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While recent studies have demonstrated that events are fundamentally climate sensitive, this seems to not be fully considered in event research or corporate event practice. Thus, this study aims to identify the influencing factors that affect the acceptance of climate adaptation measures among decision-makers in the event industry. The analysis was divided into three main parts. First, the existing literature related to climate change in an events context was reviewed. Using 15 semi structured interviews, the findings from this review were then critically discussed with stakeholders in Germany involved in event planning. Finally, explicit climate adaptation measures were proposed and discussed. Based on all findings, there appears to be a low level of awareness of and interest in climate adaptation amongst German event industry players. There is an imminent need for further research on climate adaptation and for decision-makers to better prepare for climate change in order to counteract resulting negative impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental sustainability (ES) has generally become an important topic in recent years. In this context, interest in the environmental impact of sport events has also considerably grown. However, not much is known about how people currently perceive ES in mega sport events (MSEs) and if this influences their support to stage a MSE in their home country. To shed light on this question, a survey was conducted in Germany, which resulted in a sample of 917 respondents. The data show that about one-third of them think that ES is adequately implemented in the Olympic Games and the Football World Cup. Around half of the respondents state they are in favour of hosting these events in Germany in the future and multinomial logistic regressions reveal that positive and negative perceptions of the ES of the events are important predictors of support and opposition. The same is true for the perception of the overall brand image of the event. The findings have important implications for future bidding processes because they show that the further development of ES in MSEs might have an influence on the support for hosting these events in Germany and potentially other Western democracies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background: Interruption of transmission chains has been crucial in the COVID-19 response. The Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) at the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) coordinated cross-border case and contact tracing activities at the national level by sharing data with German public health authorities (PHA) and other countries. Data on these activities were not collected in the national surveillance system, and thus were challenging to quantify. Our aim was to describe cross-border COVID-19 case and contact tracing activities including lessons learnt by PHA to adapt the procedures accordingly. Methods: Case and contact tracing events were recorded using unique identifiers. We collected data on cases, contacts, dates of exposure and/or SARS-CoV-2 positive test results and exposure setting. We performed descriptive analyses of events from 06.04.-31.12.2020. We conducted interviews with PHA to understand experiences and lessons learnt, applying a thematic approach for qualitative analysis. Results: From 06.04.-31.12.2020 data on 7,527 cross-border COVID-19 case and contact tracing activities were collected. Germany initiated communication 5,200 times, and other countries 2,327 times. Communication from other countries was most frequently initiated by Austria (n = 1,184, 50.9%), Switzerland (n = 338, 14.5%), and the Netherlands (n = 168, 7.2%). Overall, 3,719 events (49.4%) included information on 5,757 cases (median 1, range: 1–42), and 4,114 events (54.7%) included information on 13,737 contacts (median: 1, range: 1–1,872). The setting of exposure was communicated for 2,247 of the events (54.6%), and most frequently included private gatherings (35.2%), flights (24.1%) and work-related meetings (20.3%). The median time delay between exposure date and contact information receipt at RKI was five days. Delay between positive test result and case information receipt was three days. Main challenges identified through five interviews were missing data or delayed accessibility particularly from flights, and lack of clear and easy to use communication channels. More and better trained staff were mentioned as ideas for improving future pandemic response preparedness. Conclusion: Cross-border case and contact tracing data can supplement routine surveillance but are challenging to measure. We need improved systems for cross-border event management, by improving training and communication channels, that will help strengthen monitoring activities to better guide public health decision-making and secure a good future pandemic response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Between 2020 and spring 2022, health safety was the new pressing concern among the risks at major events. It seemed that it – respectively hygiene as part of infection control – was as important as event safety if an event in Germany was to be approved. Problems aroused in terms of an equal implementation in practice. This article therefore addresses how safety and hygiene aspects interacted during event planning and implementation phases. Design/methodology/approach: The authors draw on qualitative data from a German research project. They use results from eleven semi-structured expert interviews and four field observations at major events. One guiding assumption in the content analysis is that there are major interrelations between event and health safety concepts, which become visible during planning and the implementation of event-related technical, organisational and personal measures. Findings: The empirical data shows that hygiene is not perceived as an integral part of event safety, but rather as a disconnected pillar beside the "classical" event safety. This is reflected in an imbalanced attention as well as in separate, disintegrated concepts. This disconnectedness leaves room for unwanted interplays between event and health safety as well as potential legitimacy facades. Originality/value: Most studies to date focus on the effectiveness of hygiene concepts and impacts of COVID-19 on the event sector in general without taking a closer look at interactions between event safety and health safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent COVID-19 pandemic has caused the event industry and providers of tertiary event management courses to reflect on the nature of future events and the form they will take. With hybrid, virtual, and innovative events being foreseen for the coming years, skills taught in the relevant programs and courses also need to be reassessed and restructured. Using qualitative, semistructured interviews, this research explores the viewpoints on requisite future skills from three groups of event stakeholders—professionals, lecturers, and students—across three countries: China, Germany, and Australia. The results show agreement on what event management skills will be needed, among which technical and digital expertise, communication, innovation, and leadership are seen as the most important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tripping hazards caused by ground conditions in evacuation scenarios In the planning of large events, evacuation simulations have become a frequently used tool. Many environmental parameters can already be taken into account as boundary conditions. So far, the risk of tripping on the floor surface and the resulting change in the flow of people in the event of tripping have not been taken into account. In a literature search, the gait cycle and the significant disturbance (visual and motor) that causes stumbling were analysed. A height difference of 12.9 ± 4.5 mm can cause a person to stumble. Depending on the density of people, the effect on the flow of movement and the affected and surrounding people varies in severity. In Germany, based on previous court rulings, a deviation in floor level of 2.0 to 2.5 cm represents a violation of the obligation to maintain safety on the road. In order to better incorporate the danger and the subsequent effects of a tripping incident on the evacuation of large events into the planning and simulation, a factor for surfaces should be developed which takes into account irregularities and tripping hazards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article announces that Jan Wolter has been appointed as the authorized representative of the presidency, while Markus Wolters has taken on responsibility for event and communication management at the DGKL (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Klinische Chemie und Laboratoriumsmedizin e.V), in Germany.

During the last years, the city and regional library (Stadt- und Regionalbibliothek) Frankfurt (Oder) has intensified its activities in the fields of public relations work and event management. Through numerous co-operations with cultural institutions, bookshops and companies the library succeeded in building a strong network and give itself a new image. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]