Adjust the text size as needed by clicking the buttons below.
Adjust the visual style of the site by selecting the one that suits you best from the choices available below:
During their Recognition Award Gala of November 8, the Palais des congrès de Montréal marked the invaluable collaboration of 18 Ambassadors who helped bring 12 international conferences to Montréal. These major events represent over $73 million in economic benefits for Montréal and Québec, and will draw more than 32,000 delegates to the city. “Montréal hosts more international events than any other city in the Americas, an honour vastly attributable to our Ambassadors and their commitment to advocating for their city and their scientific fields all over the world,” mentioned Robert Mercure, President and CEO of the Palais des congrès de Montréal. “The Recognition Award Gala recognizes the undeniable contribution and leadership of these Ambassadors, but also the role played by our industry partners, especially Tourisme Montréal and the Hotel Association of Greater Montréal,” he added.
“For over 30 years, the Club’s Ambassadors have helped to make Montréal the city that hosts the greatest number of international events in North America. They include dedicated individuals who, through their efforts to attract thousands of convention delegates to Montréal, are enabling Québec to take advantage of a striking showcase among international clienteles”, noted Minister of Tourism Caroline Proulx.
327 INFLUENTIAL MEMBERS
The Recognition Award Gala shines the spotlight on the exceptional work of these dynamic and influential women and men who, on top of their regular careers, actively involve themselves in the process of attracting international conferences to Montréal, and the Palais. This year, 16 new well-known figures joined the Ambassadors Club, while two existing members confirmed their Emeritus Ambassador status for delivering a second international conference in the case of Professor Fabrice Labeau, and a third conference for Professor Hany Moustapha, who is also the Club’s President. “Since 1985, the passion that drives the 327 members of the Club has helped attract nearly 250 major events, which have contributed $1.1 billion to the city’s and province’s economy, plus significant intellectual wealth,” said an enthusiastic Professor Hany Moustapha, President of the Ambassadors Club.
Ambassadors APPOINTED IN 2018
EMERGING RESEARCHERS RECOGNIZED
During the evening, tribute was also paid to three winners of the Fonds de recherche du Québec Relève étoile award for emerging researchers. They are Catherine Bélanger, Maude Brunet and Kha Han Lisa Dang. This competition makes it possible to recognize the excellent research being conducted by young researchers and to foster research careers within Québec universities.
Also, the Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail saluted the work of Franck Sgard and Jérémie Voix, recipients of the very first IRSST – Ambassadors Club award, for bringing The 26th International Congress on Sound and Vibration – ICSV26 to Montréal.
A SPECIAL EVENING TO MARK THE 35 YEARS OF THE PALAIS
Hosted by Pierre Chastenay, the evening also showcased the culinary talents of Capital Catering and the city’s seven major hotels: the Delta Hotel by Marriot Montréal, Fairmont Queen Elizabeth, Marriott Château Champlain, Westin Montréal, Sheraton Centre Montréal, InterContinental Montréal and Hyatt Regency Montréal. Produced by the Palais des congrès, the 2018 Recognition Award Gala was made possible thanks to some outstanding support, especially from Freeman Audio Visual Canada:
“A Canadian leader in high-tech innovation, Freeman Audio Visual Canada is proud to once again this year be the major sponsor of this remarkable event saluting the significant role the Ambassadors play,” mentioned Bernard Carignan, Regional Director – Eastern Region.
The Palais’ production partner, Idées au cube, also had a hand in the evening’s success:
“Idées au cube was proud to lend its creativity and knowhow to this prominent event. This year, we challenged ourselves to showcase the architectural elements of the Palais as a way of staging the content in a lively and inventive manner, and ultimately create an exceptional event,” explained Nathalie Gélinas, Producer.
RESERVING A SPOT FOR SUSTAINABILITY
Together with GDI, the Palais des congrès once again proudly gave the flowers from the event a second life by donating them to the residents of the Centre d’hébergement Manoir-de-l’Âge-d’Or. An original way to spread happiness while fostering the social aspect of the Palais’ longstanding sustainability plan!
For complete details on the event, go to congresmtl.com/gala.