TOGETHER, we can make MWC2020 great again !

09/02/2020                                                                                                                        

To: Mr. Mats Granryd, Director General, GSMA 

From: Mr Eynav (Navi) Azaria, CEO, Panorama

Subject: MWC 2020 & the deadly Corona Virus

Dear Mr. Granryd

I am writing regarding the coming MWC 2020 event in Barcelona, considering the global threat of the highly infectious and deadly Corona Virus and the measures that are being taken worldwide in order to contain and curb its potential global spread. 

We are grateful for GSMA for organizing the most important event of the Communications Industry, each year. This is the largest, most rewarding event for our industry, and its main benefit is the opportunity to network with 100,000 participants from dozens of countries worldwide.

We derived great value from participating in previous years and were looking forward to this year’s event as well. Therefore, it is very saddening for us to have to write this letter.

We believe that the amazing networking event, the core of the conference, will likely become a dreadfully effective mechanism for spreading the deadly Corona Virus – worldwide.  

We have therefore decided to withdraw from participating in this year’s event at the current timing, due to the following reasons.

1.      We believe that as an industry, we need to take a stand and be part of the solution and not part of the problem (help quarantine the virus and not spread it).

2.      We want to provide all the stakeholders of our industry a fair chance to participate in MWC and having dozens of thousands of colleagues in quarantine is not the right way to create equal opportunities.

3.      We can’t guarantee the safety of our employees, customers, and partners.

4.      We believe there are alternatives that can be deployed to allow everyone to participate and still not spread the virus.

Considering those reasons, we would like to suggest converting MWC 2020 to an online event, and reschedule MWC 2020 to a later date, possibly during the summer, when the world health authorities will hopefully find a solution to the situation. 

Thanks in advance for your consideration,

Best regards, 

Eynav Azaria

CEO of Panorama (www.Panorama.com)