Conference Name: 10th World Melioidosis Congress
Dates: 21-23 October 2024
Host Organisation: The International Melioidosis Network (IMN)
Organisations by type: Association/Institute/Community Development Agency
Number of delegates: 180 delegates (100 International; 58 National; 22 NT)
NT location: Darwin, Northern Territory (NT), Australia
Conference venue: Darwin Convention Centre
Professional Conf Organiser: Rebecca Ross - Noone Left Behind
Event Overview
The International Melioidosis Network (IMN) was established with the key objective of facilitating communication between its global members. The primary IMN forum is the World Melioidosis Congress (WMC), which has been staged triennially since 1994, with previous congresses taking place in locations such as Thailand, Singapore, the Philippines and Vietnam.
The three-day congress brought together global melioidosis experts, researchers, policymakers and stakeholders with the aim of strengthening existing collaborations, forging new connections, exchanging knowledge, sharing advancements, and collectively working towards better understanding, prevention and treatment of melioidosis. The Darwin congress theme was ‘Unity in Diversity: Global Partnerships in Melioidosis’.
Congress topics included critical melioidosis issues and challenges such as global and regional epidemiology, diagnosis and treatment, immunology and pathogenesis, environmental determinants, bacterial genomics, public health, and vaccine development.
Attracting this prestigious medical sector event to Darwin and the Northern Territory (NT) was a collaboration between Menzies School of Health Research, Northern Territory Business Events, the official convention bureau for the Northern Territory, and the Darwin Convention Centre. The NT won the right to originally host the event in 2022, successfully competing against destinations such as India and Brazil. However, due to the various challenges presented by the Covid pandemic, the Darwin congress was postponed until 2024.
Why Darwin and the Northern Territory for this event?
Melioidosis, a potentially fatal infectious disease, is primarily found in tropical regions globally and the WMC is subsequently staged in melioidosis endemic regions. With the NT capital located in a tropical region where melioidosis occurs and also being the home to the headquarters of the world-renowned Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin was a relevant and appealing congress destination.
The official host of the congress, Menzies School of Health Research, is one of Australia’s leading medical research institutes and is an international centre of excellence in the diagnosis and treatment of melioidosis, having undertaken more than 35 years of research into the disease. Menzies is also a leader in tropical health and seeks to improve the well-being of Indigenous Australians.
Darwin’s close proximity to Asia, with flight durations to key aviation hubs in Indonesia and Singapore starting at just 2.5 hour, enabled the city to offer a convenient central location for delegates to attend the congress, with attendees travelling from across Australia, Asia and beyond.
The Execution
The Congress was staged at the Darwin Convention Centre, which is located in the expansive Darwin Waterfront Precinct. Accommodation options for delegates included the Vibe Darwin Waterfront, the Hilton Darwin, Mindil Beach Casino Resort and the Travelodge Resort Darwin – most were in walking distance of the Convention Centre and provided a range of accommodation styles and rates.
The congress included plenary sessions, workshops and poster presentations – these were staged in Hall Four and the Convention Centre Concourse, with catering also served in the Concourse area and part of the Hall. Some Congress participants also visited the Menzies School of Health Research and learned about the work it undertakes in the Northern Territory.
Social Programme
Organisers indicated that the Congress social events created valuable opportunities for delegates to connect and build relationships outside the formal sessions.
The Congress Welcome Address was staged at the Darwin Convention Centre, with delegates being greeted on arrival at the outdoor Harbour Boardwalk by a cultural Smoking Ceremony before being ushered into the Centre for the commencement of Congress sessions.
The Congress Welcome Reception was held at Parliament House, the seat of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly. The Reception was hosted by The Honourable Steven Edgington MLA who, amongst a range of ministerial portfolios, is the NT Government Minister for Health. The contemporary tropical architecturally-designed Parliament House building is located on State Square in the centre of Darwin and overlooks the harbour, delivering scenic views for delegates as they were formally welcomed to the Northern Territory.
The Congress Gala Dinner was held at the Mindil Beach Casino Resort’s Grand Ballroom, with the resort’s stunning location providing an ideal setting for delegates to experience one of Darwin’s renowned over-water sunsets. A special feature of the evening was a ‘Nutbush’ dance performance delivered by the local Congress hosts, before guests engaged in an ‘all of Congress’ Conga Line dance.
The Convention Centre
Organisers advised that 95% of delegates commended the Darwin Convention Centre for its modern facilities and scenic location. They also stated that catering provided by the Centre was excellent throughout the entire event.
Any legacies arising from this event?
The Congress provided NT and Australian doctors and researchers with an invaluable opportunity to learn from and network with their internationally recognised peers, whilst also demonstrating how Australia and the NT is a leader in the research, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of melioidosis. Menzies School of Health Research was able to showcase the breadth of its 35-year Melioidosis Research Program and the positive impact it has had on community health and well-being across Australia and the Asia Pacific region.
How did the Northern Territory support the Congress?
Business events such as the World Melioidosis Congress are valued by the NT Government for the significant role they play in enhancing the local knowledge base and building invaluable connections.
NT Government support is on offer via the NT Business Events Support Fund, which is administered by Northern Territory Business Events as a government business unit. The level of support available is prioritised against thirteen specific NT economic and social strengths, one of which is the health sector. With melioidosis a medical disease prevalent in tropical regions such as the NT and the Menzies School of Health Research a valued NT health sector institution, the Congress was deemed to be well qualified to receive NT Government support.
Additional support was provided to assist Menzies with a range of delegate boosting activities in advance of the Darwin event. These aimed to maximise global awareness of the 2024 congress and promote the fact that Darwin and the NT would be the host destination.
What you liked most about the destination
Delegates took advantage of their time in Darwin to explore its many unique attractions, which included museums, the Crocosaurus Cove attraction, fish feeding at Doctors Gully, and the scenic East Point Reserve. Many delegates also enjoyed visits to the iconic Jumping Crocodile Cruise on the Adelaide River, the historic oil tunnels, and a relaxing tour to Litchfield National Park.
Some delegates extended their trip with a Kakadu National Park Day Tour and others took an excursion to Nitmiluk Gorge. Networking opportunities flourished as attendees gathered at the Saturday Darwin Parkrun, and the vibrant Mindil Beach Sunset Market, where they indulged in delicious local cuisine while admiring the breathtaking sunset.
Cultural elements of the Congress
In conjunction with the Congress organising committee, Professor Mark Mayo, Congress Convenor and Menzies Associate Deputy Director for Indigenous Leadership and Engagement, sought to weave as many Aboriginal cultural elements and engagement into the Congress program as possible.
The official Congress logo was a bespoke design created by local Aboriginal artist Jayde Hopkins, a proud Gurindji and Woolwonga woman from Darwin. Jayde has completed an undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences and combines a passion for science with her talent for art. The congress logo featured a symbol that creatively wove together the intricate patterns of the melioidosis microbe with the rich tapestry of Aboriginal artwork.
The logo design emphasised the congress meeting place as well as the diverse representation of people united in the shared pursuit of knowledge. Lines drawn to the meeting place represented the various paths travelled by delegates from different corners of the world, to converge upon Darwin.
The Congress Welcome Address featured an Aboriginal Smoking Ceremony conducted by representatives of the Larrakia Nation, the Traditional Owners of the Darwin region. Delegates and guests were invited to walk through smoke created by the burning of plants and leaves, a gesture of goodwill which provides a traditional welcome to visitors, whilst also encouraging their good health and wellbeing, acknowledging the ancestors and enabling a genuine connection to culture and Country.
The opening sessions of the Congress also commenced with a formal Welcome to Country presentation by Dr Richard Fejo, a respected Elder of the Larrakia Nation.
The Darwin Waterfront Lagoon, located just a short walk from the Convention Centre, was the site for another culturally significant Saltwater Ceremony, also conducted by an Elder of the Larrakia. Known as Saltwater People, the Larrakia People are custodians of both land and sea country. Delegates and guests were invited to enter the lagoon at ankle-depth and make a truly meaningful connection with the Larrakia and their 65,000-year-old culture.
The cultural connection to the Larrakia People of the Darwin region was subsequently highlighted by many participants in post-congress feed-back as being a unique and meaningful aspect of the event.
Most memorable aspect of the Congress
After a five-year hiatus, the opportunity to reconnect with leading experts and researchers from around the world in a friendly and engaging setting created an exceptional World Melioidosis Congress, with many delegates declaring it the "best yet."
Pre and post touring undertaken in the NT
Information on touring and activity options in Darwin, the surrounding region and beyond were provided on the Congress website, encouraging delegates to extend their stay and enjoy unique NT tourism experiences and explore locations such as the Nitmiluk, Litchfield and Kakadu National Parks. The majority of delegates stayed in Darwin and the Top End region for a week.
In their words
Delegates at WMC2024 stated that the Congress showcased the strength of coming together globally to address complex health challenges. Ratings for the Congress in Darwin were overwhelmingly positive, with the majority of delegates giving the event a score of either nine or ten out of ten.
From The Organising Committee Chairman:
“A big thank you to everyone who made the 10th World Melioidosis Congress a success. After five years, it was a pleasure to host this event, and we hope the outcomes will make a real difference. Special thanks to the Menzies School of Health Research team for making it all possible.”
Prof. Bart Currie
Chairman, 10th World Melioidosis Congress Committee
Theme leader, Tropical and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Menzies School of Health Research
From The Congress Convenor:
"Hosting the 10th World Melioidosis Congress in Darwin exceeded expectations. The national and international delegates from across 23 countries engaged in meaningful conversations, expert learnings and discussions about collaborations that will improve outcomes globally. The Darwin Convention Centre was a world-class location to host this event, and delegates thoroughly enjoyed themselves and took advantage of the incredible tourist opportunities that Darwin and the greater Northern Territory provided."
Mark Mayo
Congress Convenor
Melioidosis Program Manager/Senior Researcher, Menzies School of Health ResearchMenzies School of Health Research
A WMC Congress delegate gets acquainted with one of the NT locals