From white smoke to ideas shaping the future of events

Photo: Marko Delbello Ocepek The international jury has selected the winners. The conference programme will also reveal backstage insights into the Olympic ceremonies, the ULTRA Europe festival and a concert by Joker Out. The second day of the 15th edition of the Unicorn Awards 2026 at Ljubljana Castle focused on two main questions: how to choose the best among the finest European projects and what the events industry can learn from event organisers who are forerunners in their sector. In the morning, the event hosted the final jury meeting, followed by a curated expert programme, 'Do you believe in unicorns?', featuring guests from the creative world, Olympic ceremonies, festivals, the music world and organising experiences. 29 jury members 10 jury members from the client side 12 qualitative criteria 80:20 jury & audience vote 2 minutes finalist presentations 5 min jury questions 3 interactive workshops 12 speakers and moderators Photo: Unicorn Awards The final decision according to 12 criteria and an 80:20 model The jury evaluated the finalists by 12 quality segments, including creativity, relevance, innovation, execution, results, communication, sustainability, use of technology, attendee experience, inclusion and risk management. The final score combined 80% of jury votes and 20% of the audience votes, which assessed the projects after live pitching. The jury comprised 29 international experts, including ten representatives from the client side. It brought together agency leaders, corporate and institutional clients, independent experts and international media representatives. Every juror's vote carried equal weight, while publicly disclosed criteria, live presentations, and clear rules governing conflicts of interest and confidentiality formed the foundations of a transparent evaluation process. The final closed-door session took place in the White Hall of Ljubljana Castle and was chaired by Ángeles Moreno Vallejo, Managing Director for Spain and Portugal at Jack Morton. Juraj Vig moderated the session. The jury reviewed the highest-scoring projects and reached its final clandestine decisions in accordance with the evaluation rules and the principles governing conflicts of interest and confidentiality. Symbolically, the deliberations continued until 'white smoke' appeared above the castle, signalling that all award recipients had been confirmed. A total of 29 jury members participated in the final session. 'Trust in a competition is not fostered through a slogan, but through a robust system. Twenty-nine jurors, twelve clearly defined criteria, equal votes, live presentations and the involvement of an expert audience create a multifaceted evaluation process. It is particularly important that ten jurors represent the client side, as they bring the real expectations of companies and institutions into the assessment,' commented Ángeles Moreno Vallejo, Jury President. Photo: Unicorn Awards From Olympic ceremonies to events that thrived despite adversity The content programme opened with Norwegian creative director and strategist Aris Theophilakis of NOSLEEPTILLBROOKLYN, who explored how creativity gives events meaning. Ralf Specht, Chairman of the 27Names network, presented the pilot findings of the European Live Experience Index 2026, addressing artificial intelligence, sustainability, audience expectations, investment priorities, event measurement and the growing importance of 'Return on Relationships'. The interactive 'Build Your Unicorn' session invited participants to work in three groups. Patrick Roubroeks of XSAGA focused on creating events that audiences feel compelled to share, while Pia Škulj used psychotherapeutic and neuroscientific approaches to examine audience dynamics. Juraj Holub of Speaking Heroes explored how to move beyond uninspiring event formats and place participants at the heart of the experience. A dedicated segment offered a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic ceremonies. Director of Ceremonies Maria Laura Iascone discussed the challenge of combining protocol, culture, storytelling and production on a global stage. Adriano Martella, Creative Director of the Ceremonies and Head of Creative at Filmmaster, examined the creation of the closing ceremony at the Arena di Verona. The 'Olympic F*ck Ups' session also created space for a candid discussion about mistakes and lessons drawn from some of the world's most demanding productions. The guest of honour Reinier van der Veer, who performs under the name Dichtwater, brought storytelling, poetry and music together in a specially conceived spoken word performance entitled 'The Art of Attention'. Alek El-Kazal, Project Director of ULTRA Europe, explained how a three-day festival can evolve into a movement and coexist with its host city. Nik Jerovšek of Spontanzo and Jure Maček of Joker Out revealed how they managed the crisis surrounding the band's tenth anniversary concert after a severe storm threatened the event. Bo Krüger of Moving Minds concluded the programme with a broader perspective on event resilience. Photo: Marko Delbello Ocepek The programme was further enriched by a partnership with the ICCA Central European Chapter Meeting 2026, held under the theme 'Change of Perspective'. The collaboration brought together business events organisers and experiential marketing professionals, offering participants a broader view of the industry's future and additional opportunities for international networking. Clients were more than just part of the audience Client voices in the room included professionals from Škoda Auto, BYD Europe, Michelin, DNB, VÚB banka, Trivium Packaging, Boston Consulting Group, Arup, CGIAR, and Kenes Group. Their role extended far beyond observing the programme, as they questioned the finalists and assessed the quality of their projects through the lenses of feasibility, business objectives, audience impact and client expectations. THE SIGNIFICANCE FOR SLOVENIA AND EUROPE The same stage was shared by the event organisers of the Olympic Ceremony, one of Europe's largest music festivals, international creative heads, and the Slovenian band Joker Out. For Slovenian experts, the event provided direct access to knowledge otherwise dispersed across the European market. In contrast,e European guests could see Slovenia as an ecosystem of competent teams and daring formats that connect various expert communities. Toleranca Marketing and Conventa Trade Show organise the festival in partnership with Ljubljana Tourism, the Slovenian Tourist Board, and the Slovenian Convention Bureau. Find out more about the event here.