FEIBP 64th Congress Preview: Guide to Ibiza
By Marion Keller
What do brushware, beaches and books of poetry have in common? The answer can be found at the 2024 FEIBP Congress in Ibiza, Spain, on October 9-12, where attendees will delve into the many ways their companies are interconnected with one another, amid one of the most beautiful areas in Europe.
Been There, Donne That
Four centuries ago, the English poet and cleric John Donne wrote the immortal line, “No man is an island” in his “Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions.” Though the author intended his work to focus on religion, the statement has come to symbolize the many ways in which human culture is linked together. Now, “No man is an island” is the overarching theme of the 2023-25 annual FEIBP Congress meetings.
Alessandro Acquaderni, elected FEIBP President at last year’s Congress in Belfast, is looking forward to the opportunity to delve into the future of the brushware industry at this year’s meeting.
“In Belfast in 2023, we discussed how ‘No Company Leader Is an Island.’ We wanted to reflect on how the federation could be better in facilitating networking among leaders,” Acquaderni says. “In the end, a leadership decision sometimes is taken alone, and we wanted to investigate how this loneliness can be reframed in a different perspective.”
“This year, the perspective is raised to ‘No Company Is an Island.’ Companies are not alone, even if they sometimes feel like it, and they are not just competitors,” he says. “Companies belong to a Federation that brings benefits. Companies’ actions have effects on their environments and on the Federation as well.”
Into Connected Air
For this year’s keynote speaker, FEIBP wanted someone who could illustrate the idea of connectedness. The speaker selection, Araceli Segarra, is very familiar with the topic. She’s not just the first Spanish woman to climb Mount Everest — she assisted a rescue team that responded to the 1996 disaster on the mountain in which eight climbers caught in a blizzard died while trying to descend. Her efforts can be seen in the movie “Everest,” the highest-grossing IMAX documentary of all time.
Segarra’s first book, “Not That High and Not That Difficult,” uses her experience with the rescue team and with mountain climbing in general to provide guidance on key business topics such as: change management, struggles with uncertainty, determination, resilience, creativity and collaboration.
“Araceli will go into the path of a company leader — how companies can achieve the highest peaks and face the toughest difficulties only if working together and not considering themselves on the top of a peak alone,” Acquaderni says. “She will guide us through mastering the seemingly insurmountable. Her insights promise to inspire and elevate our perspectives on overcoming challenges and enhancing cooperation.”
Innovation and Flower Power
The Congress will kick off on October 9 with registration and an opening cocktail party where attendees can mingle. The events on October 10 will include the announcement of the recipients of the 16th annual Innovation Awards honoring exciting new brushware technologies introduced after September 2023. Selection criteria involves originality, innovative character, practicality, profile for the consumer market, acceptability of the price level, availability of the product on the market and profitability. Products can be submitted for consideration until September 16, 2024.
During the general assemblies, FEIBP leadership will present data from the past year and a half on the industry’s presence and visibility on social media. “All the data that we gather show a growth of visibility across all of the players in our industries,” Acquaderni says. “In general, people are more aware of what a brush is and can do.”
In addition to Segarra’s keynote speech and multiple working group sessions, the day will include two team-building exercises that are being kept fairly hush-hush for now. The October 10 program will conclude with a barbecue dinner, DJ and open bar session.
Much of Friday, October 11, will be devoted to seeing more of Ibiza Town. After a Brush Forum and General Assembly followed by lunch, participants can transfer to the city center for a guided tour of the Old Town, followed by a “Flower Power-Brush Party” in one of the most fascinating beach clubs in Ibiza.
Back In Time
The choice of Ibiza for the 2024 Congress and Belfast for the 2023 Congress wasn’t just happenstance — while no man may be an island, actual islands provide a fitting backdrop for the overall theme. Ibiza in particular stands out as a draw for tourists from around the world looking to enjoy an environment famous for its beauty and fun.
A UNESCO World Heritage site “bringing together exceptional archaeological and historic sites … adjacent to a marine reserve of global importance,” Ibiza offers everything from splashy beaches to ancient ruins for visitors to enjoy. In October, temperatures on average range from 15° to 24° Celsius (59°-75° Fahrenheit).
One of the Balearic Islands located off of the eastern coast of Spain, Ibiza was first settled in 654 B.C. when Phoenician voyagers established a port on the island. The civilization later transitioned to the control of former Phoenician colony Carthage, serving as a major trading post in the Mediterranean. Over time, Ibiza came under the rule of the Roman Empire, Arab conquerors and the Crown of Aragon before King Philip V of Spain did away with the autonomy of the local government in 1715. Now, Ibiza, Formentera, Majorca and Menorca form the Balearic Autonomous Community.
Tourists seeking to explore Ibiza’s history have plenty of options. The Dalt Vila, Ibiza’s historic Old Town, sits on the hilltop of Puig de Vila overlooking the harbor. The site is surrounded by walls that enclose its many historical sites (along with very modern restaurants and shops) among cobbled streets.
The cathedral in the Dalt Vila, Catedral de Santa María de la Neu de Vila d’Eivissa, was first constructed in the 14th century, though the Baroque style it currently displays is the result of a restoration finished in 1728. Dalt Vila also includes the Ibiza Castle, Castell d’Eivissa, a collection of buildings constructed over centuries starting with the Phoenicians in 7th century B.C.
Venturing outside the Old Town, visitors can see one of the best-preserved — and largest — necropolises in the world, Puig des Molins. With nearly 3,000 tombs over five hectares, the site was the city’s cemetery from the time of the Phoenicians until approximately 700 A.D. To see how some of the residents of the necropolis lived back in the day, the Sa Caleta Phoenician Settlement, extending across 10 acres, contains the remnants of stone buildings dating back to 7th century B.C.
Moving forward in time a bit, tourists can explore Ibiza’s seven remaining pirate watchtowers, built starting in the 13th century A.D. — Torre des Carregador, Torre des Savinar, Torre d’en Rovira, Torre d’en Valls, Torre de Balansat, Torre de Portinatx and the Torre de Ses Portes.
Plenty To Do In Ibiza
Ibiza has much to offer from the 21st century as well. The island hosts quite a few “hippy markets,” dating back to the 1960s, when “hippies” often returned from wintering in Asia with brightly colored clothing and goods that they would sell in markets in Europe. Today, the hippy markets offer everything from hand-crafted products to inexpensive clothing and jewelry. On Saturday, October 12, the Congress will end with a tour, shopping and lunch in the Hippy Market Las Dalias, allowing participants to take part in this iconic Ibizan activity.
For those seeking late-night fun, Ibiza is famed for its nightlife. Bars, restaurants, nightclubs — DJs flock to the island to make sure they don’t miss the party. “Super club” Hï Ibiza, voted the #1 club in the world for multiple years by readers of DJ Mag, and open-air venue Ushuaïa are both relatively close to the site of the FEIBP Congress and worth a visit for anyone looking for a true Ibizan celebration. Other clubs of note include Amnesia (aka the “temple of music”), DC10, Eden Ibiza and Pacha Ibiza.
And, naturally, no discussion of Ibiza would be complete without some mention of the beaches. Iconic beach options include Las Salinas, Cala Gracioneta, Cala Gracio and many more. FEIBP attendees, however, don’t have to go far to enjoy the beach — the hotel hosting the Congress, the Hotel Torre del Mar, is located on the Playa d’en Bossa, Ibiza’s longest beach at three kilometers across (and one of its most beautiful). Visitors can enjoy the sand and surf or swim instead in the hotel’s outdoor pool that encircles a historic tower and provides views of the nearby island Formentera.
Looking Ahead
No man is an island. No leader is an island. No company is an island. At the 2024 Congress, attendees will find out the location of the 2025 Congress, which will also take place on an island in Europe and center around the theme of, “No Federation Is an Island.”
“Federations can work together to shape benefits and advantages for their members and see what type of values they can establish,” Acquaderni says. “We look forward to discussing all of the ways that FEIBP can work as a partner to support our industry and the many companies that make it so special.”
Learn more about FEIBP Congress at eurobrush.com.
