墨尔本会议局统筹全城资源助力Women Deliver 2026达成1.9亿美元资金承诺

Skift Take

Destination choice can have a profound impact on the legacy success of mission-led international conferences. The Melbourne Convention Bureau used its destination-wide network to support Women Deliver 2026 in furthering progressive policies and inspiring multi-million-dollar funding commitments.

What would happen if association conferences attracted the same level of cross-destination coordination that Olympic bids typically inspire? Melbourne answered that question when it hosted Women Deliver 2026, a conference dedicated to advancing gender equality and women’s and children’s rights globally. The event brought together over 6,100 delegates from 189 countries and led to the announcement of over $190 USD million in funding commitments.

This level of impact would not have been possible without a city-wide coordination effort led by the Melbourne Convention Bureau (MCB). It wasn’t just a matter of bringing together the most influential policymakers domestically, but across the world. The city hosted over 30 international government leaders, including prime ministers, ministers, and United Nations delegates, researchers, philanthropists, corporate executives, First Nations community representatives, and grassroots groups.

Achieving maximum global reach, regional relevance, and universal accessibility requires a multi-pronged approach, and a conference organizer cannot do it alone. For Women Deliver 2026, the MCB enlisted the support of not only municipal, state, and federal governments, but local venues, suppliers, event production companies, academic institutions, corporate leaders, and nonprofit organizations. “We call it Team Melbourne,” said Julia Swanson, CEO of the MCB. 

This team effort meant that everything from visa processing to onsite VIP security was streamlined and optimized. The removal of travel barriers helped to ensure that key international leaders were at the table with Melbourne’s regional network of policymakers and community representatives.

For large-scale, mission-driven conferences, this depth of destination support is the key to delivering a long-term legacy and the best possible attendee experience.

Launching a Regional Event to Prove Global Capability and Commitment

A coordinated effort of this magnitude doesn’t happen overnight. “It has to commence from when you first engage in conversations,” Swanson explained.

To showcase Melbourne as the ideal destination during the bidding process, Swanson’s team went beyond listing infrastructure assets and name-dropping past conferences. With the support of the state government, they launched a regional event dedicated to gender equality as part of the lead-up to the 2023 Women Deliver conference in Kigali, Rwanda, turning Melbourne and their destination partner, Pacific Harbour, Fiji, into Women Deliver’s first Regional Convening Partners. 

The Women Deliver Oceanic Pacific Regional Convening served as a testament to Melbourne’s values. “We invited Women Deliver to join the event and see for themselves the interest, support, and excitement from stakeholder groups across the Pacific,” said Swanson. “It also gave a voice to women in the Pacific who often don't get a platform on those major global scales to discuss their needs and goals.”  The government sent a delegation of 70 regional representatives to Kigali to extend the impact.

Both the regional event and the conference delegation provided an opportunity to identify and platform community needs, while showcasing where the region leads. As a prime example, Australia’s Workplace Gender Equality Act requires annual reporting on gender equality benchmarks, such as male-to-female staff ratios and pay gaps. “We saw an opportunity to take that leadership and then amplify it,” said Swanson.

Financial support from the Australian Business Events Bid Fund Program provides yet more evidence of the country’s commitment to the cause. In the words of Sally Cope, Tourism Australia executive general manager, industry & business events:

“We're incredibly proud to have supported this landmark event through our Bid Fund Program. Events like Women Deliver are vital catalysts for change, ensuring that global dialogue transforms into tangible progress and community action, while showcasing Melbourne and Australia as a premier destination for delivering event legacy.”

Swanson echoed the importance of a common purpose, stating, “The most successful events happen when the host city and the international association share a strategic alignment and mutual goals. Every city in the world has a convention center and can host a meeting, but the magic happens when you've got that partnership.”

Connecting Event Organizers to Cross-Governmental Support

When Swanson’s team learned that they’d won the bid for the Women Deliver 2026 conference, they connected the conference organizer with key stakeholders to develop a governance model “to make sure that we had all the right voices in at the right times for every conversation.”

The Melbourne Convention Bureau then launched a cross-government steering group. “Who do they want at the table? Who can we bring? We see ourselves as a connector and an ecosystem builder,” explained Swanson. 

“It was a whole-of-government approach, involving much more than tourism and events,” she added. “The focus was on how the government could support it from a policy perspective as well as event delivery.” 

Speaking commitments by key government leadership helped to draw high-ranking officials from other countries and elevate the dialogue. At the event itself, Australia's Minister for International Development, Dr. Anne Aly, announced government investments totaling AUD $90.2 million ( USD $65 million) to continue programs that advance gender equality and support women's sexual and reproductive agency in the Oceania region.

The federal government also minimized barriers to international attendance by streamlining and fast-tracking the visa process for delegates. Additionally, the Victorian government provided a range of support, including targeted scholarships and free venue hire at the Queen Victoria Women’s Centre.

Streamlining Logistics With an Operational Steering Group

Similarly, an operational steering group was established to coordinate across the city and ensure alignment with Women Deliver’s governance model and guiding values. It brought together the conference organizer, the venue, and First Nations advisors from within Australia and across the Pacific. The MCB even enlisted the support of the Victoria Police for VIP management and security. 

This extensive consultation process helped to ensure that the communities most in need were connected to those with the greatest influence, from the Deputy Secretary General of the UN to leading business executives. It was not just a matter of influencing policymakers, either. The conference brought together key Australian philanthropists to form the Coalition of Funders for Women and Families, pledging AUD $32.8  million (USD $23.6 million) to community-led solutions for women and children.

Modeling the Conference Message Through Event Design

The Melbourne Convention Bureau also played a pivotal role in helping to ensure that Women Deliver 2026 not only advocated for gender equality and inclusivity but put those values into practice. “We wanted to make it accessible for all,” said Swanson.

With Women Deliver setting the guidelines and overseeing the process, the MCB coordinated with the venue and the city to provide delegates with a host of accessibility services and features.

Some of the key offerings included free childcare, multilingual materials, gender-inclusive bathrooms, a changing place facility for people with disabilities and high-support needs, quiet spaces, on-site wellness support, inclusive wayfinding and signage across the city, and a dedicated Youth Zone. While they’re too often treated as perks rather than must-haves, these offerings can make or break the attendee experience. “It was wonderful to see conference delegates walking around with a pram and having the ability to drop their kids off in an accredited space,” said Swanson.

Equally, anyone acting as a first point of contact is essential to the experience. “We made sure that everyone involved was trained on what attendee support needs might be and how to respond and manage situations,” Swanson explained.

Leaving a Lasting Legacy

In addition to prompting tens of millions in funding commitments, the conference inspired a pledge named after the city itself: the Melbourne Declaration for Gender Equality. With over 800 organizations and individuals already signed on, the declaration calls for the protection and fulfillment of human rights alongside a stronger, better-resourced gender equality ecosystem.

A fully supportive destination partner is indispensable for mission-led international conferences. “The collaboration needs to begin with the very first conversations all the way through to the event strategy development and partnership approach: building an ecosystem, setting goals, and delivering the event itself,” said Swanson.

Discover how Melbourne can help deliver your next conference. Contact the Melbourne Convention Bureau to explore your event opportunities.

This content was created collaboratively by the Melbourne Convention Bureau and Skift Studio.