The Final Plenary of the National Council Meeting in Italy: A Challenge!
The International Council Meeting is, in the words of the ELSA Statute, “the supreme decision-making body of the association.” The ICM is therefore the most important international event of the year. Similarly, for each National Board, its own National Council Meeting holds fundamental importance. According to the Statute of ELSA Italy, the NCM is “the sovereign body of the Association, its highest representative body.”
ELSA Italy usually organizes two NCMs per year: the first in November (known as the “winter” assembly) and the second in May (the “summer” assembly).
These meetings always see a very large participation, especially from local Officers and long-standing Alumni. Generally, the summer assembly records an even higher number of participants. Additionally, about 30-35% of attendees participate for the first time, bringing new energy and creating opportunities to build lasting connections.
Now, however, we want to focus on a particular aspect, perhaps unique in its kind: the duration of NCMs in Italy. A true “Italian case” that deserves reflection and perhaps a comparison with other realities.
An adventure for the soul and body
Participating in an NCM does not only mean taking part in fundamental decisions for the future of the Association but also experiencing an intense event from every point of view.
An adventure for the soul: each Assembly strengthens the associative spirit. New friendships are formed, and bonds are consolidated and reinforced at every subsequent meeting.
An adventure for the body: the intense schedule of the days puts anyone’s physical endurance to the test. Here’s how an NCM is structured:
• Thursday afternoon: Opening with a conference on a legal topic, followed by the opening plenary session.
• Thursday evening: Social program with activities ranging from tastings to murder mystery dinners or karaoke, often accompanied by a tour of the host city.
• Friday and Saturday morning: Workshops divided by Area of competence, with many joint sessions.
• Friday evening: Gala dinner.
• During the weekend: Regional foods and drinks, where each participant brings specialties from their own city.
• Saturday afternoon: Start of the final plenary, the greatest challenge of all.
The plenary challenge
The toughest day is undoubtedly Saturday. After days of intense activities, fatigue begins to set in, and the final plenary session doesn’t help: with over thirty items on the agenda, the proceedings stretch for hours.
Usually, the final plenary begins between 5 PM and 7 PM and continues until its conclusion, interrupted only by dinner and a few breaks granted by the Chair for the survival of the participants (and for a refreshing cup of coffee).
But when does it actually end?
It depends. Some plenaries close “early,” by late Saturday evening. Others extend into the night. And in some cases, they go straight into the early hours of dawn!
In the last sixteen years, this has happened several times. The longest plenary ever was in Taormina (LXV NCM) in July 2021, ending at 7:23 AM on Sunday morning—just in time for breakfast. Other memorable cases:
• Lecce, November 2014 (LII NCM): Ended at 6:32 AM.
• Catania, May 2019 (LXI AN): Ended at 6:19 AM.
However, not all sessions last past 5 AM. Of the last thirty-three NCMs, only eleven ended before 3 AM. The fastest records belong to:
• Rome, April 2012 (XLVII NCM): Closed at 11:17 PM.
• Urbino, November 2010 (XLIV NCM): Closed at 12:56 AM.
(Exceptions apply to assemblies held online, especially during the COVID period, which followed different dynamics.)
The next NCM: a new record ahead?
One thing is certain: ELSA Italy’s final plenary sessions require tenacity and endurance. Once you survive your first, however, you might never want to stop!
And now we approach the next challenge: the NCM in Trento. What time do you think it will end this time? Will we break a new record… or surprise everyone with a quick closing?
Place your bets!
By Domenico Vigliaturo
