Success of Middle East's first HR and training exhibition

Citation

(1999), "Success of Middle East's first HR and training exhibition", Industrial and Commercial Training, Vol. 31 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/ict.1999.03731cab.005

Success of Middle East's first HR and training exhibition

Success of Middle East's first HR and training exhibition

Keywords Arab countries, Exhibitions, Human resource management, Investment

The Middle East's first international exhibition dedicated to human resources (HR) development and training - Human Resources Middle East 98 - attracted strong delegations of HR training professionals from all over the Arab world.

The show, which ran from 16-19 November 1998, at the Bahrain International Exhibition Centre, was held under the patronage of Bahrain's Prime Minister, HH Shaikh Khalifa Bin Sulman Al Khalifa, and was officially opened by Bahrain's Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, HE Abdulnabi Al Sho'ala; and Minister of Education, HE Abdulaziz Al Fadhel.

VIPs at the opening ceremony included former President of France, HE Valery Giscard d'Estaing and Kuwait's Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, HE Jassim Al Oane.

The exhibition attracted over 3,000 visitors drawn from regional governments, government agencies, private and public sector corporations, private manufacturing and service companies, educational establishments and other organizations committed to training and the development of their HR potential.

A total of more than 200 exhibitors representing some 350 training providers from 19 countries worldwide, responded to the region's HR and training needs by participating in the exhibition. Visitors were able to benefit from a wide-ranging display of training services, expertise and equipment in all the areas of lifelong learning, formal and non-formal education, tertiary and higher education, vocational training, executive and management development, and youth training.

The exhibition ran in parallel with the Arabian Society for Human Resource Management's (ASHRM) fourth annual conference, which was held under the theme, "Today's investment in HR, tomorrow's prosperity". The conference attracted over 700 delegates who were addressed by a number of world-leading authorities on HRD including former Prime Minister of Egypt, HE Dr Abdel-Aziz Hegazi, and President of the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu (Saudi Arabia), HH Prince Abdula bin Faisal Al-Saud.

The exhibition featured large centre-piece stands on behalf of all the Arab Gulf governments ­ Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, and The UAE as well as Egypt, Jordan and Libya. National pavilions participated from Britain ­ with 37 companies, Ireland, France, Canada, USA and Australia, alongside other presentations from many other countries worldwide, including Switzerland, Germany, Hungary and India.

Dates have been set for Human Resources Middle East 2000 which will take place at the Bahrain International Exhibition Centre, from 9-12 October 2000.

Further information from Gerry Dobson, Director, Overseas Exhibition Services Ltd, 11 Manchester Square, London W1M 5AB. Tel: 44 (0) 171 862 2042. Fax: 44 (0) 171 862 2049. E-mail: hrdme@montnet.com