Silmo Paris cancelled: new plan announced

Amélie Morel, chairwoman of the Silmo Association

Silmo Paris will not take place in October, the organisers confirmed today. Instead, Silmo Paris will go ‘on the road’ in France and throughout Europe.

Amélie Morel, chairwoman of the Silmo Association, explained that given the continuing uncertainty hanging over the event, the Silmo executive board, and its partner Compexium, had taken the “unfortunate decision” to cancel the Silmo 2020 Paris event due to take place at Paris Nord Villepinte from 2-5 October 2020.

“We extend great thanks to the 688 registered exhibitors who demonstrated great entrepreneurial courage by deciding to maintain their participation in Silmo Paris 2020, despite the crisis we are going through,” Amélie said.

The planned roadshow events, dubbed Silmo Outside the Walls, will begin on 4 and 5 October in Paris – and then be repeated every Monday during October in a different city, such as Bordeaux, Lyon, Rennes and Brussels – with the programme yet to be finalised.

The Silmo d’Or award ceremony will go ahead, and the Silmo Academy will issue a 2020 scholarship to support a scientific research project in vision and optics as planned.

Through a stand-alone app, Silmo Next – the ideas lab, forum for inter-professional discussions and showcase for creation and innovation – will present the summary of the work that began two years ago, probing into the future of the sector, product developments and the optical profession.

Silmo Paris will return to the Paris Nord Villepinte exhibition centre from 24 to 27 September 2021.

Keep up-to-date with events and news on the Silmo website.