Second year organising global conference

Having overseen registration and travel for all delegates to Montenegro, we chose the intimate and eco-friendly 5* Chedi in Lustica Bay as our base for the event.

Having overseen registration and travel for all delegates to Montenegro, we chose the intimate and eco-friendly 5* Chedi in Lustica Bay as our base for the event. We were impressed with their sustainability credentials, as well as its event spaces which meant all our delegates could be together, without any interruptions and interference.

Planned in for the first night together were welcome drinks and a beach barbecue where the 70-strong group could renew acquaintances and forge new friendships.

Each full day then started with early morning activities including kayaking, paddleboarding, cycling, yoga and spa sessions so delegates could mingle with each other in a more informal and fun atmosphere before the business of the day.

Rounding off the first day we sourced around 25 vehicles to head off in convoy from the hotel to drop off delegates for a breathtaking cable car ride to the summit of Mount Lovcen where we arranged a performance from traditional Montenegrin dancers before dining at the 5* Forza Kuk restaurant as the sun set.

And after more activities and business on day two, delegates enjoyed an exhilarating ride in a fleet of speedboats, stopping off at the renowned ‘submarine tunnel’ near the village of Rose, to be greeted by a vivid One Global Travel logo beamed onto the wall while the James Bond theme tune played.

Then it was onto the final destination - Lady of Mercy Island, home to a 15th-century church. In recent years the monastery and grounds had fallen into disrepair and we were there to kickstart its plan to restore it to former glories where it was hoped to bring a fresh water supply to the island for the first time in its history, have monks return to the island as well as being able to host events – a subject close to our hearts!

Delegates were tasked with various roles including weeding the overgrown garden, clearing paths, planting olive trees, painting and varnishing windows and working in the kitchen.

With everyone still decked out in their One Global CSR T-shirts the island’s priest Don Ivo Coric was on hand to thank everyone for their efforts before we departed to get ready for a farewell dinner and auction of promises.

The village of Perast was to be the destination for the event finale and we headed there by catamaran.

While onboard, delegates learned of Fasinada – a centuries-old tradition in the Bay of Kotor which honours Our Lady of the Rocks, a man-made island with a church dedicated to the Virgin Mary.

Following dinner and music the farewell night proceedings were rounded off by an auction of promises with items we had sourced locally, as well as encouraging the suppliers present to pledge items such as flights, IT assistance and hotel stays.