Joe GallopA Greener Festival (AGF) has announced the first speakers for this year’s Green Events & Innovations Conference (GEI), including representatives from OVO Arena Wembley, Royal Albert Hall and Denmark’s Roskilde Festival (cap. 17,000).
The 14th edition of the conference will take place at the Royal Garden Hotel in Kensington, London on 29 April. It will be an official part of the International Live Music Conference (ILMC) for the first time, taking place on the last day of the annual gathering of global touring, festival and live entertainment industries.
The first speakers announced for GEI 14 include; Chiara Badiali (Julie’s Bicycle), Dale Vince OBE (Ecotricity/Forest Green Rovers) Dr Vincent Walsh (Herblabism/Future of Food), Glenn Lyons (UWE), Holger Jan Schmidt (YOUROPE, general secretary, John Drury (OVO Arena Wembley, VP and general manager), Kara Djurhuus (Roskilde Festival, head of philanthropy), Lucy Noble (NAA/Royal Albert Hall), Marie Sabot (We Love Green, festival director), Sangeeta Waldron (Serendipity PR & Media).
Key topics of the conference will include; European co-operation in the live music sector, arenas coming back greener with the AGF Greener Arena certification, travel and transport, sustainable food and beverage, green energy, and a “direct challenge to fundamental industry frameworks and cultures that must change”. AGF said the connection between wellbeing, inclusivity, diversity, equity and environmental sustainability will be a key theme throughout the programme.
AGF CEO Claire O’Neill said, “The industry at large has woken up and we’re rapidly getting our house in order. There’s significant work still to go and GEI 14 will be a place to learn from peers and to share the load.
“We can now confidently step up to our responsibility to use this powerful global voice to millions of people as a positive tool for societal transformation. Nevermind rebuilding the self destructive, exclusive and oppressive old ways. Let’s create something that supports and enhances flourishing life for everyone – or else what’s the point?”