In 2011, the Latin American Meeting & Event Conference connected the MPI Brazil Chapter more directly than ever before with the meeting industry beyond its borders. Even with a Dec. 12 date—a time some feared would be too close to the holidays to garner great attendance—the daylong education event attracted more than 400 meeting professionals. This year, LAMEC is taking place on a “safer” date: Friday, Aug. 17.

“Brazil has a lot to offer in terms of expertise in events. But Brazil still needs to learn about international best practices,” said Ricardo Ferreira, an organizer for the event and executive vice president and partner of Grupo Alatur, one of largest meeting and event companies in Brazil.

To that end, this year’s theme is “the best of Brazilian events to the world, and the best of the world of events to Brazil.”

“We came up with this content that I think is really something different,” Ferreira said. “A leading Brazilian advertising executive who is really strong in events will discuss why he created a meeting and event company. At lunch time, we have a variety of regional event organizers, discussing why the business of regional events has become so big in Brazil.”

To conclude the event, new MPI Chairman Kevin Hinton, executive vice president of Associated Luxury Hotels International, shares with LAMEC delegates some of the best meeting industry practices from around the world.

“We have something to offer to the world, but we need so much—it’s really all about interaction,” Ferreira said.

The 2012 edition of LAMEC goes live Friday, Aug. 17, at Sheraton Sao Paulo WTC Hotel in Brazil’s largest city, which is, not coincidentally, also home to the greatest concentration of meeting professionals in country.