Finally, a trade show attended in person -and also virtual-. The balance is positive, both in terms of the data provided by the Federation (FGEE) and in terms of dealing with attendees.

From October 13th to the 15th the 39th edition of LIBER was held in Madrid and attended by 8,360 visitors. It was commented that there was not as much attendance as in other years, as it could not be otherwise after the recovery from the pandemic lockdowns. It was said that there were not as many meetings as in previous editions, although those of us who attended saw busy stands and bustling aisles-. The value of a face-to-face trade show was questioned because there is already a virtual one -Live Connect, an excellent app and exemplary resource-.

Liber is useful and even more so when it is face-to-face. We have been able to continue our work behind the scenes, forcibly anticipating a future that was going to come sooner or later. And now that it is here, we have shown that we are resilient, and that we need to leave the computer screen from time to time to be human again. Liber is necessary because we see each other and deal with the essential, the superfluous and the useless-in a nod to Nuccio Ordine-, because it is in the face-to-face where we gain confidence, where we discover the essential details in a conversation where the tone and gestures are clearer and more meaningful than in a chat with or without emoticons.

Digital has won the game and we celebrate it: Live Connect was essential last year and this year it has performed as the must-have tool we’ve been craving for years. But it still can’t replace walking around in a trade show where everyone shows their best side.

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