It is the last day of UNIDO’s 17th General Conference. Over 700 people gathered in Vienna over the past five days to discuss and interact on different topics. On the sidelines of the main plenary and events, an EXPO took place showcasing ideas and sharing experiences.

The EXPO was divided in five different zones. The Knowledge Hub had over 40 focus group discussions and open information sessions covering a broad range for topics: from the possible impacts of Industry 4.0 to gender equality and sustainable cities.

“All the ideas we had the opportunity to hear, made it a very good experience,” said Andre Rypl, diplomat for the Brazilian Permanent Mission.

With the people present coming from all continents, from the private sector, governments and international organizations, everyone had something to add to the conversation.

The EXPO didn’t stop there. The Innovation Zone counted on the participation of some of UNIDO’s partners from the private sector. People were particularly fascinated by virtual reality (VR), which transported them to Armenia where they could see the results of one of UNIDO’s projects and its contribution to the SDGs.

Thailand and Nigeria held their own events in the Networking Zone, a space created for Member States to exchange best practices. While Nigeria showcased its experience and recent advances, Thailand used the space to present its economic plans for the future.

The Digital Media Zone took the General Conference beyond the walls of the Vienna International Centre.  Over 40 live interviews with ministers, ambassadors, panellists, UNIDO staff and other participants took place there. One of the interviews, featuring the president of AIESEC, reached over 15,000 views.

At the Youth Zone, participants found many workshops led by experts in areas such as digitalization, youth employment and entrepreneurship.

“Young entrepreneurs are coming up with solutions and innovative approaches,” said Selma Prodanovic, founder of 1MillionStartups.

The EXPO brought people together in innovative ways and was a concrete example of how partnerships can lead to greater impact.