The National Indian Education Association (NIEA) has selected Hartford as the host city for its 2018 Annual Convention & Trade Show. More than 1,200 delegates along with over 100 exhibitors will spend three days in Connecticut experiencing its history and culture. NIEA will meet at the Connecticut Convention Center in mid-October 2018. 

Representatives from the Connecticut Convention Center as well as the Connecticut Convention & Sports Bureau attended NIEA’s 2014 Convention in Anchorage, Alaska. After showcasing the wide array of benefits to meeting at the Connecticut Convention Center as well as in the city of Hartford, members of NIEA voted to host its 2018 Convention at the Connecticut Convention Center.

 

“Just weeks ago, NIEA membership displayed exciting support in taking the largest gathering of Native education stakeholders to the Northeast,” said Ahniwake Rose, Executive Director of NIEA. “Home to the Mohegan Tribe and Mashantucket Pequot Nation, Connecticut will provide NIEA an exciting opportunity to partner with local tribes and with the larger tribal community of the United South and Eastern Tribes.”

 

The National Indian Education Association advances comprehensive educational opportunities for American Indians, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians throughout the U.S. It is the premier organization advocating for Native students, working to achieve educational equity and excellence, as well as ensure all students are provided high-quality academic and cultural education.

 

“We are excited NIEA has selected the Connecticut Convention Center as the host for its 2018 Convention and Tradeshow,” said Michael Costelli, General Manager for the Convention Center. “We look forward to welcoming NIEA and showcasing the Center as well as the incredible level of service our staff provides to ensure every experience at the Center is memorable.”

 

“It is an honor that NIEA will hold its prestigious convention in Connecticut for the very first time,” said H. Scott Phelps, Interim President of the Connecticut Convention & Sports Bureau, which markets the entire state as a premier destination for international, national, regional and statewide conferences, conventions and major sports events. “Our state continues to grow as the destination for national associations and organizations that value our rich history, scenic natural resources, and accessible location.”

 

NIEA’s Annual Convention and Trade Show is a chance for Native education advocates to come together, network, learn and discuss issues and policies affecting the state of Native education in the U.S. The Convention consists of 100 educational and professional development workshops as well as cultural events including the welcome reception and annual Pow Wow. For more information, visit NIEA.org.

 

About the Connecticut Convention Center The Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford is the state’s premier meeting venue and the largest full-service convention facility between New York and Boston. Overlooking the beautiful Connecticut River, it features 140,000 square feet of exhibition space, a 40,000-square-foot ballroom and 25,000 square feet of meeting space, as well as ample sheltered parking. The venue is professionally managed for the State of Connecticut by Waterford Venue Services, an affiliate of Waterford Hotel Group. For more information, please visit CTConventions.com.

 

About the Connecticut Convention & Sports Bureau

The Connecticut Convention & Sports Bureau (CTCSB) is the state’s official meetings and sports event sales and marketing organization. Working in partnership with businesses, institutions, nonprofit organizations and their surrounding communities, the CTCSB markets all of the state – convention and meeting venues, hotels and attractions, and sporting venues – as a premier destination for international, national, regional and statewide conferences, conventions and major sports events. A public-private partnership, the CTCSB is funded by dues from members and by the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) and Connecticut Office of Tourism. For more information, please visit CTMeetings.org.