The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has claimed another conference. The 2020 edition of NamesCon Europe was to have been held August 6th-8th in Budapest, Hungary but, like so many other meetings across all industries, this one has now officially been canceled. With so many people confined mostly to home around the world and no way to know what  conditions will be like this summer, NamesCon clearly had no choice. 

On the plus side, after doing what has to be done, NamesCon organizers 

immediately set their sites on staging the show next year in Budapest and have already penned the dates in - July 15-17, 2021. They are also continuing to plan for NamesCon Global 2021 earlier in the new year.

While the 2020 live meeting is out, a different version of NamesCon may take place online this year instead. A statement from show organizers said, "We’re evaluating a virtual replacement event for this summer! Staying connected is important for individual business outcomes as well as boosting the profile of the industry as a whole. That's why we're planning NamesCon's first-ever virtual conference. We want to deliver a summer event to bring everyone together, but the dates have not been finalized. Don’t worry, though: travel and hotel won’t be an issue... This is where your experience and insight can shine—the survey and call for submissions are now open." 

If you are interested in an online conference the NamesCon survey gives you an opportunity to share your opinions on the idea as well as any suggestions you might have for sessions, panels or presentations.

It is remarkable how much the world has changed since so many of us were meeting in person at the 2020 NamesCon Global conference in Austin, Texas in January. We were back home for barely a month before the coronavirus reared its ugly head in our part of the world and now, just two months later, we have over 60,000 dead in the U.S. alone from it. Wishing you all safety and good health as we all continue to navigate this new world. Sooner or later, the coast will clear and we will be so happy to see you again in person when that times comes!