Guidelines for Hosting an Event

A) Main event: The World Resources Forum (WRF) Conference

• three days (arriving Sunday evening, welcome cocktail, on-site lunches, conference dinner on Tuesday evening, conference close early Wednesday afternoon);
• around 500 participants (researchers, policymakers, politicians, business leaders and NGO representatives);
• around 10 parallel breakout sessions;
• modest exhibition (about 80 m², 10-20 exhibitors, most of them: companies, publishers, research institutes);
• timing: September - November
   

Requirements for hosting bids:

For a successful bid, your initiative must be supported by a (national) government (e.g. the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Technology, Innovation, Environment, Trade etc.) and/or a university (technical, economic or social sciences). A combination of the two, i.e. a government and a university, is ideal.

Your bid needs to identify a reasonable estimate of costs, including an overview of potential sponsors, and a project plan with a timeline. A few sponsors confirming 'in principle' interest, in writing, helps. All WRF Secretariat costs (personal, travel, etc.) must be accounted for in your budget.

Your bid should include a proposal for fees for international participants (in Davos fees were around CHF 800-1,000 for three days, including lunches and one conference dinner) and national participants (discounts for specific categories, such as students, participants from developing countries). As the fees depend on local costs, they can differ significantly.

The venue needs to have all the normal characteristics for international events (less than one hour from an international airport, hotels from 5 stars to budget nearby, public transport facilities, possibly sustainable catering options). 

Bidding process:

The Secretariat is available for informal substantive talks with potential hosts, and can also supply letters of recommendation or support.

After being shortlisted the venue will be inspected by a team of three representatives of our Secretariat and Board. If selected, a Memorandum of Understanding will be drafted and signed with a division of tasks.

Normally the WRF Secretariat has the overall lead, it initiates draft programme discussions and contacts international speakers. The local host is responsible for logistics, eventual field trips and social programme, local and national sponsors and the national scientific program.  
 

B) Other events

You may also submit proposals for shorter and more focused events that concentrate on:

• a specific geographical region (a city, a region, a country, a continent) instead of the world
• a specific topic (metals, food, copper, water) instead of all resources
•  a specific phase of the life cycle (extraction, design, transport, manufacturing, consumption, recycling)
•  a specific target group (youth, women, industry – overall or specific sectors –, city councils, NGO's, social scientists) instead of all stakeholders.

These can be formal events or informal brainstorming or working sessions, summer schools, training programs, field visits.

This field of activity will be developed closely together with the proposing party, and supported by existing institutes with experience in these areas.
 

For all events (except in a very few countries) the WRFA can count upon the support of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and we are pleased to have a huge network of world class scientists, leading companies and influential politicians and policy makers, as well as NGO's, in all parts of the world. This means that as soon as you have found serious interest on your side, we will be pleased to follow up and make it happen with you.