The ICEP 2021 Conference will adopt the following safer space policy and implement numerous diversity and inclusivity initiatives in the ongoing effort to improve the diversity and inclusivity in this conference.

Specific Diversity and Inclusivity Initiatives:

• The ICEP 2021 Conference aims to have gender and geographical balance: In the selection of the speakers, the committee will be careful to guarantee a gender balance and a geographical representativeness.
  In addition, the Organizing Secretariat will respect every author and participant regardless of their gender identity (whether it is feminine, masculine or neutral). In respect of the transgender community, the pronouns of the participants will be asked during the registration on an optional basis. It is also possible that they will be printed on the badges that participants will use during the Conference.

• Safer Space Policy: A safer space policy aims to foster an environment of respect, which makes all participants feel welcome – particularly those who are typically marginalized or excluded, whether by religion, ethnicity, sex, gender, or sexual orientation. Differing opinions and perspectives are crucial to effective discussion but all attendees ultimately take responsibility for their own speech and behaviour – in person and on social media – throughout the entire event and associated social gatherings.

• Social sustainability: An event is considered socially sustainable when designed, planned and realized with a strategy that minimizes negative impact on the environment and leaves a positive legacy to the host community.
  Over the years Symposia has been implementing a large number of operational best practices for the daily running of its structure and all its events, from the selection of materials according to eco-sustainability criteria and the energy efficiency of the equipment, to the procedures for possible work peaks and for the replacement of absent staff.

Attendees are encouraged to:

• Ask respectful questions and avoid dominating a presenter’s question time to further any particular agenda. Question time after a talk is intended to give presenters the opportunity to expand on their talk in response to audience questions, and is not a platform for the audience to individually reply.

• Be mindful of and understand that intersectionality shapes our lived experience.

• Actively include all attendees in social gatherings (such as post-conference dinners and social events), particularly those for whom English is not a first-language and junior students.