Professor of Happiness, Media Chronicler, and Andrija Jarak to Join Us in Rovinj
Zagreb, May 8, 2024 – Weekend.17 is back this year with the most prominent speakers and current topics. Weekend.17 will be the largest Weekend yet, as it gathers major names from the media, communication, and business worlds from September 19 to 22 in Rovinj. It’s an opportunity to close the summer, learn something new, network, and have a great time.
“This year, Weekend celebrates a year before coming of age, and we can guarantee that it will be the most content-rich Weekend to date. The festival’s success formula remains unchanged – a blend of education, all-night fun, new acquaintances, and new opportunities. This will also be the largest Weekend, featuring three festivals in one: Weekend Media Festival, HR.Weekend, and the inaugural AI.Weekend. Panels will be inspiring, partly provocative, but all will be educational – there will be something for everyone. Reserve your spot in advance because Weekend.17 will be talked about for a long time,” emphasized Tomo Ricov, Director of the Weekend Media Festival.
Weekend no longer needs an introduction; over the years, it has pushed boundaries, opened spaces for dialogue, new business deals, and top-notch entertainment. The festival has grown year after year, and thanks to Adris as the host and main sponsor, Rovinj becomes a second home to all professionals from the media, communication, marketing, and business sectors during the last weekend of summer.
This year at Weekend.17, we welcome Bob Garfield, the legendary American journalist and leading media expert, columnist for The Washington Post, The Guardian, and long-time analyst at ABC News. At the “Dead Man Walking” panel, he will discuss the collapse of the advertising business model in mass media, which Garfield describes as a digital revolution akin to the industrial revolution that destroyed manual labor and craftsmanship. “In short, it’s over. The whole audience in Rovinj is doomed. Forever. This isn’t the beginning of the end. This is the middle of the end. In 15 years: the lights will go out,” Garfield optimistically announced his lecture.
We also welcome Micael Dahlen, the Professor of Happiness – yes, you read that right, happiness. Dahlen will offer new perspectives on life and work and explain how to balance work and life. His academic career includes research on consumer behavior, human happiness, marketing, and creativity, and he has authored numerous books on various topics, including marketing, happiness, serial killers, sex, numbers that drive us, long-term well-being, and social media. Summarized, his lecture is not to be missed.
We present True Crime Balkan-style. Andrija Jarak will join us in our courtyard, as we have invited him to moderate a panel on crime in the Balkans. Alongside him will be Filip Švarm, a prominent long-time editor of the weekly Vreme and author of numerous TV series; Vladimir Faber, former Chief of Police; and Dario Todorović, screenwriter and director of the series “Dosje Jarak”. The panelists will shed light on the key challenges faced by investigators and judicial bodies in combating organized crime and provide deeper insights into the processes behind investigating and documenting crimes in the region.
Last year’s inaugural HR.Weekend, which took place at the same location and time, thrilled all HR professionals, HR managers, employers, and company representatives. This year, organizers are bringing together top experts and speakers who will discuss the development and application of innovative strategies in human resources management. One of them is Marc Schulz, a clinical psychologist from Harvard. Schulz is a co-author of the book “The Good Life,” based on the world’s longest longitudinal study of happiness, which has been ongoing for eight decades. Dr. Schulz’s scientific insights will help HR professionals better understand how to support employee relationships, foster a positive work culture, and see how individuals develop throughout their lifetimes, especially in the workplace context.
Additionally, Weekend.17 introduces AI.Weekend, featuring special speakers from Europe and the USA. Among them is Adam Silverman, creator of the search engine for musical.ly/TikTok creators and founder of AgentOps.ai, focusing on developing DevOps tools for AI agent developers. You’ll also hear from AI advisor Tobias Zwingmann. His lecture, “How to Experience Failure with Artificial Intelligence – and How to Succeed,” promises to provide deep insights into the world of AI. Through a combination of in-depth analysis and practical anecdotes, AI expert Tobias Zwingmann will illuminate the principles behind successful and unsuccessful AI projects, helping attendees not only start their next AI venture but also ensure its success.
Croatia has proven itself as a tech country with potential for further advancement, making Weekend.17 the first of the festivals that connect communication, media, and marketing experts with IT professionals. Attendees can look forward to discussions on the latest developments brought by artificial intelligence and what the future holds.
See you at Weekend.17, because there’s only one Weekend in the year.
For all information and the latest news about the Weekend, you can follow us here and on the official Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok channels.
