Der absolute Hammer...very well said.
I needed to attend the symposium due to not having done the required 20hrs instruction in the preceding 12 months, in order to renew my rating, I thought it would be like pulling teeth, and actually dreaded going there.
When I walked out at the end of the day I felt that I had learnt something and it was a day well spent, over and above the interaction with many different instructors from many different fileds of aviation, not to mention the SACAA presenters and their knowledge.