FIG Working Week and XXX General Assembly in Hong Kong SAR, China
13-17 May 2007

Strategic Integration of Surveying Services - First Working Week for the new FIG Council a big success

The FIG Working Week 2007 and XXX General Assembly was organised in Hong Kong SAR, China 13-17 May 2007. The conference was attended by more than 500 delegates from 64 countries. The Working Week was organised by the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors HKIS together with FIG. The local organising Committee was chaired by Mr. Hak Chan and the Congress Director was the capable Ms. Winnie Shiu.

Opening Ceremony and plenary sessions

The highlight of the opening ceremony was the Lion Eye dotting Ceremony followed by the Lion Dance. The Eye Dotting Ceremony was performed by the Honorable Donald Tsang, the Chief Executive of HKSAR, Mr. Raymond Chan, President of HKIS and Prof. Stig Enemark, FIG President. The welcome addresses were given by Mr. Lu Xinshe, Vice Minister, Ministry of Land and Resources and Director General of State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping, Mr. Hak Chan, President Raymond Chan and President Stig Enemark.

At the plenary session after the opening ceremony the keynote addresses were given by Dr. Leung Ying, GBS, JP, Convenor of the Non-official Members of the Executive Council of the Hong Kong SAR. The second keynote speaker was President Enemark, whose presentation was about "The Role of FIG in Responding the Millennium Goals and the Global Agenda". 

The other two plenary sessions focussed on Governing Mega Cities - policies and technical aspects with Prof. Holger Magel, Mr. Albert Leung and Mr. Tony Tse as the keynote speakers. The final plenary session was about Responding to the Global agenda with Keith Bell from the World Bank, Prof. Theo Kötter from Uni Bonn and Dr. Xiao Ping as the keynote speakers.

Technical programme

The technical and scientific programme of the conference consisted 60 technical sessions and almost 300 papers. Unfortunately the number of un-presented papers was bigger than in previous FIG events. Some of the sessions offered high profile presentations and especially the session that was coordinated with the World Bank got good impressions. In the future Commissions are considering to increase the number of invited papers. This together with the peer-review process will offer good opportunities to academic members and at the same time raise the general level of presentations. The opportunity to provide case studies and practical papers will be kept.

Social Events

The Congress week was also full of social highlights starting with the welcome reception at Kowloon Shangri-La Hotel followed by the FIG Foundation Dinner and Chinese Evening at the Stanley Plaza with the Hong Kong Police Band. The farewell dinner took place at the conference hotel. The exhibitors' party was well received both by the exhibitors and the visitors.

General Assembly - (Minutes)

The FIG General Assembly met in two sessions on Sunday 13 May and on Thursday 17 May 2007 at the Shangri-La. Some new members were approved including new member association from Romania and affiliate members from Norway and Tajikistan. Bentley Systems joined as platinum corporate member. The General Assembly also expelled some member associations, affiliates and academic members due to unpaid membership fees. Prof. Holger Magel was appointed as an Honorary President.

Among other issues that were adopted by the General Assembly were the FIG Council and Commission work plans for 2007-2010. In addition the MoU between FIG and the World Bank was endorsed. FIG Working Week 2012 was given to CNG from Italy to be held in Rome.

The second session of the General Assembly focussed on report of the next conferences.

Links to documents and reports of the FIG Working Week and XXX General Assembly in Hong Kong SAR, China