The AIVP Port Center working group’s annual seminar in Montreal (Canada): conclusions and prospects

The port authority of Montreal, an active member of AIVP, hosted the 2024 seminar of the Port Center working group on 14 and 15 March. Thirty-five participants from around a dozen countries attended the event, which is open to all AIVP members keen to discuss community engagement. The working group has been meeting regularly for the last ten years, to talk about the practical ways in which Port Centers are created and run, and policies aimed at integrating ports into civil society. Port Centers, sometimes referred to as “port interpretation centers”, are attractions that bring port professionals face-to-face with the general public. For a port city, a physical location such as this acts as a very useful “face” of the port for residents and visitors and helps members of the public to familiarize themselves with the port and its workings. However, the discussions during the seminar showed that the Port Center concept can equally be applied to other types of actions, using multiple locations, virtual platforms, or a genuine program of events or celebrations.…