We are excited to invite you to the 11th International Political Campaign & Government Relations Forum and the International GR & Political Campaign Awards Ceremony 2026, which will take place on March 24th, 2026 in Washington, D.C.

For over a decade, this flagship international event has brought together more than 600 professionals, political leaders, advisors, campaign managers, and GR experts from 20+ countries to exchange ideas, showcase winning strategies, and build partnerships.

Since its inception in 2015, the International Political Campaign & Government Relations Forum has grown into a premier global platform for public affairs and political professionals. Over the years, the Forum has been hosted in leading cities around the world — including Kyiv, Brussels, Istanbul, and Washington, D.C. — attracting hundreds of participants from more than 20 countries. From its first gathering, focused on showcasing the best lobbying practices and fostering dialogue between sectors, to its most recent editions in Washington, D.C., the Forum has consistently delivered invaluable insights, best practices, and strategic connections — shaping the future of campaigns, advocacy, and government relations worldwide.

Whether you are a campaign strategist, policymaker, public affairs professional, or corporate leader, this forum is your opportunity to stay ahead of political and advocacy trends, learn from global success stories, and connect with decision-makers shaping public opinion and policy worldwide.

Why attend?

• Discover emerging trends in political campaigns & government relations for 2026 and beyond

• Learn from real-world case studies from the U.S., Europe, Ukraine, and the Global South

• Gain practical tools to run impactful campaigns or advocacy initiatives

• Network with high-level stakeholders and potential partners

• Celebrate excellence at the prestigious International GR & Political Campaign Awards

• Join an exclusive VIP Dinner with speakers, partners, and VIP guests

Kateryna Odarchenko, partner of SIC Group USA, board member of IGAPA

Organizers and Partners:

•Bay Atlantic University: a non-profit university in Washington, DC that offers higher education programs to domestic and international students. Bay Atlantic University undergraduate and graduate programs are taught by a first-class faculty of “scholar-practitioners”. They are all seasoned professionals and policy experts –be it in government, international institutions, or the private sector. Thanks to this quality of instruction, BAU students have the unique opportunity to become members of a closely-knit community of global citizens. https://bau.edu/

Stephen Blank, Anastasiya Magonova, Paolo von Schirach, and Kateryna Odarchenko

• Global Policy Institute (GPI): a Washington-based think tank dedicated to addressing pressing global challenges through in-depth research and analysis. With a strong focus on global affairs, economics, and international relations, GPI aims to provide actionable insights that inform policy decisions and shape public discourse. https://globalpi.org/ 

• IGAPA (International Government Affairs Professional Association): a leading international association for public affairs professionals, established in 2018. The mission is to promote ethical, effective, and innovative GR affairs practices. https://igapa.net/

• SIC Group: International consulting firms specializing in political consulting, political technologies, public relations, GR, and anti-crisis communications. The company has a proven record of success, with over 30 election victories, 50 successful anti-crisis projects, and 100 PR campaigns and projects in the USA, EU, Central Asia, and Eastern Europe. https://sic-group.us/ 

• Institute for Democracy and Development “PolitA”: an organization that conducts educational, analytical, and policymaking projects in the fields of democracy development, awareness campaigns, and advocacy for meaningful social changes. In the United States, the institution focuses on communicating with decision-makers and providing analytics and solutions. https://institute-polita.us/

Forum Program

The forum is structured into two thematic blocks, followed by the Awards Ceremony & VIP Dinner.

🔹 Block 1: Political Campaigns & Elections

Learn from the world’s leading campaigns — their tools, strategies, and results.

- Registration & Coffee

- Opening Remarks & Welcome Speeches

🔹 Panels:

- Global Trends in Political Campaigning 2026

·Strategic shifts and innovations in electoral campaigning

·How AI and digital tools influence elections

·Preparing for post-election transitions

- Winning Campaign Tools & Technologies

·Data-driven campaigning in the U.S., Israel, and Europe

·Advanced voter targeting and mobilization platforms

·Comparative insights: grassroots vs. digital outreach

- Networking Lunch

- Case Studies of Successful Election Campaigns

·Stories from Ukraine, Latin America, and EU countries

·Narrative building and rapid-response communication

·Lessons from presidential, parliamentary, and local campaigns

Dayna Keene, Jason Shelton, Kseniya Tarasenko, and other guests during the 10th International GR Forum

Block 2: Government Relations

Strategies, ethics, and case studies of successful public affairs and advocacy.

🔹 Panels:

- Government Relations: Tools, Strategies & Tactics

·Stakeholder mapping and influence pathways

·Building coalitions and aligning interests

·Ethics and transparency in lobbying

- Case Studies in GR Excellence

·U.S. federal & state lobbying success stories

·GR in hybrid regimes and transitional democracies

·Notable cases: minerals lobbying, veterans’ advocacy, and cross-border initiatives

Peter Huessy, Terry T. Campo, John Wagner, and Kendal Coffey

Closing Remarks

The Awards: Celebrating Excellence

The International GR & Political Campaign Awards are a hallmark of the Forum — honoring individuals, teams, and projects that have demonstrated excellence, innovation, and integrity in political campaigning, advocacy, and government relations worldwide.

Launched as a signature feature of the Forum, these awards recognize breakthrough achievements and high-impact initiatives that advance democratic engagement through strategic, ethical, and data-driven practices.

Award categories include:

·Best Campaign

·Best Advertising

·Best Government Relations Tool

·Best Campaign Tool

·Best International GR Case

·Best GR Strategy

·Best Election Campaign

By celebrating these achievements, we inspire others to raise the bar for creativity, professionalism, and effectiveness in the field.

To submit a case, use this form: https://forms.gle/XJjrwmCi2cCbSFXU9

Kateryna Odarchenko during the GR Award ceremony

Additional Options:

- Networking and VIP dinner for participants.

- An exclusive three-day program in Washington, D.C., for international

attendees, featuring private meetings and curated events.

About IGAPA

IGAPA’s delegation during the international conference, Brussels

The International Association of Government Affairs Professionals (IGAPA) is a global network uniting public affairs, lobbying, and political campaign professionals committed to advancing transparency, professionalism, and innovation.

With a strong history of forums held across Europe, Turkey, and the United States, IGAPA has established itself as a leading convener of thought leadership in the field. Our commitment extends across 16 countries, where we actively support and connect the Government Relations and campaigning communities — promoting best practices, ethical standards, and forward-thinking approaches.

Each year, IGAPA organizes a wide range of activities for public affairs professionals worldwide, including:

·high-level seminars and webinars,

·vibrant social events and networking opportunities,

·impactful research and advocacy projects, all designed to strengthen the profession, foster collaboration, and advance democratic engagement globally.

This Forum reflects IGAPA’s mission to inspire meaningful conversations, showcase excellence, and encourage innovation in shaping the future of government relations and political campaigns.

We are pleased to announce that Kateryna Odarchenko has published a new book — The Game of Campaigns.

This book explores the fascinating world of political and social campaigns, offering practical strategies, real-life case studies, and insights into how campaigns shape societies and influence decision-making. Drawing on years of experience as a political strategist and consultant, Kateryna shares her unique perspective on how to plan, communicate, and win in the competitive arena of campaigns.

To mark the release, we are organizing a series of book presentations where Kateryna will personally share the key ideas of the book, answer questions, and engage in discussion with the audience.

We warmly invite you to participate in these events!

Please take a moment to fill out the registration form below. This will help us keep you informed about the upcoming presentation dates and locations.egister here

We look forward to seeing you at the presentations and to sharing this exciting new book with you.

If you would also like to cooperate with our team in the fields of international media, public relations, or political consulting, please don’t hesitate to contact us directly — we’d be happy to discuss opportunities.

The Donau Soja Market Report provides info on the soya industry with a special focus on the European non-GM market. The main objective of the publication is to create market transparency and support the decision making of stakeholders operating in the non-GM soya industry. Information in the document includes GM and non-GM soya prices/premiums as well as supply/demand and other data relevant for market players. Prices/premiums/production forecast are updated on a monthly basis. Market info in the “Topic of the month” section is refreshed in a yearly rotation.

This content awaits you:

• Soymeal prices

• Non-GM soymeal premiums

• Forecasts – Soya Production

• Global Market

Our members receive our monthly Market Report as part of the membership package.

Ab sofort sind die Tickets für die iba 2025 online im Shop erhältlich. Die führende Weltmesse für Bäckerei, Konditorei und Snacks findet vom 18. - 22. Mai 2025 in Düsseldorf statt und wird der zentrale Treffpunkt für die globale Backbranche.

Ab sofort sind die Tickets für die iba 2025 online im Shop erhältlich. Die führende Weltmesse für Bäckerei, Konditorei und Snacks findet vom 18. - 22. Mai 2025 in Düsseldorf statt und wird der zentrale Treffpunkt für die globale Backbranche. Zum jetzigen Zeitpunkt sind bereits 95 Prozent der verfügbaren Fläche belegt und damit über 700 Aussteller aus 43 Ländern registriert. Besucher können sich auf fünf Tage voller Programmhighlights und neue Lösungen aus der backenden Branche freuen.

München, den 08. Januar 2025 -

Fachbesucher können ab sofort Eintrittskarten für die iba im Ticketshop erwerben und zwischen verschiedenen Kategorien vom Ein-Tages- bis zum Fünf-Tages-Ticket wählen. Um in den Ticketshop zu gelangen, registrieren sich die Besucher vorab kostenlos auf der iba Plattform. Damit alle Teilnehmer bestmöglich für den Messebesuch vorbereitet sind, empfiehlt die iba den Besuchern aus Ländern außerhalb der EU, für die Einreise nach Deutschland frühzeitig ihr Visum zu beantragen. Um den Messebesuch reibungslos zu gestalten, rät die iba den Messegästen auch zur rechtzeitigen Buchung der Unterkunft. Hierfür hat die iba eigene Messepartner, über deren Hotelbuchungsplattformen Einzel- oder Gruppenbuchungen angeboten werden. Weitere Details zu Anreise und Öffnungszeiten der Messe gibt es online.

Erste Informationen zu Programmhighlights und neuen Wettbewerben rund ums Backen auf einen Blick bietet die Pressemeldung „iba 2025 Programmhighlights“.

Heute schon auf der neuen iba Plattform vernetzen

Wer seinen Besuch rechtzeitig planen will, hat bereits jetzt die Möglichkeit, sich kostenlos über die neue iba Plattform anzumelden, sich zu vernetzen und erste Inhalte zu entdecken. Die iba Plattform dient als Erweiterung der Präsenzveranstaltung. Sie ermöglicht ganzjährig den Austausch mit der Backbranche. Ziel ist es u.a. registrierten Usern personalisierten Content zu bieten und die effiziente Vorbereitung auf den Messebesuch im Vorfeld zu erleichtern.

Kampagne „Baking New Ways“ versüßt die Wartezeit

Wer sich die Zeit bis zur Messe verkürzen will, folgt den inspirierenden Geschichten der crossmedialen Kampagne „Baking New Ways“ online und auf den Social-Media-Kanälen der iba. Hier erzählen Menschen aus unterschiedlichsten Bereichen und Ländern von ihrer Leidenschaft und ihrem Weg in der Backbranche. Denn jeder trägt sein Stück Kuchen zum Erfolg der iba bei, auf der sich die gesamte Branche dann in fünf Monaten trifft.

Webinar on the evolving use of Rapid DNA in the U.S., scheduled for Monday, January 13th, at 12:00 p.m. EST. During the webinar, the FBI, FBINAA, and other notable speakers will discuss a significant FBI rule change to allow local law enforcement officers to test crime scene evidence tested on Rapid DNA and have those results searched quickly against the 20 million plus DNA profiles in CODIS. Finally, federal funding opportunities for local law enforcement to establish Rapid DNA programs will be explained. We strongly encourage criminal justice personnel to tune in to learn more about this major rule change and the next evolution in Rapid DNA technologies!

Register for the webinar using the link below. Additional details can be found in the attached announcement.

https://sic-group.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b0c82a4da9750a21dacad224a&id=414ac93d3c&e=bad60cf0fe

The November issue of the Donau Soja Market Report has just been published!

The European soybean harvest ended in November with mixed results. Total soybean output on the continent increased, mainly the result of a massive expansion of the planting area in Ukraine, Europe’s leading producer.

Soya output in Ukraine grew by 24% to a record 5.9 million tonnes this season, according to the data from the UA ministry. This impressive result is likely to lead to record UA soybean export levels in the current 2024/25 season.

Donau Soja’s estimate suggests that the harvested soya volume in the EU-27 dropped by 3.4% to 2.76 million tonnes in 2024, despite a 10% increase in planting area. Hot & dry weather negatively impacted yields in many regions.