that people trust in-person events above all other information sources — 63 percent more than media outlets and nearly 70 percent more than social media/influencers.
On paper, people come to events to learn and network. But they also hope that they will be among others they feel at home with, that they will feel like they’re part of a community, and where they can be their authentic selves. They want to be reacquainted with industry friends and to find it easy to meet new ones.
On the following pages, we go all in on the idea that events can be places — to paraphrase one of the people we spoke with about belonging — where people go to fill their emotional tanks. Click the links below and read on for some practical tips and inspiration.
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Michelle Russell is editor in chief of Convene. Barbara Palmer is deputy editor of Convene.
At Conferences, We Trust: How Shared Experiences Break Down Cynicism
Psychologist and author Jamil Zaki on how conferences are an antidote to cynicism — and how to help participants connect more deeply. READ
An Event Entrepreneur’s Quest to Redefine Belonging
Dan Berger reveals how founding — and selling — an event-planning software company taught him the true meaning of belonging, and how event professionals can apply those lessons to create meaningful connections. READ
5 Ways Meetings Fuel Belonging
According to author Dan Berger, business events offer five out of the six major categories of activities or strategies that promote the sense of belonging. READ
Convention Centers Get Cozy With Intimate Meeting Spaces
How the ‘hotelification’ of event venues like the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center speaks to attendee needs and taps into their emotions. READ
How to Make Belonging the Centerpiece of Your Events
DEI expert Ritu Bhasin shares seven tips for creating authentic, inclusive, and emotionally resonant event experiences. READ
Social Connection: There’s an App for That
A neuroscientist has developed an app that makes connections between incoming first-year college students with a high likelihood they’ll turn into friendships. Up next: conference participants. READ