BestCities Global Alliance and the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) have awarded the 2025 Incredible Impacts Programme (IIP) Seed Grant to Autism-Europe.
The US$5,000 grant will support the 14th Autism-Europe Congress (AEC 2025), taking place in Dublin from September 11–13, 2025.
The grant will help Autism-Europe, along with partners AsIAm and Fáilte Ireland, to maximise the congress’s reach and impact for Dublin’s Autistic community. The funding will also help them enhance and expand their capacity to design inclusive events, advocate for accessible employment, and lead public engagement efforts to ensure lasting impact beyond AEC 2025.
Adam Harris, CEO of AsIAm, said: “… The grant will help us to work towards creating a fully inclusive congress and will contribute to our overall vision of a society where every autistic person is accepted as they are – equal, valued, and respected.”
BestCities and ICCA also announced the three finalists for the 2025 Incredible Impacts Programme Main Grant. These finalists will present their projects at the ICCA Congress in November.
Hosted by the International Federation of Endodontic Associations, the World Endodontics Conference 2024 in Glasgow, Scotland, promoted oral health awareness. Its legacies include a multi-year public exhibit and educational resources for schools.
The next finalist is the World Rural Health Conference 2022. The World Organization of Family Doctors conference in Limerick, Ireland, addressed rural healthcare issues. It resulted in the Limerick Declaration on Rural Healthcare, a blueprint for improving care in remote areas. Grant funding would support and expand several initiatives, such as a rural teaching hub; and new ambassador and fellowship programmes.
Finally, the International Papillomavirus Conference 2024–26. The International Papillomavirus Society, a previous Seed Grant winner, launched initiatives to raise HPV awareness and reduce health disparities. Future funding would help scale these efforts.
The Incredible Impacts Programme celebrates associations that drive lasting, positive change through international meetings. Each year, it awards two grants: a US$5,000 Seed Grant and a US$20,000 Main Grant.
