Led by the ASTD International Relations Department, the International Attendee Orientation helps new and returning attendees from outside the United States navigate the conference and network with attendees from more than 70 countries. The orientation will take place on Sunday, May 19, between 9:45 and 11 a.m.
"This session will be the first session international attendees will participate in, and the goal is to help them to get familiar with the conference, and start networking with each other," says Wei Wang, director of International Programs.
The session will be simultaneously interpreted into Japanese, Korean, and Mandarin. Experienced attendees will share tips and highlights of special events and services for international attendees. These include
- the International Reception, a festive invitation-only networking session
- the Global Village, the center of networking and rest for international attendees and a comfortable home-away-from-home where attendees from all over the world can relax and reunite with old friends and colleagues
- an overview of the Global HRD track, which includes sessions on cultural diversity, globalization, localization, and best practices by region.
The International Attendee Orientation also will cover the program guide and how it's organized, the conference's other educational tracks and special programs, networking activities, and other key programs, such as the EXPO Hall and Career Center.