Billed as a meeting of sports, business and cultural events, more than 60 key speakers are set to address those who have travelled to Glasgow.

Twelve panel discussions are scheduled - six tomorrow and six on Wednesday (November 16) - with the conference held under the "face to face with new realities" banner.

Proceedings are set to begin tomorrow with welcome speeches and keynote addresses from Ivo Ferriani - the President of the Global Association of International Sports Federations, Association of International Olympic Winter Sports Federations and International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation, and an International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board member - Visit Scotland director of events Paul Bush, and the Cavendish Group's chief executive Matthew Astill and conference director Ben Avison.

A pre-event reception was held for those who have arrived in Glasgow this evening, where Avison explained the significance of the event as an opportunity to bring officials from different sectors together.

"I think it's hugely important," the conference director told insidethegames.

"We all know how hard it's been over the last couple of years for everyone involved in the events industry, but even before the pandemic there was a bit of a void around where event hosts, rights-holders and the supply chain could all get together.

"Olympic sports is kind of the core of what we do, but equally cities are interested in hosting all different kinds of events, and they're really keen to get people back into their venues and to rebuild their community spirit.

"We're really happy to have everybody here back in Glasgow in Scotland for Host City 2022."

Ferriani, who is also a speaker on the first panel discussing "the new realities and how can we shape", believes that Host City 2022 is a chance to discuss the future of events, after the shift towards virtual gatherings prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I'm sure that situations where we can speak about host cities are important because now the way to think about host cities has changed after the pandemic, so we have to reconsider how to organise events, how to meet people and so on, so I think it is very important," he told insidethegames.

"It’s restarting the way to do but also the way to think about it."

Ferriani believes that the plans of organisers of the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympics and Paralympics, with an Opening and Closing Ceremonies for athletes and officials to be together either side of competing at facilities spread across a large region, offers a sign for the future of winter sports events.

"If we speak about sustainability, we have to re-utilise what we can, or it is a good sometimes to reshape, because without the boost of the Games it is difficult to reshape some facilities," he said.

"I think this is a good concept in winter sports.

"I do not want to speak too much about summer sport, but in winter sport it is a good idea because re-utilising existing venues meets strongly the [aims of] sustainability, and then we have to learn to do a lot with less."

Other IOC members attending Host City 2022 include International Cycling Union (UCI) President David Lappartient and Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul, while honorary members Sam Ramsamy and Sir Craig Reedie are also among the speakers.

Olympic Broadcasting Services chief executive Yiannis Exarchos is another notable attendee, along with representatives from the World Baseball Softball Confederation, International Federation of Sport Climbing, Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics Organising Committee, Global Esports Federation, International Hockey Federation, Commonwealth Games Federation, World Athletics and the International Federation of Teqball.

Themes to be discussed by panels include new event concepts, the power of technology being used to deliver events to fans, cities of the future and sustainability.

The panel discussion on the rise of women's sports and entertainment is set to be moderated by insidethegames editor-in-chief Duncan Mackay.

Events to be discussed specifically include the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, this year's Tour de France Grand Départ in Denmark and the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships in Glasgow.

Host City 2022 is due to be held at the Technology and Innovation Centre as it was in previous years prior to the pandemic.