FIG visits Colombia and Venezuela
 Markku
Villikka, Director, FIG office participated the 7th National Seminar and
4th International Seminar of the Sociedad Colombiana de Topógrafos
that was held in Santa Fe de Bogotá, DC 3–5 November 2000.
The Seminar was attended by 230 participants – 170 registered delegates
and 60 assisting personnel, mainly students – and exhibitors. In the
technical programme the exhibitors and their technical presentations were
given much space. The other half of the presentations included papers on
technical topics like reference systems, GPS, instruments but also on
political issues like GIS infrastructure. Papers on earthquake, oil industry
and EIA were presented. Among the speakers were representatives from Brazil,
Mexico, USA and FIG. Simultaneous interpretation between Spanish and English
was provided for the opening ceremony and the first day of technical
sessions.
 Carlos
Alfredo Rodriguez Rojas, President of SCT with the membership certificate of
FIG.
Director, FIG office made an address at the opening ceremony and handed
over the membership certificate to the new member association and the FIG
table banner. The big FIG banner and the FIG fanfare welcomed the new member
association to FIG. The Federation received a glass statue as a memory for
the historical event.
The Director made also a presentation on FIG, its current activities and
future policies. The new FIG information leaflet in Spanish was distributed
to the participants. The director further presented the invited papers “The
International Technical Development and its Implications to the Profession
of Surveyor”, prepared by Prof. Jean-Marie Becker, Chair of FIG
Commission 5 and “Considerations and National Preparation for the Use of
the Global Reference Frame in Sweden”, prepared by Mikael Lilje,
Secretary of FIG Commission 5.
The membership of FIG is highly appreciated in Colombia and the concept
of inviting a representative of the Bureau to the first annual meeting after
becoming a member of FIG seems to strengthen the identity of FIG membership
within the individual members. This concept could be recommended to other
new members wherever possible.
During the seminar annual meetings of both the Sociedad Colombiana de
Topógrafos and Consejo Profesional Nacional de Topografía were
held. Carlos Alfredo Rodriguez Rojas, the current President of SCT
was re-elected for a two-year term of office. SCT is organising its seminars
now every second year. SCT invited FIG to organise a Commission meeting in
Colombia. After the visit Commission 3 has shown their interest to have
their annual meeting in Cartagena in October 2004.
After the visit to Colombia the Director made a two-day visit to Caracas,
Venezuela to meet the local surveyors. The Director had a good meeting with
Ing. Pablo Alberto Sáez, Director General of Instituto Geografico
de Venezuela Simon Bolivar and Dr. Velkys Quintero from the
Cadastral Department of the Institution.
Director General told that the Instituto was established only one month
earlier when it was separated from the Ministry of Environment. The
Instituto is now independent, more market oriented but still under
development. There are plans to establish five regional offices while the
number of employees at the headquarters was cut from 300 to 200 by the end
of the year 2000. The Instituto is responsible for controlling the cadastral
works and all cartographic work in the country. The municipalities are
responsible for the cadastral works on the field but the actual work is done
by licensed surveyors. Most licensed surveyors have no formal education but
new surveyors are educated at the bachelor level.
Habitat Professionals Forum in New York
The Habitat Professionals Forum, which was established in 1999 at
the initiative of the International Federation of Housing and Planning
(IFHP), the International Society of City and Regional Planners (IsoCaRP),
the International Union of Architects (UIA) and FIG is together with
UNCHS(Habitat) planning three parallel events during Istanbul+5 in New York
in June 2001.
June 6–8 – five years after Habitat II – the General Assembly of
the United Nations will hold a special session to review and appraise
implementation of the Habitat Agenda worldwide. On each of the three days of
the special session, the Habitat Professionals Forum will convene lunchtime
discussions to exchange professional views concerning key aspects of the
Habitat Agenda. Each session will feature one resource person who will make
a brief presentation after which an active discussion with all participants
will follow. The themes of discussions on the different days are Global
Campaign for Secure Tenure, Global Campaign for Good Governance
and the relationship between the global campaigns for secure tenure and good
governance and Finance for Development (FfD).
The keynote on the secure tenure will be given by Prof. Holger Magel,
Vice President of FIG. Introduction addresses to the other themes will be
given by Akin Mabogunje (Nigeria) and Michael Cohen (USA). The
discussions will be held at the U.N. Secretariat, which means that
participants to these discussions have to be accredited to the special
session (members of the national delegations or accredited NGOs).
You can find more information and registration form on the Forum’s web
site at www.habitatforum.org.
MoU between ISM and FIG signed in Krakow
FIG organised its co-operation with other professional surveying
organisations – sister societies – through the International Union of
Surveys and Mapping (IUSM) until 1999 when this association was
disbanded at its meeting during the ICA Congress in Ottawa in August 1999.
The former members of IUSM then preferred to develop bilateral co-operation
instead of the former multilateral approach. Already before IUSM was
disbanded FIG decided to develop bilateral agreements of co-operation with
the former IUSM members and other sister societies like the International
Society for Mine Surveying (ISM) which was not a member of IUSM but
considering the possibility to join the organisation. This principle of
bilateral co-operation was confirmed again by the FIG General Assembly in
Prague in May 2000.
At the Advisory Committee of Commission Officers (ACCO) meeting the
procedure and priority list of the bilateral agreements was discussed in
Prague. It was agreed to proceed with a Memorandum of Understanding with ISM
and to prepare a draft of agreement with the aim to discuss and sign it
during the ISM Congress in Krakow in September 2000, to which ISM has
invited Mr. Robert Foster, President of FIG, to represent FIG.
When preparing the MoU it became obvious that there are many issues where
FIG has something to learn from ISM. In addition to various general aspects
of surveying at surface and underground levels, there are undoubtedly
specific techniques where ISM has developed special competence and
experience in this particular field. These could be of interest for other
applications in engineering surveys. Conversely, in addition to the existing
links and contributions (for instance via Prof. Adam Chrzanowski who
is active in both FIG and ISM working groups), special surveying and
monitoring techniques used in other engineering problems (including
industrial and scientific applications) might be of interest for ISM.
The MoU was agreed at the Presidium meeting of ISM 4th September 2000 and
it was immediately signed by Prof. Jerzy Chwastek, President of ISM,
and Robert Foster, President of FIG. At the opening ceremony of the
Congress, President Foster was given the opportunity to give a welcome
address to the ISM colleagues, in which he expressed the natural motivations
and mutual benefits of this co-operation. Dr. Michel Mayoud, Chairman
of Commission 6, was also there for first technical contacts. He has also
been attending the ISM congress and was appointed later by the Bureau as the
FIG focal point for the contacts with ISM.
Joint Board Meeting of Surveying Societies
After the IUSM (International Union for Surveying and Mapping) was
dissolved, it was agreed that the international surveying and mapping
societies would meet in conjunction with the ISPRS 2000 meeting in
Amsterdam, Netherlands to discuss means for cooperation. Chris Andreasen attended
the meeting in August on behalf of FIG.
ISPRS (International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing),
ICA (International Cartographic Association), IAG (International
Association of Geodesy), IHO (International Hydrographic
Organization), IGU (International Geographical Union) and FIG
attended the meeting in Amsterdam. The meeting opened with each of the
associations describing its activities followed by a discussion of means for
coordination.
It was agreed that there would be no formal structure as was attempted
with IUSM nor will there be any dues. The societies agreed that formal
cooperation would be through bilateral arrangements. The societies are to
exchange journals between all Presidents and Secretaries General. Societies
agree to a “free license” for copying materials published in
newsletters. For publication articles, editors shall seek permission to
reprint. It has been proposed that the Presidents/Secretaries General meet
annually in conjunction with a meeting of the participating societies. Each
society would be responsible for its costs of attendance with two
representatives accredited to attend the Congress. The next meeting will be
hosted by IAG in Budapest, Hungary in September 2001.
FIG has yet to decide if it will participate in the annual meetings or if
it may simply coordinate through bilateral arrangements. This issue was
preliminary discussed at the Bureau meeting in Providence in December but
the final decision has been postponed to Korea. FIG, however, will
participate the next meeting in Budapest.
Appointments
 Dr
Paul Munro-Faure, chair of Commission 7, has been appointed Chief of
the Land Tenure Service in the Rural Development Division of the United
Nations’ Food and Agriculture Service (FAO) in Rome, in succession
to Dr James Riddell. He will be in charge of the FAO Land Tenure
Service with responsibility for continuing the development with his team of
land tenure and related initiatives contributing to fulfilling the
Organisation’s strategic aims of food security and poverty alleviation.
The Service is active in many countries and regions of the world in
fulfilling its global programme of initiatives.
Dr Munro-Faure was previously a director of Land &
Property Economics Ltd (LAPECO) in the United Kingdom and its associated
companies. LAPECO specialises in the provision of consultancy services in
land reform and related issues and is active in many countries worldwide,
but has had particular involvement in the transitional economies of Central
and Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union.
Dr Munro-Faure took up his appointment on 15 November and may
be contacted at the following address: Paul Munro-Faure, Chief, Land Tenure
Service, SDAA, Rm B-514, UN – FAO, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100
Rome, Italy (telephone +39 06 570 568 83, fax +39 06 570 532 50, e-mail paul.munro-faure@fao.org).
 Dr.
Anna Kajumulo Tibaijuka has been appointed to the new Executive
Director of the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements
(Habitat). She started in Habitat in October 2000. She came to Habitat from
the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) where
she has been the Special Coordinator for Least Developed Countries,
Landlocked and Small Island Developing Countries. In this role, Ms.
Tibaijuka has been responsible for strengthening the capacity of LDCs in
trade negotiations with the World Trade Organisation. The appointment of Ms.
Anna Tibaijuka was welcomed by Mr. Klaus Töpfer, in his capacity as
Acting Executive Director of UNCHS (Habitat) and in his role as Executive
Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and
Director General of the United Nations Office in Nairobi (UNON). Dr. Töpfer
stated that “together, we can build synergies between UNEP and Habitat to
address environmental and urban issues. In a world where over half of
humanity lives in urban areas, the environmental future of the planet is
closely linked to the management of our cities and human settlements.”
A Tanzanian national, Ms. Tibaijuka holds a Doctorate of
Science in Agricultural Economics from the Swedish University of
Agricultural Sciences in Uppsala.
The US Bureau has agreed that the FIG Congress Prize will
be offered to young members of FIG member associations at the XXII FIG
Congress. The value of the prize will be 2,000 Swiss francs, together with
complimentary registration at the congress and a return airfare to and
from Washington, DC.
Those eligible to compete for the prize are members of FIG
member associations who have not reached the age of 36 by 31 December
2002.
The Congress theme is “Geomatics and Property Valuation
for Global Sustainable Development”. Any paper submitted must relate to
a surveying subject consistent with that theme. It must be an original
work that has not been previously published. It must be submitted in
English, using 12 pt typeface and be of no more than 12 A4 pages in length
(inclusive of illustrations and diagrams) with clear margins of 25 mm (top
and sides) and 30 mm (bottom) on each page. The papers can be submitted
either in electronic format or as hard copy.
Papers must be submitted through their authors’ member
association, which should send submissions to the FIG office to arrive no
later than 1 January 2002. Personal data about the author should be
presented with the paper and certified by the member association in
accordance with the attached application. Selection of the successful
paper will be made by a committee appointed by the FIG Bureau.
The successful candidate will be invited by the President
of FIG to attend the Congress and the prize will be presented during the
opening ceremony.
For further information about FIG Congress 2002 please visit
the Congress web site www.fig2002.org
or the FIG web site at www.fig.net.
The address of the FIG office is:
International Federation of Surveyors FIG
Lindevangs Allé 4, DK-2000 Frederiksberg, Denmark
Tel. +45 3886 1081, fax +45 3886 0252, e-mail: fig@fig.net
Invitation to compete for the Prize for History of
Surveying
The International Institution for the History of Surveying and
Measurement – A Permanent Institution of FIG was established in 1998.
The aims of the institution are:
- To study the achievements of surveyors, the evolution of knowledge and
the methodology of measuring, and the evolution of surveying
instrumentation.
- To encourage the preservation of instruments, basis documentation, and
books (including manuscripts, diaries and field books).
- To promote an interest in the history of surveying, inter alia through
research and exhibitions.
- To collaborate with other experts, including curators and others who
have the care of collections of relevant material.
- To encourage and promote survey art.
The International Institution for the History of Surveying and
Measurement has announced a competition for the Prize for the History of
Surveying. This Award will be granted during the FIG XXII Congress in
Washington, DC in April 2002.
The rules to participate the competition are as follows:
- The competition is open for all surveyors who are members of a member
association of the International Federation of Surveyors FIG.
- The prize will be given to a submitted paper on any historical aspect
of surveying and measurement that has not yet won a prize.
- The prize for History of Surveying is a valuable poster of surveying
equipment offered to the Institution by the FIG Commission 7 in
Australia.
- The handover of the prize will be take place at the FIG 2002 Congress
in Washington, DC, USA.
- Papers can be submitted in English, French or German.
- Papers will be submitted to an independent referee nominated by the
Board of the Institution and the jury consisting of the referee and the
members of the Board will select the winner.
- The jury’s verdict is without an appeal.
- The winner has to present his or her paper at an appropriate session
at the Congress 2002. In addition the paper will be published in the
Congress proceedings.
- Papers not exceeding 20 pages – A4, single spacing, should be
submitted to the FIG office as a hard copy or an electronic file before
30 September 2001.
The papers shall be submitted to the FIG office: International Federation
of Surveyors FIG, Lindevangs Alle 4, DK-2000 Frederiksberg, Denmark, tel.
+45 3886 1081, fax +45 3886 0252, e-mail: fig@fig.net.
New benefits for sponsors
 The FIG Bureau
has decided in Providence to add two new categories for sponsor membership.
It also decided to propose to the General Assembly to change the name of a
sponsor to corporate member, which better describes the developing
partnership between FIG and its sponsor members.
The new categories are created for the biggest companies that will now
get additional benefits for their corporate membership – more visibility
on the FIG web site and options for advertisements on the FIG Bulletin. To
this platinum level category belong from the current sponsors Leica
Geosystems AG and Trimble after Trimble Navigation Ltd and
Spectra Precision merged into one company last year.
The other new category is created for companies with annual turnover less
than 2 million US dollars. This is mainly for regional and national
corporations. It also allows small international companies to benefit from
the corporate membership that is open e.g. for software producers.
All FIG corporate members are entitled to receive all material
disseminated in the name of the federation. They are also entitled to
promote their products and services through the medium of FIG accordingly to
the membership category. All corporate members may use the FIG logo in
combination with the words “Corporate Member”. They are also welcomed to
nominate a correspondent to each of the technical commissions.
A short article about the corporate member will be published in the
Bulletin when it is accepted as a member. Thereafter FIG seeks to publish on
a regular basis information about new techniques and technologies, new
products and new services developed by corporate members and of interest to
practising surveyors of all disciplines.
There are two annual meetings between the corporate members and FIG to
discuss mutual concerns and to help the congress organisers to plan congress
exhibitions. During a congress corporate members may be invited to organise
a special sessions to identify new developments and trends in equipment and
services.
Depending on the level of corporate membership it can have e.g. the first
choice in reserving exhibition area for the FIG congresses and working weeks
and its name is printed in the programme as FIG Corporate Member. Corporate
members get 10 per cent discount on the booth (stand) fees for the
exhibition at the FIG Congress 2002 in Washington 2002 plus additional
benefits in the congress. They have the privilege to advertise on the FIG
Bulletin.
More information about the corporate membership can be found on the FIG
web site at www.fig.net .
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Mediterranean
Surveyor in the New Millennium
Magel
visited Turkey