UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, has officially begun the countdown to its 92nd UFI Global Congress. The event takes place19–22 November 2025 in Hong Kong, hosted by AsiaWorld-Expo.
Under the theme ‘Shaping the Future’, this year’s Congress will bring together industry leaders from around the world and feature new voices, session formats, and immersive activations befitting UFI’s centennial year.
“We are honoured to welcome the UFI Global Congress to Hong Kong this year,” said Irene Chan, CEO of AsiaWorld-Expo.
“This special occasion marks AsiaWorld-Expo’s 20th anniversary and UFI’s centennial celebration, showcasing our strength as a … gateway to the Greater Bay Area.
“Together with UFI’s inspiring programme, we are excited to co-curate experiences that highlight the city’s cuisine, traditions and innovative spirit,” Chan added.
UFI president Hugh Jones said this year’s UFI Global Congress would be unlike any other in its history: “Hong Kong provides the perfect backdrop for this milestone gathering, and I look forward to joining the global UFI community this November.”
Dex Hunter-Torricke, one of the global tech industry’s leading thinkers on artificial intelligence and human connection, will be this year’s keynote speaker.
Formerly at SpaceX, Facebook and Google, Hunter-Torricke will explore how AI and technological change are reshaping industries, and how the exhibitions sector can play a defining role in reconnecting people and ideas.
The main stage programme highlights include ‘Future-first: How leading organisers are redesigning the exhibition experience’; ‘What our industry can learn from HYROX’, ‘Rethinking the role of service providers in shaping what’s next’’, ‘How venues are evolving to meet the future of events’ and the popular ‘Global Economic Outlook’.
Six one-hour ‘Insight Series – Ideas in Action’ workshops will spotlight this year’s UFI Award-winning projects, each offering a unique example of innovation in practice.
The Bate-Papo Corner, a new format side stage, will make it’s debut at this year’s Congress. Inspired by the Portuguese word for “chat”, it invites delegates to engage in lively discussions and exchange insights in an informal, interactive setting.
All sessions will be recorded and released as UFI Bate-Papo Unplugged podcasts on Spotify and other major platforms.
The UFI Medal of Honour returns as a Congress highlight. Revived in 2024 to honour the association’s rich history, the Medal of Honour celebrates individuals who have made an exceptional contribution to the global exhibition industry and to the UFI community.
UFI will also mark the 100th anniversary of the association with a series of special celebrations and activations during the Congress and there will be a 1920s-themed Welcome Reception.
The 92nd UFI Global Congress will see the annual handover of the UFI presidency. Hugh Jones, CEO of RX, will pass the baton and the presidency to Panittha Buri, vice-chairperson of BHIRAJ BURI GROUP.
Registration for the UFI Global Congress remains open for UFI members as well as members of SISO and UFI’s G3 partner associations AIPC and ICCA.
For more information, including the full programme and delegate list, visit www.uficongress.org.
Source: www.exhibitionworld.co.uk
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