The annual FIDI (FIDI Global Alliance) conference took place at the end of April in Dubrovnik, Croatia.
It was an impressive attendance of over 600 delegates, an increasing number of whom chose to forego the merry-go-round of individual business meetings in favour of taking part in some of the many plenary business sessions.
Jesse van Sas, FIDI Secretary General, opened the conference referring to when the organisation was formed in 1950 and reflecting on how it had developed over that time. He thanked all the past 47 presidents and FIDI leaders, including the FIDI current Board, for their efforts.
Derek Duffy, FIDI President, was next. He listed what he believed to be some of the industry ‘firsts’ from FIDI, including: being the first association in our industry; the first to hold an industry conference; the first to have financial protection in the industry; the first learning and trading academy in the industry; the first Professional Cooperation Guideline; the first financial assessments; the first carbon calculator. I am sure that some other organisations, The British Association of Removers for example, might dispute some of those claims however, to do so might be considered impolite as, what is indisputable, is that FIDI has been responsible for many initiatives in the industry and has come a long way in 75 years.
Derek also flirted with politics, saying that today’s world leaders could benefit from taking a page from the FIDI handbook by being more sensitive to everyone’s needs and by taking a longer view, not just focussing on one administrative term. Derek said that movers are “a kind group of people” and that, although we are from all parts of the world, with companies of all sizes, we are still friends. He said: “So as we navigate this uncertainty in the world I can’t help but encourage us all to take a little bit of FIDI in your heart and we will get through this sooner rather than later.”
He took the opportunity to introduce the Coalition for Associations in Global Mobility, an extension of the Coalition for Greener Mobility formed a couple of years ago and with a much broader brief ...
Photo: Jesse van Sas.