The room is full and there’s a real buzz. For the first time in the UK we’re staging our largest ever public relations conference. Thirty three nations are represented and people have come from afar as Australia, China, Argentina, the States, New Zealand, Russia, Europe and thirty people have made the journey from Nigeria.
Their energy, enthusiasm and in depth knowledge, their questions and desire to learn quite frankly puts the UK in the shade. They think nothing about traveling for 2 days in order to learn. They see the time is takes, the ability to network as an investment in their future.
Having spoken at many CIPR groups in the UK over the last year and highlighted the conference, only to be told – ‘it’s a long way to go, we’re terribly busy you know’ our international guests have illustrated the growing apathy in the UK. It’s time we sat up and listened. With our ever shrinking world and with the growth in international communications we need to understand the unique differences in each market and learn from each other.
And for those UK delegates attending, be they in house, in consultancy or independent they will all leave the conference feeling that they have learnt, made new friends and been inspired. Above all, they have confessed their shock at the growth and complexity of PR outside the UK. They now realise that we need to join together and share views, ideas and processes or we’ll be left behind.
You are absolutely right Liz. I could only attend the first day, but I was quite shocked in a way to see so few UK PR people there really. Your comment about 'too busy' also struck a chord with me. I'm glad so many of us are busy, I'm busy, my team at Mott MacDonald are busy... but to keep busy in the future we have got to keep learning now by investing our time properly by attending such events like this. Super presentations about Destination Marketing and ten out of ten for Mike Lee's workshop. I'm glad I went.
Posted by: Mike Kean | 25 June 2008 at 06:05 PM