The Power of Legacy: A New Way of Understanding Conferences

In a context where event organisers seek venues and services that deliver value beyond logistics, the concept of legacy—or, in other words, the positive impact a conference or convention leaves on the territory, the community and the professional sector it involves—has become a strategic element. In Girona, In Girona, this approach is part of the identity of its Conference Centre Auditorium, which celebrates two decades as a leading venue for international conferences and large-scale gatherings.

This facility combines accessibility, experience and a clear service orientation, but its true hallmark is its ability to transform every event into an opportunity to create shared value. A model that responds to global MICE trends and reinforces the appeal of the Costa Brava and Girona Pyrenees as a purpose-driven conference destination.

Twenty years connecting knowledge and territory

The history of the Girona Conference Centre Auditorium shows a constant evolution towards meeting formats that integrate community and specialisation. Over the years, it has hosted scientific, technological, medical and corporate events that have put Girona on the European MICE map.

Its distinctive value lies in working in partnership with institutions, universities, healthcare centres and local stakeholders. Thanks to this joint effort, the knowledge gained at each conference transcends the confines of the venue and has a real impact on the local area.

This model has been evident through events like the  Congress of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, which brought together international experts in a programme focused on postoperative complications, complex cases and technical innovation, as well as in the 2nd Michele Taruffo Girona Evidence Week, which turned the city into a global meeting point for evidential reasoning in the legal field.

Legacy, a cornerstone of the current MICE model

For many organisers, creating a legacy means reinforcing an event’s standing and enhancing its social and reputational return. In Girona, this principle translates into concrete and replicable actions: outreach programmes, public activities, engagement with students, specialised training initiatives and projects that strengthen the local fabric.

As part of medical conferences, the Auditorium has organised free training-oriented talks open to the general public, such as the sessions on “Caring for the Heart During and After Cancer” and “Generating Health: Fall Prevention”, delivered in collaboration with professionals from Hospital Trueta, the Martí Julià Hospital Complex and various medical societies.

Thanks to these initiatives, international speakers have shared their knowledge with the local population, strengthening the link between experts and citizens and multiplying the conference’s impact beyond its formal agenda.

International congresses that make their mark

In this way, Girona has strengthened its international profile by hosting high-level meetings in fields as diverse as astrophysics, nanotechnology and food research. Conferences like the International Symposium on Nuclei in the Cosmos XVIII, which brought together world-leading specialists in nuclear astrophysics, and the TAPPI International Conference on Nanotechnology for Renewable Materials, with experts from 25 countries, have demonstrated Girona’s capacity to host high-complexity scientific events. Another noteworthy event was ICoMST, the most important global congress on science and technology in the meat industry, which brought together experts from more than 30 countries.

These gatherings not only have a significant economic impact, but also fuel a local ecosystem involving research centres, universities and specialised institutions. Technical visits, sessions shared with local researchers and parallel activities reinforce knowledge transfer and turn each event into a catalyst for new professional relationships and future opportunities.

An ecosystem that is ready for the future of MICE

Legacy has thus become a key criterion for a sector seeking lasting contributions beyond the event itself. In Girona, this approach is naturally integrated into an ecosystem that combines infrastructure prepared for hybrid and multidisciplinary formats, an urban environment that facilitates mobility and interaction, and institutional collaboration that reinforces support when it comes to organising congresses.

This balance between operational efficiency and contextual quality enables the city to respond to the demands of a more responsible MICE sector aligned with the current values of sustainability, connection and positive impact. In Girona, this legacy culture is consolidating as part of the destination’s DNA and acts as a driving force to ensure that every conference (whether scientific, medical, technological or corporate) contributes to a more open, more relational and more transformative MICE.