The Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC) has won the ‘Best Business Event’ at last week’s Scottish Thistle Awards for the 36th International Papillomavirus Conference (IPVC).  The conference, delivered by the International Papillomavirus Society (IPVS) and Kenes Group with support from the EICC and a local committee, took place over four days at the EICC with over 1,600 delegates from across the globe in attendance.

The main theme of the conference was “equitable, evidence-based approaches to human papillomavirus (HPV) disease”, with experts in the fields of public health, clinical research and science working collaboratively towards eliminating diseases associated with HPV.

Globally, an estimated 620,000 new cervical cancer diagnoses and 70,000 HPV related cancers in men are diagnosed each year, with young people particularly at risk.

The Scottish Thistle Awards judges said they were impressed with “not just the conference’s positive impact on Edinburgh’s economy but also by its social impact on the country as a whole”.  The judges also commended a citywide campaign on HPV awareness which focused on communities with low vaccination rates that brought real benefits to the health of citizens, noting that in one school alone the uptake of the vaccine increased by 40 to 60 per cent following the campaign.

Gayle McGuinn, Head of Associations at the EICC, said: ““Winning the Best Business Event Award at the Thistle Awards is a tremendous honour. IPVC 2024 in Edinburgh embodied the EICC’s vision of inspiring ideas that change the world, proving that business events can deliver impact well beyond the conference floor. By increasing HPV awareness and vaccination uptake, its legacy reaches into communities across the globe, a legacy that will prevent cancer diagnoses and save lives. This recognition underlines the transformative role of business events in shaping healthier, stronger futures.”

The annual Scottish Thistle Awards are run by VisitScotland, with other award winners this year including the Highland Wildlife Park, the TRNSMT music festival, Edinburgh Zoo, the Edinburgh International Book Festival, cycling race the Tour of Britain 2024, VisitArran, and the Torridon Hotel in the Scottish Highlands.