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March 16, 2021

SPC invite to join our April Fool’s Media vs PR Trivia Quiz Night! Thursday, April 1st from 7pm – sign up as Player or Spectator by Friday, March 26

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APRIL FOOL’S MEDIA VS PR TRIVIA QUIZ NIGHT
(1 April 2021)


Wise men say only fools rush in, but if you can’t help falling in love with trivia, it’s now or never.

Singapore Press Club’s MEDIA VS PR TRIVIA QUIZ NIGHT is back with a special April Fool’s edition, hosted by resident trivia maestro Ranajit Dam.

If you’re a newshound (dog) who’s up to speed with the latest headlines and current affairs, or a PR pro who enjoys your random factoids as much as them random tabloids, gather your fellow suspicious minds and good luck charm for an unforgettable evening.

Date: 1 April 2021, Thursday
Time: 7pm – 9pm
Venue: Zoom (virtual event)

Prizes up for grabs!
The top 3 winning teams will walk away with a big hunk o’ love and prizes courtesy of the Singapore Press Club.
 

 

1st prize worth $250
Margarita’s @ Dempsey Hill Lunch invite for 2 
 + 1 bottle of Auchentoshan 12 years whiskey  

2nd prize worth $150
Margarita’s @Dempsey Hill lunch invite for 1 
 + 1 bottle of Auchentoshan 12 years whiskey  

3rd prize worth $100
1 bottle of Auchentoshan 12 years whiskey  

All winners (and team members) will receive a Travel adaptor plug with USB port worth $20.


How to register?
Form a team of up to 8 persons and sign up via the Google Form.

Upon confirmation, we will send each player/team a link for the event.
If you’re lonesome tonight, that’s all right: You have the option of being assigned to a team of fellow solo players.

Deadline for registration is 26 March 2021, Friday.

Spectators are welcome: Come cheer your favourite team on or just soak up  the fun! 

Quiz rules
  • Team members (max 8 per team) may choose to either communicate with each other remotely and privately, or gather at someone’s house while observing safe distancing and visiting rules.
  • Please don’t be cruel by Googling your answers. This quiz will operate on the journalistic principles of integrity and honesty. May the best team win fair and square.
  • Cameras on please. As this is an interactive game and networking opportunity, it would be a heartbreak (hotel) not to see everyone’s faces.
  • Any dispute over points and answers will be resolved at the quiz master’s discretion.
  • Don’t go hungry. To ensure that you are well fed during the quiz, we have arranged for special bento menu that you can order to be delivered (*Check out the menu and payment methods below). 
  • Last but certainly not least, fun is mandatory. Come ready to be all shook up.


See you on April Fool’s! 

Your quiz organisers:

Yeo Sam Jo, SPC Management Committee Member
Lau Joon-Nie, SPC Vice President
Ranajit Dam, SPC Member & Quiz Master
Janet Wee-Ng, SPC General Manager & Management Committee Member 

Click here to register as Player/Team or Spectator and Bento orders

All players and spectators may join for FREE.

To stay fuelled during the game, you may also order special dinner bento boxes* that will be delivered.

Simply fill in the Google Form to reguster and place your food orders.

Each bento box is priced at $26 (inclusive of GST. Excluding delivery charges)
–  Delivery charges range from $5 to $10 per location drop. 
–  Orders and payments must be made before 26 March 2021 to ensure timely delivery.

Dinner Bento Menu:

Thai Cuisine (Bento A)
Thai Papaya Salad with Dried Shrimp and Peanut
Baked Barramundi with Tom Yum Tomato Sauce, Tomato and Onion
Red Curry Thai Fish Cake with Thai Sweet Chili
Shanghai Greens with Straw Mushroom and Oyster Sauce
Thai Olive Rice with Lime, Shallot, Chili and Omelette
Mango Sticky Rice with Sesame Seed

Italian Cuisine (Bento B)
Tomato Caprese Salad with Feta Cheese
Pollack Fish Fillet Parmigiana with Tomato Fondue and Mozzarella Cheese
Chicken Meatball with Onion Gravy
Roasted Provencal Vegetable with Herbs
Mushroom Alfredo Pasta with Green Pea
Vanilla Panna Cotta with Berries Compote

March 16, 2021

SPC Knowledge Webinar: learn creative flower photography with DSLR & Smartphone – by The Photographic Society of Singapore – Wed, 17 March, 8pm

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Free Webinar on Photography 

“Creative Flower Photography with DSLR & Smartphone”
Wednesday, 17 March 2021, 8pm to 9pm

Singapore Press Club is pleased to invite you to sign up for this Singapore Photographic Society’s free webinar

Click this link to find out more about the event and to join

https://m.facebook.com/groups/21392626715

March 16, 2021

SPC Knowledge Webinar Invite: Discover+: News Media, Virtual Panel Discussion, 6 April 2021, Tuesday | Time: 7.30pm to 9:00pm

Post By admin Latest News & Events
Discover+: News Media, an online panel put together by Advisory for students and young professionals interested in finding out more about the News Media field in Singapore. You can look forward to hearing from professionals including Yeo Sam Jo (Multimedia Correspondent, The Straits Times), Daniel Ho Sheng (Director, Business & Operations Excellence, Mothership), Eugene Wong (Executive Director, Forbes), Bryan Huang (Lead Producer, Yahoo) and more about their experiences and the advice they have for youths interested in entering the industry.

 
Event Details
Date: 6 April 2021, Tuesday | Time: 7.30pm to 9:00pm
Registration Deadline: 6 April 2021, Tuesday (12pm)
Sign-up and secure your spot at this link!
 
As a brief background, Advisory (www.advisory.sg) is a fully youth-led nonprofit that aims to empower young Singaporeans from all walks of life to make informed career and further education choices. By breaking down the barriers that young people face in finding out about occupations and industry, Advisory endeavours to level the playing field and support students aged 16-25 to pursue their aspirations. Founded in 2016, they’ve done this through an online repository of interviews (viewed more than 186,000 times by more than 84,000 users), their online and offline industry engagement events and learning journeys (which have engaged over 7,000 students), and support for schools. Their work has been featured by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong; Minister Grace Fu; and Senior Parliamentary Secretary Baey Yam Keng; covered by media outlets like Channel NewsAsia, The Straits Times, Berita Harian, Vasantham, Rice Media, The Smart Local, Shin Min Daily, Lianhe Zaobao and Lianhe Wanbao; and been endorsed by such institutions as the National University of Singapore, the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust, and the Rhodes Trust.

For more of who they are and what they do, check out their website and 2020 Impact Report. 
 
If you have any questions at all, you can contact Advisory at contact@advisory.sg. 
 
We look forward to seeing you at Discover+: News Media!
 

Best Regards
Janet Wee
General Manager
Singapore Press Club
February 4, 2021

Free registration for Narrative journalism conference open [Worldwide] | International Journalists’ Network (March 19, 2021)

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Media professionals interested in storytelling and journalism are invited to attend this free online event.

Boston University is organizing its annual narrative journalism conference “The power of narrative” on March 19.

The daylong event will feature virtual keynotes and breakout sessions on in-depth storytelling, helping journalists strengthen their craft.

Speakers include Jelani Cobb, Ibram Kendi, Jacqui Banaszynski, Fernanda Santos, David Fahrenthold and Angel Jennings.

Registration is ongoing.

You can find more details from this link
http://www.bu.edu/com/narrative/ 

Singapore Press Club wishes you all the best in your training and personal development in 2021. Watch out for more training programmes recommended to you as we source them from our partners for your participation. We also welcome sharing with us if you come across a good programme we can tap on. Email me at gm@pressclub.org.sg or secretariat@pressclub.org.sg.  

Regards
Janet Wee
General Manager
Singapore Press Club

February 1, 2021

Year End newsletter

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For an idea of our programmes and activities, see below our year-end newsletter wrapping up the news and takeaways of our activities during the last quarter of 2020.

It’s been a tough year for everyone, but the club kept up our activities mainly by engaging you through digital channels.

While online knowledge events and training are great for now, some members feedback that face-to-face but socially-distanced events would be welcome. So in addition to a Cornerstone exclusive Liquor sale on 3rd December and a series of Dining offers (https://pressclub.org.sg/special-privileges-for-members/) – another batch of deals were delivered in December – we had to think up some novel events. 

Social events with a twist?

Our first Gourmet Special – Dinner at Home was held on Friday 23rd October. A unique Peranakan Taster Dinner created by Chef Lionel Chee came with an online demo on how to cook a Peranakan dish. We received more than 30 orders from members who enjoyed the meals delivered to their homes for family and friends, along with Peranakan-inspired cocktail drinks.

In December, Chef Lionel’s Eurasian Christmas Feast was held on Friday, 18th December.

Members had friends and family over to share the joys of the season or surprise loved ones by sending them a surprise festive meal to savour this specially-curated menu of Eurasian favourites. Chef Lionel gave an online talk, personally introduce his dishes and also took questions. We had a good number of 39 orders

We also launched our first Networking Lunch Special – Tables of 5 held at 3 separate restaurants at Novotel on Stevens. Due to good response, we had to hold it over 2 days – 8th & 9th December – with members and guest lunching at Winestone, The Gyu Bar and In Piazza. 

Joon Nie who hosted a table of 5 at The Gyu Bar said, “Thanks to the club for organising this event to get us out of our homes and networking again! Not easy to coordinate with so many restaurants! Planning to use the Winestone discount too one of these days, and I’m gonna bring my family to In Piazza soon so yes looking forward to those member discounts!”

Elsie, who lunched at In Piazza, commented “Had a great time … Company was great and the food was excellent!”

Battle of wits and bouts of laughter at inaugural Media vs PR trivia night

Which Asian city is the world’s coldest national capital?

What was late American director Stanley Kubrick’s final film? 

And what do Free Willy, Lisa Kudrow and Nelson Mandela have in common?

These were just some of 60 questions posed at the  inaugural Media Versus PR Trivia Quiz Night on Nov xx. Organised by the Press Club (SPC), the virtual quiz saw more than 30 trivia buffs convene on Google Meet for a friendly face-off of brainy proportions and some spectators in for the fun too. The 7 participating teams came mostly from the media and public relations industry. SPC also invited friends from Telum Media, the Foreign Correspondents Association, the Asian American Journalists Association and the Institute of Public Relations.

A special discount was also offered by our partner Lazy Lizard so participants could order their meals and have it delivered.

Quiz master and Thomson Reuters managing editor Ranajit Dam kept participants engaged for two hours with challenging questions from geography and history to science and pop culture – and no Googling was allowed.

The team from Bloomberg, aptly named Play To Win, edged out the competition to win $200 worth of Dempsey Hill dining and shopping vouchers, courtesy of Country City Investment. AfterHours, the youngest team comprising students from NUS and SUSS snagged the second prize: $150 worth of Lazy Lizard dining vouchers. Coming in third was A Team Has No Name, a motley crew of single-players led by journalist Nicholas Yong. Each of the top three teams also received two bottles of wine sponsored by SPC.

“The questions were really well thought out,” said Yong, assistant news editor at Yahoo and self-professed trivia regular. “I have been to other pub quizzes where the questions are either too difficult or clearly just plucked out at random. My compliments to Ranajit. So much effort and thought put into it.”

Quiz host and SPC management committee member Yeo Sam Jo said this is likely the first of many trivia tournaments to come. “It may have been our first quiz night, but the great turnout tells us that people, journalists or not, love a little friendly competition. Even if you don’t win, it’s all in good fun and you get to bond with others while learning a thing or two,” Sam Jo said.

Speaking of learning, if you’ve read this far and you might want to know the answers to the questions cited earlier: Ulaanbaatar is the coldest national capital, Stanley Kubrick’s last film was Eyes Wide Shut, and Willy, Lisa and Nelson are all characters from The Simpsons.

If you missed the Trivia Night, look out for the next one in February 2021. The teams who have participated, especially the Telum Media team, will be back for sure and we hear more will sign up. 

We had lots of food and fun but we also tackled serious issues like climate change, your health and wealth. Here’s a quick summary and the takeaways.

SPC accepted an invitation to participate a unique initiative on 23rd October called the World Press Clubs Alliance for Climate – the longest ever online conference (24 hours in 24 time zones) focusing on positive climate action. We presented a 15-minute video on what Singapore is doing to tackle the challenges posed by climate change, and the role the media can play. This video was commissioned through the Press Club’s recently launched Freelancer Network, in partnership with the National Youth Achievement Award Council.


You can also view it on the SPC’s YouTube channel https://youtu.be/HRaIwl5QmxE. The video was produced by Manimaran Govindasamy, a member of our Freelancer Network.

Copyrighted SPH pictures in video and here, used with permission thanks to The Straits Times.

Webinar on the 11.11 was not a sales event, but a webinar on Job Opportunities for the Media and Digital Marketing Sector held on 11th November, organised by NTUC’s U-Associates in  collaboration with SPC and Marketing Research Society of Singapore. Club Vice-President Lau Joon-Nie, who now heads the APAC office of the European-headquartered World Association of News Publishers, spoke at the webinar.

This was the second in a new monthly series on job opportunities amid the Covid-19 pandemic by U-Associates, a network of professional associations set up by the Labour Movement in 2011 for working professionals.

Opening the webinar, U-Associates Director, Melvin Yong, who is also NTUC’s Assistant Secretary-General, said that amid the gloom, some industries, like new media and digital marketing, continue to be resilient. NTUC sees potential in the sector.

“Network, network, network,” said Singapore Press Club Vice-President, Lau Joon-Nie, in response to an audience question on how local companies could compete on a global scale.

“Attend trade shows, join industry groups and associations – online or in person. Go overseas, seek opportunities,” said the veteran Press Club member, who joined in 1995 when she was then a young broadcast journalist. “Find your tribe.” 

The hour-long webinar was moderated by Club member Selena Oh, Director of Write Sel Communications, a PR and marketing communications agency specialising in tourism, hospitality and lifestyle events.

To find out more about the issues discussed in the webinar, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rlb-A3rcr68

SPC Health Webinar: The inevitability of pandemics: Is the Asia Pacific prepared? 

This webinar on 12th November, hosted by SPC was supported by Roche Diagnostics. Renowned academics, clinicians and health economic experts from around the region participated in a 90-minute discussion about the way forward, and what it will take for Asia Pacific to be prepared for when, not if, the next pandemic strikes. We got over 50 sign ups, including journalists from 27 media titles in the region. 

Zakir Hussain, the Club’s Vice President and the Singapore Editor of The Straits Times welcomed the attendees with a simple message that the pandemic has highlighted the need for collaboration and partnership, including among media organisations.

A big thanks to SPC member Shefali Rekhi, Asian Insider Editor at ST and Editor of the Asia News Network, for doing a great job moderating the 3 sessions with the 10 panelists, including a doctor who recovered from Covid19.

Click to watch recordings of the event

SPC Health Webinar: Vaccine confidence in the time of Covid-19: Asia's time to act?

This webinar was presented by the EU-ASEAN Business Council  on 1st December. Renowned speakers in policy and clinical practice discussed with our member Salma Khalik, ST’s senior health correspondent, the barriers to enhanced vaccine confidence in Asia.

Salma has this takeaway to share from the discussion “One thing that all panelists agreed on is that in the event of something going wrong, the faster the authorities can provide the media with accurate and updated information, the easier it is to curb the spread of fears and misinformation. Delays in acknowledging a problem, such as the death of someone following vaccination, can do much damage – especially if the death is not even related to the vaccine. The delay itself will give rise to speculation, which can rapidly spin out of control, given the speed of social media. If the death is related to the vaccine, all the more reason for the authorities to be open with information and its plans going forward.”

You can view this webinar recording from this link.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkP6k13ViAA

The club’s investment committee has appointed EndowUs, a boutique wealth manager, to invest our modest reserves to earn better returns. EndowUs held an online talk and Q&A on 23 November for our members. If you missed the talk, you can view the recording of the session from this link.
https://youtu.be/1e2c9CBDrWU

We’re also happy to share that Endowus has offered SPC members a special 50% off Access Fee until Q2 2021 when signing up to use their services. 

Finally, we’ve had a vibrant online ARTS calendar too – films, music and an art exhibition. 30 members registered and received sponsored tickets to watch Idomeneo Refracted, a live online opera performance.

January 28, 2021

The Society of Publishers in Asia, SOPA 2021 Journalism Awards is open for Entries; Deadline Feb 25

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SOPA, the Society of Publishers in Asia, established the annual SOPA Awards for Editorial Excellence in 1999 to recognize and reward great journalism in the region. The awards span 18 categories and seek to honor outstanding reporting, innovative story telling and, above all, elevate and recognize the region’s many strong local voices.

SOPA is keen to see that number rise, given Asia’s diverse media industry and would like to invite media members of Singapore Press Club to submit entries to the SOPA 2021 Awards.

You can find more details on the awards here: https://sopawards.com.

SOPA would also be offering a subsidy for first-time entrants (USD$25). You will find more details here https://sopawards.com/the-sopa-awards/2021-entry-fees/ and in their FAQ section here: https://sopawards.com/the-sopa-awards/rules-faq/

The press releases in English and Chinese versions are posted on https://sopawards.com/news-room/.  

The strict deadline for entries submission is Thursday 3pm Feb 25 HKT. 

For further enquiries on the Awards and submissions, you can also contact SOPA at mail@sopasia.com. 

Singapore Press Club wishes you all the best in your entries. 

Regards
Janet Wee
General Manager
Singapore Press Club

January 28, 2021

SPC Invite: Join this free webinar presented by ST and WEF – Geopolitical Reset 2021: Implications for Asia live on Jan 29 at 7pm SGT (12pm CET).

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A follow up on post US Elections webinars, Singapore Press Club is pleased to invite you to join this upcoming webinar titled Geopolitical Reset 2021: Implications for Asia to be held this Friday, 29 January and presented by The Straits Times and the World Economic Forum (WEF)


What can countries in Asia expect from a new US President and administration? And how will continuing competition for influence between America and China play out in the region? Will Sino-US tensions on trade and technology ease with a new administration, and if Mr. Biden’s proposed Summit for Democracy will be well received or pose more challenges for Asia. These questions and more will be addressed in this webinar 

The webinar will feature these panelists:

Professor Chan Heng Chee, Ambassador-at-Large and Chair of the Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities and she was the former Singapore ambassador to the United States

Professor Wang Gungwu is a University Professor at NUS Arts and Social Sciences and a leading scholar on Sino-Southeast Asian historical relations.

Mr. George Yeo, Senior Adviser to Kuok Group and former Singapore Foreign Minister. Mr. Yeo has taken on advisory roles in various organisations including Peking University, Nalanda University, Mitsubishi Corporation, AIA, and Pinduoduo.

Professor Kishore Mahbubani, Distinguished fellow at the Asia Research Institute. He was the first Singapore Ambassador to serve on the UN Security Council and was also previously appointed the Founding Dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.

The webinar will be moderated by ST Associate Editor Vikram Khanna. The ST’s US Bureau Chief, Mr Nirmal Ghosh, and China Bureau Chief Tan Dawn Wei will also join in the conversation.

The webinar is being held in conjunction with the Davos Agenda 2021 week, which runs from Monday to Friday, where more than 1,500 business, government and civil society leaders from over 70 countries will attend a series of virtual sessions to discuss global issues under the theme, “A crucial year to rebuild trust”.

Geopolitical Reset 2021: Implications for Asia

Date: 29 January 2021 at 7pm SGT (12pm CET).
The webinar will also be streamed on
ST’s Facebook and YouTube pages

January 28, 2021

SPC Knowledge Webinar Invite: EAI Distinguished Public Lecture on “China’s Domestic and External Economic Challenges” on Zoom, Fri Jan 29, 10am (SGT)

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EAI Distinguished Public Lecture on Zoom

TopicChina’s Domestic and External Economic Challenges
Speaker

Dr David Dollar

Senior Fellow, China Center, Brookings Institution, USA

DateFriday, 29 January 2021
Time10:00 am – 11:30 am (Singapore Time)
Join us on Zoom

The EAI Distinguished Public Lecture series will be hosted on Zoom until further notice.

Please click on https://nus-sg.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_WqiHNv6nRSeL4VJSmI7xew

to register for the seminar using your device with internet connection (computer, phone or tablet).

If you are unable to register using Internet Explorer, please use an alternative browser such as Google Chrome.

AbstractIn 2021, the Chinese Communist Party celebrates its hundredth anniversary and entering the New Year in enviable shape. China managed to regain control of COVID-19 early on and is poised to bounce back strongly with a projected 8% growth in 2021. Meanwhile, exports are roaring ahead as other countries are still recovering from COVID-19. Despite this short-term success, the country faces daunting domestic and external challenges in the medium term. On the domestic side, demographic shifts will result in a declining labour force and put a premium on geographic mobility. Overreliance on investment as a driver for demand growth has led to inefficiency and waste, and a steep rise in the debt to GDP ratio, which is risking a financial crisis. To maintain growth at reasonably high levels while managing these issues of labour and investment will require innovation to become a major driver of growth. On the external side, even under the new Biden administration, the trade war with the United States is unlikely to be resolved anytime soon, with tariffs and restrictions on technology imports likely to stay. China recent signed the RCEP trade agreement with 14 other Asian countries, and the Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI) with the European Union offers new opportunities for growth that complements the domestic reform agenda.
About the SpeakerDavid Dollar is a senior fellow in the China Center at the Brookings Institution and host of the Dollar & Sense podcast on international trade. He is a leading expert on Asian economies and US relations with Asia. His most recent book is China 2049, co-authored with economists from Peking University. From 2009 to 2013 he was the US Treasury’s economic and financial emissary to China, based in Beijing. Before his time at Treasury, Dollar worked at the World Bank for 20 years. He was the country economist for Vietnam from 1989 to 1995, a period of intense reform and adjustment. From 1995 to 2004, Dollar worked in the World Bank’s research department and published articles on trade and growth, economic reform in the developing world, and aid effectiveness. From 2004 to 2009 he was country director for China and Mongolia. Prior to his World Bank career, Dollar was an assistant professor of economics at the University of California, Los Angeles and spent a semester in Beijing teaching at the Graduate School of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. He has a PhD in economics from New York University and a BA in Asian studies from Dartmouth College.

Photography and videography may be carried out during the event by EAI for its print publications, digital platforms and/or marketing channels.

For enquiries, please contact the Institute at 6516 3708 / 6516 8333 or

email: eaiwym@nus.edu.sg / james_tan@nus.edu.sg

East Asian Institute, National University of Singapore
469A Bukit Timah Road, Tower Block #06-01, Singapore 259770

January 19, 2021

Through The Lens Exhibition by The Straits Times and World Press Photo (16 Jan – 7 Feb) and Photojournalism Webinar (Jan 27, Wed, 12.30pm)

Post By admin Latest News & Events, News & Notices, News & Updates
Dear Friends,

Singapore Press Club is pleased to invite you to view Through The Lens photo exhibitions by The Straits Times and World Press Photo held at the National Museum of Singapore (The Concourse level 1 and The Canyon at basement) from Saturday, January 16 to Sunday February 7, 2021. It is open to the public daily, admission is free. 

Through The Lens comprises an exhibition by The Straits Times (this year, the ST exhibition will focus on coverage of Covid-19 in Singapore) and an exhibition by the World Press Photo (which celebrates most powerful, provocative and poignant images from around the world).

Join us as well for this Webinar on Photojournalism

Covering Covid-19 – Documenting a new normal amid the pandemic Featuring ST photojournalists As social distancing becomes part of the new landscape, many of us have had to rethink our lifestyles and get creative in the ways we connect, gather, eat and work.

Through visual features that captured how coronavirus impacted lives in 2020, The Straits Times photojournalists discuss the role that photojournalism plays during a public health crisis, as well as the challenges and importance of showing the human face – and cost – of the pandemic.

Date: Wed, Jan 27
Time: 12.30pm – 1.30pm
Register by Jan 24, 6pm    
Successful registrants will be sent a unique link prior to the webinar

Click here to Register