Basic Event Information
Date: 29 November – 5 December 2021
Location: Budapest, Hungexpo, Budapest Exhibition and Congress Center
Organiser: Lounge Group – Visual Europe Group
Client: Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
EVENT CATEGORY: CATEGORY B2I
EVENT SUB-CATEGORY: Best Educational Event / Training
EVENT FORMAT: LIVE
Event description and key objectives
Planet Budapest 2021 Sustainability Expo and World Summit is an event dedicated to sustainable development. Its aim is to raise awareness of negative trends through experience and to show that these negative changes can still be reversed.
Key challenges
The key challenge of the Conference was uncertainty related to COVID-19 pandemic. We started the preparation of the Conference in 2021 and until certain point were not sure will it, and under which conditions, be possible to organize live event. Also, for a few key speakers, coming from New Zealand and Hong Kong we were not sure will they be able to travel. Therefore, we set the date of the Conference in June, hoping that the effect of the pandemic will be reduced and that the restrictions will allow travels and organization of live event.
Creativity
The event was only open to persons with a Covid-certificate. Staff and guests were required to show proof of immunity from Covid19 at the time of first entry. All entrants got an RFID pass, which allowed staff to quickly check that the guest were admissible to the event when they arrived at the entry zone. This ensured fast access to the event.
As a complementary programme, we promoted simple everyday solutions for more sustainable living for visitors: use of bottles instead of disposable PET bottles, selective waste collection, use of electric scooters to move staff around the site, healthy foods.
Heroes Of The Future
To raise awareness through playful education about the current and possible future state of our planet and what we can do to protect it.
The stations were all based around a mechanical quiz. The 9 stations were organised around different themes, with different visuals, complementary activities and technology built around quizzes, making for a more diverse and informative visual experience.
We hosted students according to a tight schedule, so we were able to help groups organise their travel. We offered a 50% public transport discount for participants – in the spirit of sustainability they travelled to the Budapest venue by electric buses.
Your Planet
The structure of each thematical island was made from recycled and recyclable cardboard, as was the additional furniture used at the event, such as coat racks, seating, hostess desks, screens and origami flower arrangements.
We created a unique mood for each of the islands, with individually composed music and lighting, in addition to the exhibits and technical equipment. We used a variety of tools to help convey the central message, in line with the theme of the islands.
Sustainable and healthy nutrition, the operation of a waste water treatment plant or the elements of a smart city were presented using AR technology on iPads. The operation of a landfill was shown through VR glasses, climate change was illustrated with a VR roller coaster ride, and the difficulties and cleaning of the sewage system were illustrated with a VR combat game. There were also robots, a touchscreen quiz and a bike generator to illustrate sustainable energy management.
Innovation
Sustainability is one of the most important and pressing issues of our time. It is important that younger generations learn about it as early as possible. In order to protect our planet, we need to pass on knowledge about sustainable living to them as early as possible and show them examples of what we can do. With the “Heroes of the Future” interactive track, we are telling young people what they can also read in textbooks by emphasising conscious thinking and the essential values of nature: “Protect your planet and all its living creatures so that posterity can enjoy it as we do.”
Over the course of the week, 156 teams of 30 students from 1,000 schools, from upper secondary and first grade in upper secondary schools, took part in the75-minute-long sustainability programme, giving some 4,680 students the chance to imagine through animation what would happen to the Earth if – among other things – the Paris Climate Agreement, were not met.
On the event site, 2 tracks of almost 5,000 square metres were set up side by side, which the groups of children could use simultaneously. Efficient operation was an important factor when designing the track.
200 people were involved in the construction of the Heroes set, 80 people in the operation and 70 people in the technical operation, with 75 actors.
Execution
Planet Budapest 2021 Sustainability Expo is a regional sustainable development event. It aims is to raise awareness of negative environmental trends and to propose solutions to stop them in non-traditional ways.
For a week, Planet Budapest presented thematic and experiential activities in two pavilions to show how we can make a difference for a sustainable future.
The “Heroes Of The Future” tracks, offered a total of 156 groups of 30 people from different regions of Hungary the opportunity to participate. Hungarian nationality schools from abroad were also eligible to participate, but these groups cancelled their trips because of the pandemic.
In anticipation of the cancellations, a reserve list of schools in Budapest and the surrounding areas was drawn up to fill the vacancies in the event of one or two groups dropping out.
In order to maximise efficiency, we set up the entire “”Heroes Of The Future”” course 2 months before the event at an off-site location. On this test track, we were able to plan the construction timing in advance so that the tracks, totalling 5,000 sqm, could be built on site in just 4 days. The 70-strong cast of actors were able to rehearse for 2 weeks, alongside with the technicians of the event.
The use of sustainable practices
We also radically reduced the use of paper at the event, so exhibitors’ presentations and brochures were digital only. We have also took a similar stance on plastic-free practices and on supporting domestic food producers.
We reduced the Exhibition’s carbon footprint through the Planet Budapest 2021 Tree Planting Programme.
Pre-event communication consisted of a nationwide integrated campaign, including press, online, radio, television, social and OOH (billboard).
