ICM Response to Virtual Triennial Congress Cancellation Fee
Dear global midwife community,
We want to acknowledge comments/concerns we’ve received from community members regarding the cancellation policy for ICM’s Virtual Triennial Congress. We‘d like to start by apologising for the inconvenience and frustration you are feeling. We understand that no virtual event can replace the immersive experiences that characterise in-person gatherings and we are doing everything we can to accommodate our delegates and create the most powerful virtual event possible.
We want to emphasise that ICM is not profiting from the 50% cancellation fee in any way and would never take advantage of our community. The loss to the ICM of cancelling the in–person Congress has been significant. We are doing everything we can to absorb the impact whilst trying to stay afloat as an organisation so we can continue to serve our members. It will be possible to transfer your registration to the ICM 2023 Congress if delegates would prefer this to attending the 2021 Virtual Triennial Congress.
We will begin rolling out the programme for the Virtual Triennial Congress in early 2021, and we are confident you’ll find yourself and your professional interests reflected in our speaker list, presentations, exhibits and networking opportunities. Here’s a hint at what you can expect:
- Live chats with leading industry experts
- Matching programs designed to connect you with midwives from around the world who share similar interests and professional aspirations
- Congress sessions that allow you to “walk” and move about digital spaces, interacting with exhibits and other attendees
This year has presented unprecedented challenges for midwives and the organisations that support them. We at ICM can relate to the financial constraints felt by our Midwives’ Associations and have designed our cancellation policy with the sole purpose of remaining operational so we can continue advancing the profession of midwifery globally.
Thank you for your understanding. We hope to see you at the Virtual Triennial Congress throughout June 2020.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to [email protected] with any additional comments or concerns.
