The 19th conference of the International Humic Substances Society (IHSS) https://humic-substances.org/ was held in Bulgaria and hosted by the Bulgarian Humic Substances Society. This event was a great opportunity for all participants to modernize their knowledge, learn about the newest projects and innovations in the field, and make professional and personal acquaintances.
CHALLENGES
To win hosting the event
To offer a hotel which wasn’t built by the time the event was announced, as the venue for the event
To prepare delegate packages for guests in different categories
To arrange the poster session
To organize the professional tour
HOW WE MANAGED
Even though we didn’t know each other at the time, we managed to convince the Bulgarian Humic Substances Society that we have a professional approach, experience, and integrity. We campaigned together and won hosting the event. Our partnership was extremely successful.
We trusted our colleagues from Albena resort, and we offered a hotel that wasn’t built yet as venue for the event. Our decision proved successful. We took into consideration the special requirements of our client when making the packages for the different guest categories. We created a system for assembling and arranging the packages.
We arranged a preliminary meeting with the firm supplying the boards for the poster session. We agreed on the optimal arrangement of the boards, and kept in mind that there wasn’t a service elevator in the hotel, so we’d need more people from the firm to unload the boards.
The professional tour attracted many participants who were allocated in five buses. Since the space around the soil profile was limited, enough for about 30 people, we had to prepare an orderly bus schedule, so that each group would have enough time for a presentation and the following discussions around the soil profile.
We enjoyed the IHSS conference last week in Albena, in large measure due to the fine planning you and your staff provided for all the activities. Transportation and events all flowed seamlessly. I had a great time. Did more networking at that conference than perhaps any other in the past, in part because everything else was provided for. We visitors had a great opportunity to learn about Bulgaria. Many thanks to you and your staff!
Prof. Dan Olk, United States Department of Agriculture
I will take this opportunity to express my gratitude and many thanks to you for all your efforts to arrange the 19-th. IHSS meeting. I do know the skills needed to put together a perfect arrangement like this. I have had “humics” in my head, for nearly 60 years and I am impressed of the environmental importance of this matter. All mine time, I have emphasized the importance of cooperation. The knowledge-exchange at meetings, like yours in Bulgaria, is indeed important. Even of more importance is personal contact.
Dr. Egil Gjessing
University of Oslo, Norway
We want to say thank you and all employees of your organization for their help, responsiveness and kind attitude during our arrival at the conference. Thanks to you our stay in Bulgaria was comfortable and pleasant so we really want to return there again!
Valeria Tatarintseva and Svetlana Selyanina
N. Laverov Federal Center for Integrated Arctic Research (Russian Academy of Science)
