Political meetings

This chapter focuses on the four principal objectives of political meetings: negotiations, public relations, policymaking, and fund-raising. The role of summit conferences in political negotiations is discussed, highlighting their key characteristics of executive-level participation and face-to-face interaction. The public relations role of political party conferences and press conferences is analysed, followed by a review of the role of advisory commissions, task forces, and participatory governance meetings as policymaking instruments. The use of fundraising events to raise revenue for political candidates, causes, and parties is considered, with reference to its contentious nature in some countries. The chapter then highlights the distinguishing features of political events: short lead-times, media scrutiny, heightened levels of security, and budgetary restraints. The special skills required of political event planners are discussed, and the chapter ends with a review of the various tasks involved in planning political meetings.