Festive Scientific Convention: 3 Eco-Designed Days Uniting 2,000 Researchers in Paris-Saclay
For 72 hours, WMH Project brought together for the first time 2,000 R&D employees of a major pharmaceutical group, from 23 nationalities, in a festival blending science, collaboration and conviviality. The event earned a silver eco-responsibility label (11/12) through eco-design, committed suppliers and a drastic reduction in CO₂ emissions.
How do you unite 2,000 colleagues who have never met?
The challenge was significant: bringing together for the first time 2,000 people from 23 nationalities across every continent, working on different projects and having never discovered a new research site. WMH Project designed a 72-hour format conceived as a festive, creative and technological festival. The common thread: sharing — sharing perspectives, sharing good times, sharing knowledge.
How do you stage an immersive event in a venue that isn't one?
The chosen site was a workspace, not an event venue, to be transformed in record time. Amid a period of high pressure on hospitality, catering and technical suppliers, the teams managed capacities and flows, and turned offices into immersive event spaces. A dedicated web app served as a compass: wayfinding, format sign-ups, personal agenda, colleague chat and interactive plenaries with live questions.
How do you make an international gathering eco-responsible?
The event earned a silver label with a score of 11/12, awarded by an independent third party. The scenography was eco-designed from reclaimed wood cut to minimise offcuts, with 88% of furniture rented and 100% of purchases repurposed (donated or reused). On transport: economy class flights for everyone, no checked baggage (917 tonnes of CO₂ saved), 97% local suppliers and no red meat on the menu (51,000 kg of CO₂ avoided). Mandatory reusable bottles, food-grade silicone cups and recyclable cornstarch badges cut waste.
Which formats build bonds between researchers?
The programme mixed 15 à-la-carte activities of 200 to 800 people: cardboard kart building, giant choir, open-air choreography, boot camp, inter-country hackathon. The "Picnic-Meet" invited each participant to share a basket with two people of their choice to spark encounters. An audio guestbook, a wool-thread data board and daily dot voting gathered opinions creatively. The closing act — a chain reaction involving all 2,000 participants — sealed the collective spirit.
How do you structure the sharing of scientific knowledge?
A dense programme by registration: 4 keynotes of 500 people on the medical vision toward 2030, 11 forums (equality, CSR, data, multiculture), 23 small-group workshops and a graphic facilitator to capture content. An exhibition gallery showcased the work of teams worldwide, and a time capsule on the 2030 vision will be reopened in six years.
What results did this convention deliver?
With 1,205 respondents, the average score reached 5/6, including 46.6% top scores. Participants praised the organisation, the unifying evenings, the giant team building and the quality of exchanges. A talent call launched two months earlier drew over 50 applications and put 10 talents on stage.
WMH Project — We Make It Happen.
FAQ
How many participants did this convention gather?
The event brought together for the first time 2,000 R&D employees, from every continent and representing 23 nationalities, over 72 hours.
What measures made the event eco-responsible?
Eco-design from reclaimed wood, 88% rented furniture, 100% of purchases repurposed, economy class flights (917 t of CO₂ saved), 97% local suppliers and red-meat-free menus (51,000 kg of CO₂ avoided).
How did the event encourage connections?
Through formats such as the Picnic-Meet (a basket shared among three), 15 à-la-carte activities, a talent call and a closing chain reaction involving all 2,000 participants.
What was the satisfaction rate?
Out of 1,205 respondents, the average score reached 5/6, with 46.6% top scores.