Convention programme

• We aim to have gender and geographical balance: in the speaker selection, care and attention will be exercised to guarantee a gender balance and a geographical representativity.
• We encourage the Programme Committee to invite speakers diverse in social identities, geographical location, background/training, methodological approaches, and research topics.
• We encourage speakers and presenters to create presentations and posters with accessible fonts and character sizes in order to help partially-sighted and neurodivergent participants.

Convention organization and environment

• Safer Space Policy: A safer space policy aims to foster an environment of respect, which makes all participants feel welcome – particularly those who are typically marginalized or excluded, whether by gender, sex, race, religion, (dis)ability, sexual orientation, geographical location, and personal background. Differing opinions and perspectives are crucial to effective discussion but all attendees ultimately take responsibility for their own speech and behaviour – in person and on social media – throughout the entire event and associated social gatherings.
• In respect of the transgender community, the pronouns of the participants will be asked during the registration on an optional basis. It is also possible that they will be printed on the badges that participants will use during the Convention.
• During the registration process to the Convention, we offer the possibility of indicating dietary requirements.
• Social gatherings (such as coffee breaks, lunches, or the Convention dinner) are organized in order for participants to be able to network and socialize.

• Ask respectful questions and avoid dominating a presenter’s question time to further any particular agenda. Question time after a talk is intended to give presenters the opportunity to expand on their talk in response to audience questions, and is not a platform for the audience to individually reply.
• Be mindful of and understand that intersectionality shapes our lived experience.
• Actively include all attendees in social gatherings (such as post-conference dinners and social events), particularly those for whom English is not a first language and junior students.

• We offer a diverse range of accommodation options with different prices

• At the Convention location participants will know more about local history and tradition. The social programme will give participants the possibility of looking at the city where the Convention is located through renewed eyes and learning about it.

• Accessible fonts, character sizes, and line-spacing for partially-sighted and neurodivergent users.
• A search bar to help find everything on the website
• A graphic structure, colour and contrast that facilitates reading
• Descriptive URLs so that screen readers can easily read them

Over the years Symposia has been implementing a large number of operational best practices for the daily running of its structure and all its events, from the selection of materials according to eco-sustainability criteria and the energy efficiency of the equipment, to the procedures for possible work peaks and for the replacement of absent staff.

The Convention is an environmentally-friendly event promoting environmental and social solidarity.

Great care will be put into our Green philosophy that will be applied to the catering services as well as to the choice of all equipment, materials, and gadgets.

• Food waste: Thanks to the collaboration with Federcongressi & eventi, the food bank network Banco Alimentare and the Fair Event organization Equoevento, we will collect the surplus food at the end of the Convention meals and deliver it to charitable organizations such as family homes, soup kitchens and refugee centres, in accordance with applicable hygiene regulations and in compliance with Italy’s Good Samaritan law (Law 155/2003).
  Find more here.
• Carbon neutral: The Convention is climate-friendly and, in the best-case scenario, carbon neutral. As the Organizing Secretariat, Symposia minimises the waste of CO2 emissions during its work and avoid all CO2 emissions that arise from any conference-related activities and travels. For this reason, in the website and private correspondence with participants, our staff will inform participants of different possibilities to reach the venue, such as public transportation and bike routes. We also prioritize renewable energy sources and eco-friendly merchandise in the Convention kit.
• Social sustainability: We encourage a socially sustainable Convention, designed, planned and realized with a strategy that minimizes negative impact on the environment, and leaves a positive legacy to the host community.