ICSB Postpones 2020 World Congress to July 2021: READ Message from ICSB President

April 30, 2020

My dearest friends and colleagues,

As national borders remain shut and economies continue to fall into disarray, we continue to follow the global trends, which includes taking time to stop and internally reflect on what the world is asking of us right now.  As a consequence, it is with disappointment and extreme sadness that the organizing committee for the ICSB World Congress 2020 has decided to postpone our preparations.

Our hope for the International Council for Small Business is first and foremost, the safety and security of all of our members. The menace of COVID-19 has and continues to threaten all of us. Therefore, it is with a heavy, yet hopeful heart that we postpone the 2020 Paris ICSB World Congress to July of 2021. We feel that this is the only way we can be certain to protect our community.

Although the possibility for a physical gathering is now unlikely, there still remains space to gather together. We have seen innovative new ways to gather virtually as in the case of the recent  2020 California Entrepreneurship Educators Conference (CEEC).  This conference was jointly held with ICSB.  We will continue to organize in a way in which the ICSB family can be together to discuss, interact, and manifest as we do every year at the World Congress.

Momentarily, after our postponement decision was made, I felt worrisome for our community’s future without its signature and monumental event, which we proudly hold annually. However,  I then remembered that we have many exciting opportunities ahead.   ICSB is working tirelessly to provide you with networking, education, and community that will help continue to advance our collective understanding of the inner workings of entrepreneurship and small business. We are taking on the personal responsibility to ensure that our family stays well, up-to-date, and supported during this time of uncertainty, and we assure you that we will arrive on the other side of this moment, intact and thriving.

Please stay connected as we will soon be releasing multiple new and advancing programs to the ICSB family.

Mr. Ahmed Osman
President, ICSB

 

Latest ICSB updates on 2020 World Congress and other events

March 18, 2020

Dear ICSB Family, 

Many of you have inquired about the status of the ICSB2020 Congress in Paris. While we monitor the situation, we encourage you to continue submitting paper and session proposals. We hope to have a final decision by April 30, 2020.

As entrepreneurship faculty, policymakers, and practitioners, we know the value of collaboration and sharing knowledge.  Traditionally this occurred through various meetings, certificate programs, and conferences. These are excellent opportunities to build our vibrant network.

But the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is presenting challenges; some would even say chaos on a number of levels including, to name a few,  health concerns, travel restrictions, and conference postponements and cancellations. 

ICSB’s main focus is the health and safety of our members, who comprise a truly global network. Each day, new policies and information are being implemented to help prevent the spread of the virus. ICSB will be monitoring the situation and working with our global partners to determine the best course of action. We hope to have a final decision made by April 30, 2020. 

In the meantime, we encourage you to continue submitting your papers until April 30, 2020. Additionally, consider supporting the small businesses in your area who are facing extreme economic uncertainty. One way is by purchasing gift cards to your favorite restaurants and using them at a later date. (https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/03/13/small-business-impact-coronavirus/)

If you’d like to share your story (in a few sentences), please complete this form. We will collect responses and share them with the ICSB Family at the end of each week (CLICK HERE). 

If you have any questions or concerns, we are here to help. 

Sincerely,

Ahmed Osman
President of ICSB