Agreement conference secures £14m in media coverage for Belfast university

A conference marking the anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement attended by international political leaders has brought in almost £14 million of media coverage for a Belfast university.

The Queen’s University hosted former US president Bill Clinton, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen across the three-day Agreement 25 event.

Queen’s said there was coverage of the event in 49 countries, with a reach of 78.2 billion – making it one of the largest events ever held on these islands.

It said the event has already secured the university almost £14 million of media coverage, adding that figure is likely to “rise significantly” in the coming days.

The value of the media coverage was calculated by media monitoring firm Vuelio by compiling column inches in print and broadcasting hours and multiplying it by the advertising value in each outlet to reach the figures.

Queen’s said it cost £250,000 to host the event, however a gala dinner at Belfast City Hall on Monday night raised £540,000 – including an unnamed donor contributing £250,000, for the launch of the Clinton Scholarship.

“I am confident that will figure will rise even further in the coming days,” he said, but emphasised the event was not about financial return.

“The reputational boost for Belfast, the university and Northern Ireland as whole is immeasurable.

“Money could not buy what we have achieved this week.

“There was also the feelgood factor of our staff, students, partner organisations and citizens of Belfast and further afield and a buzz unlike anything I have seen before.

“And it comes on the heels of Ulster University hosting the US president Joe Biden the week before and a major international cyber conference, making it an exceptional 10 days for this place.”