APBM 2020 Conference was interrupted by Earthquake

APBM 2020 International Conference on Applied Psychology and Business Management was 6th International Conference organised by IATELS and the first one, devoted to the problems of psychology and business.

The conference had been planned since 2019 to be held in Malta in June, 2020. Unfortunately because of the COVID lockdown, the APBM conference as many other international academic events was decided to be cancelled.

Yet, due to the numerous inquiries about the conference, wide interest among academicians and businesses from different countries to participate in the conference, it was decided to hold APBM 2020 on 30 – 31 of October in Izmir (Turkey).

Izmir as a great destination to visit in Turkey, thanks to its location on the Ege Sea, attracts many tourists from all round the world, being a cradle of the ancient history and combining its historical value with the natural beauty of the warm climate, sea treasures and sightseeing opportunities.

We also had a great experience in Izmir and namely in Swiss Grand Hotel, holding our II International Conference on Language Studies, Translation and Education LASTE 2019.  With pleasant memories in mind we decided to meet our guests and colleagues for APBM 2020 in Izmir too.

It was great pleasure to see that the initiative to organise an academic event in the field of psychology and business evoked so much interest in different academic and business circles. The special topic of the conference “Global Lockdown: Personality, Society, Business, Economies” attracted presenters and listeners from various countries and institutions.

The organising committee of the conference received a big number of applications from the presenters and visiting groups, who expressed their interest to participate in the conference in-person and online. They were coming from Philippines, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Ghana, Poland, Germany, Pakistan, Morocco, Kazakhstan, Turkey, USA, Mexico, Iran, Iraq, Algeria, Greece, and many others.

Travelling to Turkey turned to be quite a complicated trip for very many applicants who had to pass through strict procedures of the visa formalities and COVID tests. Considering travel complications and yet our colleagues’ eagerness to attend the conference in-person, it was decided to hold the conference in the blended mode, providing the opportunities to visit Turkey to all those who were determined to come and giving the opportunities to join the conference online for all those who could not overcome the distance due to the travel restrictions.

Despite all difficulties the conference took place and was launched timely on 30 of October in Izmir, in Swiss Grand Hotel (Turkey).

Till the afternoon time the conference discussions were due according to the program, with the presentations from Dr. Flormando Baldovino on Organisational Performance of Microfinance Industry (Philippines), Positive Leadership and Organisational Change from Dr. Muhammed Taufiq Amir (Indonesia), Assist. Prof., Dr. Piotr Raźniak and Assist. Prof., Dr. Anna Winiarczyk-Raźniak from Poland speaking about the role of cities in creation of life sciences sector companies, Assist. Prof. Dr. Rinat Zhanbayev (Kazakhstan) on the development and implementation of the foresight- oriented methods of training PhD students and many others. Combining in-person and online presentations, questioning the presenters the conference plan was being realised with its full success.

In the afternoon, during the Round Table Discussions devoted to the Global Lockdown Affects on International Economies which was led by Prof. Dr. Iryna Sekret, the walls and the ceiling of the hotel started shaking… Nobody could realise at once that it was an earthquake, as nobody could even think that such a disaster could happen. Later on we will know about more than 100 victims and many ruined buildings, collapsed during the earthquake shakings which were up to 7 magnitude…

Luckily nobody of the conference participants was in a threat.

The hotel staff immediately reacted to the happenings and took everyone out of the hotel using emergency ways and stairs.

Thanks to the safety of the hotel’s building itself and professionalism of the personnel all hotel guests and visitors were immediately taken outside to wait till the end of the earthquake shakings.

It was a shocking experience for everyone who was in Izmir on the 30th of October, 2020, as reportedly, it was one of the most powerful earthquakes which had ever happened in Izmir for last 10 years.

All international academic community united in their good wishes to the hosting organisation of the conference StartinForum International Project Management and Business Consultancy, and the Conference Organising Committee who were in Izmir during the conference and were taken by the earthquake.

It was decided to postpone the presentations which were planned on 31 of October till 13 of November, 2020, to continue the conference discussions in the online mode.

During the online session of APBM 2020 on 13 of November the program includes the presentations from Prof. Dr Andreas Papatheodorou (Greece), Prof. Reuben Musgrave (USA), Dr. Noureddine Laouni (Morocco), Dr. Javier Zavala-Rayas (Mexico) and many other academicians.

Despite all troubles, travel complications and natural disasters we expect to reach significant outcomes of APBM conference, resulting in paper publications, new international collaborative projects, future programs and events to provide guidelines on life and business management in crisis to international community.

IATELS Board