From the CEO: MEA ♥ the events sector a la 1D

By Peter McDonald

I reckon if MEA were to pen a love song to the Australian events community that it exists to serve, it wouldn’t fall far short of a 2013 One Direction hit.

Established in 1975, MEA has stayed the course to be the longest operating association in the greater events industry and has maintained a truly national footprint across its latitude. In its time MEA’s seen off wars, governments, financial crises, global health pandemics, multiple fashion trends, the Y2K bug and even a couple of music genres (as much as I might try to keep some alive) to name but a few things. And we’re still here.

How?

Because of you.

There’s a lovely poem by Linda Ellis called ‘The Dash’. Basically, it’s about a man delivering a eulogy at a friend’s funeral, and the ‘dash’ that now appears following his friend’s date of birth to separate it from his date of death. There’s a stanza in the poem that reads:

For that dash represents all the time
That they spent alive on earth.
And now only those who loved them
Know what that little line is worth

MEA’s dash remains strong, steadfast and open because of all of the people and businesses who’ve loved it along the way. And may I say that there’s a number of those people and businesses who continue to love MEA. There’ve been of course some that have come and gone, and others that have gone and come back after realising what they missed. To you all, I say MEA loves you back.

The One Direction boys put it this way:

I'm sorry if I say, "I need you"
But I don't care, I'm not scared of love
'Cause when I'm not with you, I'm weaker
Is that so wrong? Is it so wrong
That you make me strong?

The reality is that MEA can only be as strong as its enabled and empowered by the industry. When the industry and its workforce ‘love’ us through their investment of time as committee volunteers or Board Directors or attendance at our events or participation in our programs, or through their financial support via membership or education program enrolments or sponsorship or conference registration, it makes us strong. Like 1D we don’t apologise for admitting that we need you. Our truth is that we do. Always have, always will.

If the feeling is mutual and you like the look of our dash, please keep on keeping on.

My point this week point is nothing more than to say thank you to our supporters. Too often we don’t stop to smell the roses and appreciate the good things. As Michael highlighted a couple of weeks ago, its Spring and gardens are blooming so there’s no better time to do that than now.

MEA: 1975 - ………………………………

Source: Song – “Strong”

Artist – One Direction

Album – “Midnight Memories”