FIG Working Week 2004 was organised in Athens 22-27 May
2004. The Working Week offered the participants an excellent opportunity to
feel the Olympic Spirit in Surveying and also to get familiar with the
preparations of the Olympic Games in August this year. Totally more than 400
delegates from 67 countries attended. Together with the more than 250
participants that attended the 1st HARSE Conference at the Intercontinental
Athenaeum in Athens, the Working Week was among the biggest ever outside the
four-yearly congresses.
In the technical programme there were 29 technical sessions
and four workshops topics varying from archaeological surveyors to the
history of surveying and from hydrography to under-represented groups in
surveying. In total more than 200 papers were presented during the technical
sessions. They are all published in the
conference proceedings. Topics of these sessions cover all FIG ten
Commissions. It was delightful to have more joint sessions than at the
previous meetings, which also resulted in better quality of the papers.
Common comments from the participants were that the technical sessions were
were well-attended and that the quality of papers was higher than at some
previous events. Especially the three plenary sessions with speakers like
Prof. Gerhard Beutler, President of IAG and Ms. Takemi Chiku from
UN OOSA as well as such internationally known experts on land administration
like Bengt Kjellson, Chair of UN ECE WPLA and Helge Onsrud gathered many positive comments. The third plenary session was about
environmental issues and risk management with highly respected speakers from
FIG, namely Prof. Theo Kötter from Germany and Prof. Stig Enemark
from Denmark.
The Working Week included also technical exhibition with
commercial exhibitors and displays of the next FIG events. Of special
interest was the special exhibition on
Ancient Greek Technology - Measuring Instruments, which was organised in
collaboration with the Association for Ancient Greek Technology Studies. The
exhibition displayed some indicative technical achievements of the Ancient
Greece, together with models of several measuring devices used in topography
and astronomy.
The technical tours brought participants to the main venues
of the Olympic Games as well as offered an excellent opportunity to visit
the Hellenic Cadastre and to learn about this biggest EU project in
surveying.
Among the highlights of the Working Week were also social
events like the Welcome reception and a "grand-style" gala dinner in a
restaurant next to the Aegean Sea with Greek entertainment and excellent
food. A more traditional Greek evening was organised in Plaka in the oldest
Greek tavern in the area. The participants were also happy because they
could at the same time make a contribution to the FIG Foundation.
The Working Week, the technical exhibition, technical tours
and great social events were a big success thanks to the Local Organising
Committee chaired by Mr. George Papavassiliou who was assisted by two
Vice Chairs: Gerasimos Apostolatos and Polychronis Akriditis
and Secretary General Chryssy Potsiou.
At the General Assembly four new member associations were
adopted as new member associations, they come from Algeria, Cuba, Togo and
Tunisia. Three new affiliate members were also recorded: Saudi Arabia,
Belgium and Hungary. Together with 9 new academic members and 2 new
corporate members (Eimar Arabia Real Estate Development and geo:connexion)
the past year has been a great success for FIG. The General Assembly
appointed the previous Commission 5 chair Prof. Jean-Marie Becker
as a new Honorary member of the Federation.
The General Assembly further decided on the Commission Chairs
Elect 2004-2006 who will be the next Commission chairs 2006-2010. The new
Commission Chairs Elect are:
| Council and ACCO meetings |
Gerasimos Apostolatos and Chryssy Potsiou briefing the Commission
officers about the Working Week. |
Diane Dumashie (Comm. 8) and Andrew Morley (Comm. 10) starting the
career in ACCO |
The Council had several meeting during the week and also met with
several member associations. |
|
The Council in a joint picture with the two new Vice Presidents. |
|
|
| General Assembly - Sunday 23 May 2004 |
Totally 55 member associations attended at least one of the sessions of
the General Assembly. |
The Council at the General Assembly. |
|
New members with President
Holger Magel: Mr. Ahmed Trigui,
ANIGET, Tunisia |
Ing.
Yalexy Guerra Castellini from UNAICC, Cuba |
Mr.
Khalid Asad Jamjoom, Executive Director of Eimar Arabia Real
Estate Development. |
Prof.
Jean-Marie Becker, Past Chair of Commission 5 was appointed
as an Honorary Member. |
Standing ovation to Prof. Becker. |
|
Prof.
Stig Enemark making his promotion speech at the Vice
President Election. He won over the other candidates Ken Allred,
Michel Mayoud and Hak Chan in the first election. |
Ken Allred making his speech at the election campaign. |
Three rounds were needed in the Vice President elections before the
result was clear. Here the French delegates are giving their votes Rafic Khouri, OGE and
Michel Kasser, AFT. |
Ken Allred after the elections. |
Stig Enemark after the elections. |
|
|
Formal pictures of the new Vice Presidents Ken Allred... |
... and Stig Enemark |
...together. |
|
Diane Dumashie was appointed as new Chair of Commission 8. |
|
|
| Opening Ceremony - Sunday 23 May 2004
|
Speakers of the Opening Ceremony. |
Audience waiting for the opening ceremony. |
 |
The audience of the opening ceremony was entertained by a local band
playing Greek music. |
Mr. George Papavassiliou, Chair of the Organising Committee was also the
moderator of the Opening Ceremony. |
The Olympic Spirit in Surveying. |
President
Yannis Alavanos, Technical Chamber of Greece |
President
Polychronis Akriditis, HARSE |
The high-level speakers at the opening ceremony included the Deputy
Minister and surveyor MPs. |
Greetings from sister associations:
Prof.
Gerhard Beutler, President of IAG |
Prof.
Milan Konecny, President of ICA |
The keynote presentation at the Opening Ceremony was given by President
Magel, who also officially opened the Working Week. |
| Co-operation with Sister Associations |
Signing the MoU with IHO, President
Alexandros Maratos. |
Presidents Maratos and Magel together with
Adam Greenland, Chair
of FIG Commission 4. |
|
| Technical Conference, Exhibition, Technical Tours |
Technical sessions were well-attended and in some sessions even
overbooked. |
Technical exhibition gave a good opportunity to see the latest
technology and development. |
 |
George Papavassiliou and President Magel looking for FIG 2006 in Munich. |
|
|
| General Assembly 27 May 2004 and Closing Ceremony |
President's meeting collected 50 presidents to a meeting on Thursday
morning. |
New affiliate member from Belgium... |
... and another one from FÖMI, Hungary. |
Costa Rica was adopted as a member last year but got their membership
certificate first in Athens. |
New Chairs Elect got congratulations from President Magel. |
New Commission Chairs Elect 2004-2006. After the congress 2006 they will
take over the technical commissions. |
First ACCO Podium discussion at the General Assembly was a success. |
Holger Magel was happy when making his closing speech and conclusions of
the conference. |
|
Thanks to Chryssy Potsiou, Secretary General of the LOC... |
... and to the whole team. |
|
|
Next year we see in Cairo...
M. Hisham Nasr receives the FIG
banner from the LOC in Greece... |
... but even before that in Jakarta in October... |
...welcomed by the local organising committee of Ikatan Surveyor
Indonesia. |
| Social Events - Foundation Dinner and Gala Dinner |
Lunch breaks offered a good opportunity for professional discussions.
Here President Magel with the Russian delegation. |
Greek dinner for Prof. Becker. |
ACCO dinner at a typical Greek restaurant Platanos. |
ACCO dinner. |
FIG Foundation Dinner... |
...in Plaka. |
|
Gala Dinner with entertainment, gifts, great views and excellent dinner. |
 |
Presidents after a successful conference. |
|
Farewell dinners with old and ... |
... new friends. |
|
| Sights of Athens |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
