Normally, IECs are in-person conferences where we gather together physically. Since the COVID pandemic, we have started hosting online IECs, the first of which was held in May 2020. It was a great success, with over 1,000 participants from all over the world, including Europe, the Americas, Asia, Africa, and Australia. Because normal international travel is still impossible due to the COVID pandemic, the 2021 conference will be held online again. The next in-person, live gathering is planned for 2022.

The topic this year is “The Future of Collective Evolution”. Of what it means, you can read more description in the Call for Presenters PDF here You can review topics and featured presenters on our landing page here.

The deadline for applications was February 28 th and we have already received many more than we have space for. You could still apply if you feel your offering is very special – integrally informed, fun and entertaining – but the chances that you will be accepted are slim.

In the autumn, we will launch another call for presenters for 2022.

At an online conference, we have a special situation where people can only participate according to their waking hours. Therefore, instead of following the structure and variety of presentations we know from live IEC events, we will focus mainly on one type of presentation format: a 90-minute presentation slot in which theory and practice will be combined. In that way, whether someone joins from Europe, the Americas, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, or Australia, they will be able to participate in at least some of the sessions live and enjoy the exchange in breakout rooms, while watching other presentations as a recording after the conference.

The conference is hosted and produced in Europe; 50% of attendees are Europeans and 50% from the rest of the world. So, we have put the most important keynotes and main evening events in the afternoon and evening hours of CEST (Central European Standard Time zone), which includes Paris, Berlin, Budapest, etc., because that is when most people are awake all around the globe and have the most chance to get together. However, presentations and events are also ongoing throughout the day in Europe, from 8 am CEST to 12 midnight.

All sessions are recorded, and those who have joined the conference and purchased a ticket can access them 48 hours after the live event and up to two months after the conference.

Zoom is our online conference platform. As at the live conferences, for keynote presentations and all community processes we have a main hall, and for other presentations we have parallel rooms. IEC’s Hosting Team will provide both a technical host and a facilitator host for each presentation. Presenters will be provided with details about how to contact their hosts to prepare the session for a smooth experience. If you are an experienced online facilitator and would like to become part of this team, please email us.

At live IEC conferences, there is a complex format with multiple types of offerings, slots, and events, with two days of pre-conference workshops, keynotes, and 20-minute TED-style talks in the mornings, long experiential workshops in the afternoons, and community events in the evenings.For the Online IEC we made it much simpler to accommodate different time zones and the online Zoom format. There is only one main type of 90-minute presentation slot, and there are no thematic categories in the application.

a) Standard presentation: 90-minute presentation

Presenters will all have a 90-minute Zoom session. We ask all presenters to combine their lecture with some experiential exercises and opportunities to share in breakout rooms. The nature of a mature integral experience includes both the mind and the body, sense and soul, understanding and feeling, verbal and nonverbal, even sometimes altered states. Often the presenter is also a facilitator, facilitating we-space practices, relational practices, helping people to connect more deeply and authentically, leading guided meditations, having people stand up and move, etc.

b) Keynote presentations

Keynote presentations are 30 minutes long, and selected by conference organizers by invitation. There are only a limited number of these slots. Therefore, there is no formal option for applying for a keynote presentation. Nevertheless, if you feel your offering would fit a keynote, or you wish to suggest a new speaker, you can email our team to inquire.

c) Morning practices

You can also offer morning practices via Zoom, such as meditation, yoga, movement, etc. to start the day with some centering, purifying, spiritual practice. This means CEST morning time, but anyone can join from other continents—for them it might be a daytime or evening session. There are still slots open for this type of offering.

d) Art presentations

The presence of beauty through art is very important to us for a truly integral experience. If you are an artist and have ideas how this can work in an online format, please apply through the online form (and if you have an idea how to integrate it into a workshop or otherwise, email us directly). We will probably not have an online gallery like last time, but we are still open to creative ideas and input.

It will be the same as last year (all times are CEST Central European Summer Time):

7:00-8:00 Morning meditation or yoga
8:00-9:00 Open coffee bar
9:00-10:30 Presentations / workshops
11:00-12:30 Presentations / workshops
13:00-14:30 Lunchtime socializer
13:00-15:00 (only Sunday) Dating event
16:00-17:30 Keynotes
18:00-19:30 Presentations / workshops
20:00-21:30 Presentations / workshops
22:00-00:00 Different evening events / socializers

Yes, the recordings of all sessions will be available for all participants for 2 months after the conference.

AUDIO & VIDEO – In order for you to enjoy your presence fully and join conversations, you’ll need a microphone as well as a camera. Built-in cameras on laptops, tablets, and smartphones are fine; built-in microphones are usually not so fine, so for better audio we recommend using a headset with a microphone!

DEVICE – Laptops and PCs are better than smartphones (including iPhones) because the screen is bigger and you can see more people without having to scroll a lot, making the communal experience better. You’ll also have better access to Zoom control buttons.

INTERNET – As for internet connection, it’s best to have stable, strong cable internet. Second best is strong wifi. Third (not so stable) are SIM cards. Usually, if you can watch videos on YouTube or video chat via Skype, you should have no trouble joining the conference.

ZOOM – Make sure you install Zoom on your device before IEC and try it out, test it!

Yes, you may ask questions of the presenters during the presentations in the live stream or live Zoom chat. Each session will be hosted by a Zoom Tech Host and a Facilitator Host, and they will give instructions in the call / or in the info email on how to participate in an interactive way. Most sessions will be interactive.