A summit meeting is a special event that brings together people of power or influence. These events typically have a very well-thought out agenda and a specific focus. Summits often end up with actionable solutions that attendees can take back to their organizations or governments to implement. Summits can be more formal than conferences, and they tend to be more exclusive in terms of who is invited to attend. Depending on your goals, you might choose to host a summit that is restricted to a small group of decision-makers and specialized experts, or one that is more open to industry professionals, students, or potential business partners.
Summits that do not produce tangible outcomes are frequently considered a waste of time and resources. However, it is important to note that a summit’s most important function is often symbolic, providing a necessary platform where nation states interact and discuss.
The Summit of the Americas process was institutionalized in Miami in 1994 to deal with common problems affecting the entire Western Hemisphere, especially those of an economic nature. The OAS has a mechanism for following up on these issues, the SIRG (Spanish: Sistema de Gestión Interamericana). This is implemented through meetings of the Responsible Coordinators, a committee of senior representatives from the Organization of American States, the Inter-American Development Bank, the Pan American Health Organization, and the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean. These meetings also provide technical support for implementing the Summit mandates.
