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Chief Editor: Ronald F. Abler - Associate Editor: Markku Löytönen - Editors: Giuliano Bellezza, Woo-ik Yu Managing Editors: Dawn Bissell, Laura Ayo - Publisher: Home of Geography
Announcements, information, calls for participation in scientific events, programmes and projects, are welcome. Please convey them to d.bissell@homeofgeography.org or l.ayo@homeofgeography.org Spanish version: http://www.ugi.unam.mx/newsletters.html Contents of This Issue
Appendices 1) Designing the IGU future 2) Workshop on "Cultures and Civilisations for a New World": preliminary programme 3) Workshop on "Cultures and Civilisations for a New World": participation form> 4) Memorandum of Understanding between IGU and Festival International de Géographie 5) SCOPE programme and projects
Making the point by Adalberto Vallega, President, International Geographical Union As other sisters Unions participating in the expanding system of the International Council for Science (ICSU), IGU is undergoing unprecedented changes. First, changes are concerned with the Union's organization: the membership has been widened with the establishment of new categories, such as corresponding members; the need for communication and networking with National Committees, Commissions and Task Forces, as well as the steering committees of research and educational projects has strengthened. Secondly, changes are concerned with the external relationships: the collaboration with ICSU partners, the International Social Science Council (ISSC) and the UN organizations such as UNESCO and FAO, has widened and become increasingly articulated; the need to interact with media and public has emerged. In order to deal with this double changing framework, the Executive Committee started improving the organisation of the Union, focusing on the Secretariat services and communication tools. In this respect, it was decided to strengthen the role of the Home of Geography in that fruiting from sponsorship from Italian organisations, i.e. the Municipality of Rome and the Fondazione della Cassa di Risparmio di Roma (Foundation of the Savings Bank in Rome). Efforts are presented in this issue (see Focus on: Home of Geography). Then, efforts have been addressed to establishing and widening linkage with other organizations by adopting ad hoc memos of understanding. That agreed with the Festival International de Géography (see Section Co-operation with the Festival International de Géographie and Appendix 4) is a meaningful example of this approach. Nevertheless, any organizational efforts would be unsuccessful and to some extent would be frustrated, if these unprecedented changes of the IGU would be a result of a top-down process, namely only as the result of discussions in the context of the Executive Committee and occasional discussions in the framework of the General Assembly. A bottom-up permanent process is strongly needed: the more it will be intense, the more effective the IGU evolution will be. In this respect, a working paper Ten Theses on IGU Strategy and Actions / Dix thèses sur la stratégie et l'action de l'UGI was circulated and was lodged in the IGU (http://igu-net.org) and Home of Geography (http://homeofgeography.org) websites. All the geographers are cordially invited to react to these assumptions. In this respect, it may be helpful if the questionnaire included in Appendix 1 to this issue is filled in and returned to Home of Geography (g.bellezza@homeofgeography.org). I would like to address thanks from the Executive Committee, and express my personal gratitude to all colleagues and friends that will be able to respond to this call for collaboration. For the future of IGU, for the progress of Geography! Adalberto Vallega Local editions of the IGU E-Newsletter As can be seen, the IGU Electronic Newsletter has circulated only in English. It would be helpful for the promotion of geography around the world if editions of this communication tools could be operated also in other languages. In this view, the IGU Executive Committee strongly hopes that National Committees, as well as any other geographical local bodies co-operating with IGU, could convene such local editions. In principle, the local edition could be managed by a local editor and may include: Those geographers that are interested in providing such a collaboration are cordially invited to contact Ronald F. Abler, Editor-in-Chief of IGU publications (rabler@aaag.org). Executive Committee meetings The Fall meeting of the IGU Executive Committee was held in Shanghai, PRC, 23-27 October. Major decisions were concerned with: i) the role of Home of Geography in a view of strengthen and expanding the Secretariat services of the Union; ii) the implementation of services addressed to corresponding membership; iii) the collaboration with the Festival International de Géographie (Saint-Dié-des-Vosges); iv) the encouragement of convening festivals of geography on the local scale; v) the development of the Cultures and Civilisation initiative; vi) the project of an international geographical journal; vii) the institution of Merit Award for those organizations and institutions which will co-operate with the IGU; viii) co-operation with scientific non governmental organizations, with special reference to the ICSU and ISSC frameworks; ix) collaboration with the International Year of Planet Earth initiative. Details on the individual decisions, together with their operational implications, will be circulated in the Issue # 3, January 2006, of the IGU E-Newsletter. Cultures and Civilisations The objective design - As was mentioned in Issue # 1 of the Newsletter, the Executive Committee undertook the Cultures and Civilisations (C&C) initiative. It moved from a document by Jean-Robert Pitte, President of Sorbonne, and Adalberto Vallega, President of IGU, and was financially supported by the Fondazione della Cassa di Risparmio di Roma (Foundation of the Savings Bank in Rome). The objective design of C&C initiative consists of: i) triggering discussions on how cultural identities may be protected jointly with the implementation of dialogue among civilisations; ii) providing useful materials for education and public; iii) co-operating with media in the field, and iv) promoting the proclaim of an International Year by the United Nations. The Steering Committee - A Steering Committee was established. At the present time it includes: Adalberto Vallega, Italy, co-ordinator, a.vallega@iol.it) A member from Tunisia is expected to be designated by the Organizing Committee of the 2008 International Geographical Congress. The role of Home of Geography The Home of Geography (HG) has plaid the role of Secretariat of the C&C initiative. In this framework, Giuliano Bellezza, the HG Director, has assumed the role of local convenors of the October 2005 meeting of the C&C Steering Committee, and the 2005 December Workshop in the field. The October meeting - As has been just mentioned, in October 5-7, 2005, the C&C Steering Committee met in Villa Celimontana with the aim of 1. discussing the conceptual and operational aspects of the C&C initiative 2. performing A Comprehensive Approach, meant as a basic document that will be submitted to the December workshop for discussions, optimisation and adoption 3. sketching the main lines of a C&C Action Plan, which will be discussed, optimised and adopted in the December workshop and, in this framework, to identify possible operational responsibility for the individual members of the Steering Committee 4. adopting the December workshop programme 5. defining the criteria through which to call for participation in the December workshop 6. drafting a tentative list of "invited persons" (on the charge of the C&C budget) in the December workshop 7. working out a tentative list of persons to be invited to collaborate with the C&C initiative as a) participants in the December workshop, b) advisors, and c) testimonials. The outcome of these wide discussions was the adoption of A Comprehensive Approach to be used for discussions in the framework of the December 12-14, 2005 workshop on Cultures and Civilisations for a New World The December workshop Geographers from all the world are invited to participate in the above mentioned December workshop in order to contribute to the discussions of the goals and operational areas of the C&C initiative. The preliminary programme may be found in Appendix 2. Those geographers, as well as persons from other disciplines, who are interested in this event are invited to fill in the participation form (Appendix 3). For further details, please contact Giuliano Bellezza (g.bellezza@homeofgeography.org), the local convenor of the Workshop. The National Committees, Commissions and Task Forces are warmly invited to circulate this information and this call for participation trough their Newsletters and websites. Preparatory papers The December workshop will be fruit from a wide number of working, preparatory papers, which includes: 1. Jean-Robert Pitte, Adalberto Vallega, Cultures and Civilizations - It presents the proposal addressed to the IGU Executive Committee (EC); 2. Adalberto Vallega, Cultures and Civilizations: A Tentative Approach - This working paper presents some background elements for designing the C&C initiative; 3. Id., Cultures and Civilizations: A Tentative Discourse - This working paper discusses how cultures and civilizations could be thought of in order to meet the C&C strategy. 4. Id., Cultures and Civilizations: Terms and Meanings - This paper provides a view of etymologies of, meanings attributed to, culture and civilization. 5. A Comprehensive Approach, which presents a view of what issues and prospects should be discussed in the December workshop; we still can't tell what kind of document will arise from this work. For this reason, this paper should be regarded as having a cardinal relevance to the Workshop development. All the above mentioned materials may be found in, and downloaded from, the Home of Geography (www.homeofgeography.org) and IGU (www.igu-net.org) websites. In case downloading would be difficult, please contact Giuliano Bellezza (g.bellezza@homeofgeography.org). He will be pleased to send the needed documents as attachments to e-mail. Co-operation with the Festival International de Géographie In the framework of the 2005 Festival International de Géographie (FIG), held in Saint-Dié-des-Vosges, 27 September-3 October, a Memo of Understanding (MOU) was signed by Mister Christian Pierret, founder and President of FIG, and Adalberto Vallega, President of IGU. As can be seen from the Appendix 4 to this Newsletter, the FIG-IGU MOU designs a wide spectrum of joint initiatives dealing with i) education, ii) geographical communication to public, iii) collaboration with media, iv) the promotion of a network of geographical festivals around the world, and v) an extended co-operation with the Home of Geography. A Co-operation Team was established, co-chaired by the Presidents of FIG and IGU. The IGU membership includes: Ronald A. Abler, Secretary General, and Vice President Hiroshi Tanabe. Details on the operational approach will be circulated in the Issue # 3, January 2006, of the IGU E-Newsletter. Local Geographical Festivals In the framework of its Shanghai, 23-27 meeting, the Executive Committee discussed in depth how festival of geography may be promoted at the local scale, in that fruiting from the collaboration of the Festival International de Géographie (FIG), a permanent body established in Saint-Dié-des-Vosges. In this respect, the Geographical Festival Promotion" (GFP) initiative was adopted. It should aim at: i) circulating information on the individual Geographical Festivals; ii) implementing their international visibility; iii) widening the public interest in geography; and iv) catalysing the attention from media to this kind of manifestations. Those National Committees and local geographical bodies which are interested in collaborating with this initiative are cordially invited to contact the President of IGU (a.vallega@iol.it). Further details will be circulated in the Issue # 3, January 2006, of the IGU E-Newsletter. International Year of Planet Earth (IYPE) The organization of the IYPE, where the IGU has played the role of founder partner, has entered a crucial phase. The UNESCO and the UN General Assembly were invited to proclaim this year for 2008. As a result, the set of initiatives focusing on the relevant subjects areas will be convened in the 2007-2008 triennium. The IGU not only has participated in the IYPE by contributing to the relevant budget, but also with the following scientific collaboration: Megacities This subject was included in the roster of foci of discussions concerned with the year. Professor Frauke Krass, Germany, is the leader of the project (f.kraas@uni-koeln.de). Outreach programme Components in the outreach programme may include: Cooperation for increased visibility: affiliate with the Year; Recycling educational material; Support scientists from countries with weak economies; Citizen science: involve the public in research; Competitions; Stories (news, books); Programme making; Art commissioning. The Outreach Programme Committee has developed a website (www.yearofplanetearth.org), produced flyers, and released 10,000 general information brochures and leaflets. As with the science programme, the outreach programme will essentially operate in a 'bottom-up' mode. Individuals and organisations will be invited to submit proposals for realization through the Year. Vice-president Hiroshi Tanabe is a member of the Team appointed to implement this programme. The key goal consists of establishing constructive linkage between the IYPE Outreach programme and the IGU initiative in the educational field. The cultural values of nature In its April 2005 meeting, the IGU Executive Committee decided to implement the collaboration with YPPE by carrying out a project on The Cultural Values of Nature. This contribution is expected to be finalised by the EC during its Shanghai Fall meeting. 2008 International Geographical Congress A special session on the IYPE is expected to be convened in the framework of the 2008 Tunis International Geographical Congress. The role of the Home of Geography The Home of Geography will host meetings and other events of the IYPE. Last September this kind of collaboration had its debut with the The SCOPE programme and projects Following the decisions taken by the General Assembly, the in New Delhi, India, 11 February 2004, the Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment (SCOPE) adopted the research programme which is included in Appendix 5. Digital Communities Conference 2005 In Benevento and Naples, June 5-10 2005, the Digital Communities Conference 2005 was held. It was a joint initiative of the IGU Commission Geography on Information Society and the E*Space Project (Michigan State University). Digital Communities is an international network of scholars, policy makers, and urban analysts who share an interest in the relationship between information technologies and urban life. The Digital Communities conference in 2005 took place in Benevento and Naples, Italy, June 5-10. The conference explored a wide range of themes associated with information technology, the knowledge economy, technology policy, and the significance of place in cyberspace. Special accent was made to the experience of locations within the Mediterranean region, although papers on all areas were received and discussed. A special session was devoted to Mediterranean issues, as well as a special workshop, including both scientists and policy makers, was held entitled 'Policies for ICT and knowledge-led development in the Mediterranean'. An explicit Mediterranean theme, also linked to a description of the MRP project, can be found on the Conference website: http://www.ssc.msu.edu/~espace/DC2005.html. It includes a special collection of satellite images by MARS-Mediterranean Agency Remote Sensing (University of Sannio-Province of Benevento), which was one of the conference sponsors. These could serve as a good resource for classroom use, as well as being of general interest and an example of MARS support for the initiative. Among the major achievements of the Conference was the emergence of awareness among participants of a Mediterranean knowledge system, which could serve as a set of good locations for innovative initiatives. The Conference Steering Committee included: Mark Wilson and Kenneth E. Corey (Michigan State University, US, Founders of E*Space); Maria Paradiso (Università degli Studi del Sannio, Italy, Executive Secretary, IGU Commission on the Geography of Information Society); Aharon Kellerman, University of Haifa, Israel, Chair, IGU Commission on the Geography of Information Society); Henry Bakis, University of Montpellier III, France, Editor, NETCOM); Richard Hanley (NYC Technical College of CUNY, US, Editor, Journal of Urban Technology).
Conference on Urban Climate In Genoa, Italy, 5-7 September 2005, the Colloque International Climat Urbain, Ville et Architecture with the sponsorship of, and collaboration by the IGU Commission on Climatology. Discussions were concentrated on physical aspects, with special reference to climate change and its implications on bio-geo-chemical processes. Human implications on urban architectural structures were considered. The Mediterranean was the focal area of discussions. In his welcoming speech, the IGU President emphasised the need to implement investigation on human and cultural implications of climate change and suggested the outcomes of the Meeting discussions being included in the Mediterranean Renaissance Programme. Workshop on Chinese geography In association with the meeting of the IGU Executive Committee (Shanghai, PRC, 23-27 October, 2005), the 25 October International Workshop on Development of Geography in China was held with the aim of: i) catalysing scientific investigations and discussions of geographical changes in China, with emphasis on urban growth and subsequent changes in land uses; ii) strengthen the role of local geographical bodies facing the Chinese society, therefore dealing with those cardinal issues that the local unprecedented economic growth has brought about in the Chinese geographical realities; iii) valuing the efforts accomplished by Chinese geographers in improving methods and techniques, as well as their efforts in developing innovative approaches to geographical education and training; iv) providing ground to local geographers to widen their visibility and collaboration in the international arena. During the meeting discussions attention focused on: i) those geographical issues, which have marked the Chinese changes and on which attention should be concentrated; ii) the prospect of designing an ad hoc IGU programme for China, based on the collaboration between the IGU NC and other local geographical bodies, on the one hand, and the IGU Executive Committee together Commissions and Task Forces, on the other. This initiative is a part of a programme aimed at promoting joint discussions between local geographical bodies and geographers, on the one hand, and the IGU Executive Committee, on the other, in such a way as to explore whether and how cooperation may be established with reference to local issues and prospects. The first, successful experience was held in China Taiwan, November 2004. The Shanghai workshop was the second one. Those IGU National Committees and local geographical bodies which are interested in this kind of initiative are cordially invited to contact the IGU President A. Vallega (a.vallega@iol.it). World Conference of Chinese Geographers The 2005 World Conference of Chinese Geographers was held on August 16-17, 2005 at Peking University, Beijing, China. A total of more than 1,000 Chinese geographical researchers and educators from USA, the United Kingdom, Austria, Canada, France, Ireland, Japan and China (including the mainland, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan) attended the conference. More than 700 papers were submitted and discussed during this conference with a wide range of topics spanning scientific and applied research in geography. This conference was co-sponsored by the Geographical Society of China (GSC), Peking University, and the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research (IGSNRR) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). Professor Tao Shu, Deputy Dean of College of Environmental Sciences, Peking University chaired the opening ceremony of the conference. Academician Lu Dadao, President of GSC, made the opening speech. Professor Lin Jianhua, Vice President of Peking University, delivered the welcoming address. Professor Liu Jiyuan, Director General of IGSNRR, Academician Sun Shu, head of the Division of Earth Sciences of CAS, Academician Chen Shupeng, Academician Shi Yafeng, Professor Kou-Hsiung Teng, President of Taipei Normal College, Professor Laurence J C Ma, University of Akron, USA, addressed the conference. Academician Liu Changming, Vice President of International Geographical Union (IGU), extended congratulations to this conference on behalf of IGU. The theme of this conference is "Geography and Development in China". With the process of economic globalization and the fast development of economy and society in China, geography has made great progress in recent years. It has exerted a significant effect on promoting sustainable development and building a harmonious society, so that all the Chinese geographers are focusing their attention on this field. Meanwhile, it is attracting more and more Chinese geographers throughout the world to serve their motherland as well. This is one of the purposes that the Geographical Society of China held "2005 World Conference of Chinese Geographers". It will not only be a platform for the geographers to communicate researches of geography and achievement of teaching, but also an opportunity for them to discuss how geography will further propel the development of economy and science in China. The conference had the following characteristics: a) Most participants were scholars aged below 45; b) "Focusing on becoming better able to make independent innovations" was the main idea of the meeting; and c) Young and middle-aged leading scientists were invited to give reports covering results, advances and issues in their respective research fields so that the audiences could capture a clear picture of each discipline. The plenary meeting was organized based on the hotspots including: 1) The fourth wave of urbanization in China; 2) Agricultural land intensity change and its impact on ecological protection in China; 3) Retrospect and prospect of physical geography in Taiwan; 4) Research on regional natural disaster systems and temporal and spatial differentiation of China's natural disasters; 5) Urbanization research and geography of China; 6) Progress in deserts and desertification research of China; 7) Current social demand and integated research of geography in China; 8) Polluted environment geography and its advances; 9) Progress and challenges in geo-information science of China; and 10) Spatial structure of regional development and regional planning. There were 24 parallel sessions on the following topics: 1) Geographical ideas and research methods; 2) Development of the old industrial bases in Northeast China and cooperation among the countries in Northeast Asia; 3) Physical geography, resources and environment; 4) Geomorphologic process, global change and human environment; 5) Climate change and risk society; 6) Water cycle and distributed hydrological simulation;7) New problems, new ideas, and new methods in environmental geography research; 8) Biogeography and pedo-geography; 9) Environment and health risk; 10) Man-land relationship and sustainable development; 11) Phenomenon and mechanism of the change of Chinese economic geography; 12) Globalization and transformation of Chinese cities; 13) Geographical calculation: theory, method and application; 14) Geographical view of round-the-city tour and leisure holiday; 15) Environmental change and human society; 16) Grid model and global charting; 17) Glaciology, geocryology and environment of cold regions; 18) The theories and methods of the environmental change in arid and semiarid areas with human elements; 19) Remote sensing and GIS; 20) Urban planning and landscape design; 21) Geographical education in internet times; 22) Innovation of geographical courses and sustainable development education; 23) Theory of ecowater requirement and its research method; and 24) Regional comprehensive development and integration. During the conference, laureates of The Eighth National Youth Geographical Science Awards were presented, including Dr. An Chengbang, Professor Dong Zhibao, Dr. Liu Wenxin, Professor Pan Yaozhong, Professor Wang Ninglian, Professor Wei Fangqiang, Professor Xiao Cunde, Dr. Xu Honggang, Professor Zhang Pingyu and Professor Zheng Jingyun. Twenty young scholars received prizes for their excellent papers and won the Youth Paper Award of The 2005 World Conference of Chinese Geographers. Professor Cai Yunlong, Vice President of GSC, presided over the closing ceremony of the conference. Bao Jigang, Vice President of GSC and Dean of the School of Geography and Planning at Sun Yat-sen University made a summary speech. It was decided that the 2006 GSC Annual Meeting will be held at Lanzhou University in Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China. Zhaon Xin and Gao Yiping (The Geographical Society of China) Obituary for Prof. Takeuchi Keiichi Monsieur Takeuchi Keiichi nous a quittés le 25 juin 2005. Après avoir subi une opération du cancer il y a quelques années, il avait retrouvé la santé. A la fin de l'année dernière, il participait activement au cercle d'études de l'histoire de la pensée géographique et, comme à son habitude, il lui arrivait de discuter fort tard dans la nuit avec des jeunes géographes. La nouvelle de son décès nous a tous étonnés. Il avait 72 ans. Ce fut une durée de vie plus courte que la moyenne masculine japonaise. C'est vraiment très regrettable. Son oeuvre a porté sur un grand nombre de problèmes géographiques: les études italiennes, les études sur l'histoire de la pensée géographique, la méthodologie et l'épistémologie de la géographie. Toutes ses études se sont appuyées sur l'histoire ou sur l'histoire intellectuelle. Sa démarche de recherche commença d'ailleurs par son histoire des enseignements secondaire et supérieur, démocratique et libéral, après la Deuxième Guerre mondiale. Depuis il n'a jamais oublié son esprit critique et réfléchi. Takeuchi fit ses études en Italie comme boursier du gouvernement italien et il y a séjourné pendant six ans à partir de 1959. Il s'intéressait à la transformation des paysages et à l'inégalité régionale en Italie. C'était pour lui essentiel de poser ces phénomènes géographiques comme des questions régionales?et il l'a démontré en s'appuyant sur le Mezzogiorno (" Chiiki Mondai no Keisei to Tenkai (Formation et développement de la question régionale) " 1998). Cette pensée n'était pas seulement celle des élites, mais aussi celle du peuple ou de la société populaire. Ce furent des préoccupations majeures de la Commission UGI d'Histoire de la Pensée Géographique dont il fut le président de 1988 à 1996. Son parfait multilinguisme et ses remarquables capacités intellectuelles lui permirent de réaliser d'excellentes études et d'embrasser une carrière internationale. D'une part, pour les géographes japonais, il publia des comptes-rendus sur d'innombrables ouvrages de plusieurs langues différentes dont une centaine a été réunie en un livre qui est en lui-même une véritable histoire de la géographie ("Dento to Kakusin (Tradition et Innovation en Géographie) " 2003). Il a soulevé des problèmes et a proposé des méthodes de géographie actuelle (" Toporogu (Topologue) " 1993), et il a consacré beaucoup d'efforts pour élever le niveau scientifique de la géographie japonaise. Il a occupé le poste de président de plusieurs associations de géographes japonais. D'autre part, pour les étrangers, non seulement il a présenté l'histoire de la pensée géographique japonaise (" Modern Japanese Geography. An Intellectual History " 2000), mais il s'est également efforcé de faire connaître les cultures japonaises aux autres pays du monde. Il organisa l'exposition de photos " Le Japon dans les années 1950 " à la Maison de la Culture du Japon à Rome dont il fut le directeur de 1988 à 1991 ("Nihonjin no Furusato (Souvenirs des japonais) " 1995). A la fin de sa vie, il continua à consacrer ses recherches sur le Japon d'après la Deuxième Guerre mondiale (" Japon, un portrait, photographies 1945-50 " 2004). Le monde scientifique ne peut qu'être global. Nous adressons nos remerciements à feu Monsieur Takeuchi Keiichi qui pratiquait cette globalité et qui nous en a démontré la nécessité. Nous prions pour le repos de son âme. Hideki Nozawa Gender and Geography meeting in Hamilton City (NZ)  A poster of the Preliminary Notice of the IGU, Gender and Geography meeting at Hamilton City, New Zealand just before the Brisbane conference. The title of the meeting is: Shifting Boundaries: Gender, Bodies and Spaces. The dates: 28-30 June, 2006 Local contact: Robin Longhurst (robynl@waikato.ac.nz).
Focus on: THE HOME OF GEOGRAPHY Headquarters Via della Navicella 12, 00184 Roma, Italy URL: www.homeofgeography.org e-mail:d.bissell@homeofgeography.org or l.ayo@homeofgeography.org As reported on previous (paper-) newsletters, the Home was established in 2000 with the main tasks of:
1. Organizing and maintaining the IGU Archives: The first paper materials, arrived to the Home from Germany and UK, were ordered by Geoffrey Martin, working some months in the Home. In February 2005 the files were revised by Hector Mendoza- Vargas, President of the Commission "History of Geographical Thought", then began a work in co-operation with the Archives section of the Società Geografica Italiana to realize an e-archive. In the second half of 2005 we received more material from London, and the work to classify it is only beginning. The second, and very important, part of the Archives are the interviews realized mainly by Anne Buttimer in video-cassette, following a program established with Thorsten Hagerstrand in the '50s. Nearly 100 items gathering the intellectual and academic careers of the most important geographers of the second half of the XX Century, donated by Anne Buttimer herself An important portfolio that in the near term could be very implemented if the Lund University will definitely agree to send us the original registrations. 2. Offering room and assistance to stagières: Agreement have been established by Franco Salvatori with the 2nd University of Rome and by Giuliano Bellezza with the University of Viterbo to host stagières to work in the Archives filing. All is still at the moment, as the work for meetings, book series, CMAP revealed to be nealy the maximum the actual staff of only two persons con cope with. 3. Hosting scientific events and business meetings: The first major event hosted in 2005 has been: the International Workshop on Geographical Perspectives on Sustainable Development: Networking Local Area Partnerships with Teachers and Young Scientists. With the funding offered by the ICSU, with 15 persons gathered in Villa Celimontana from 13th through 14th June. In the Report the Project Director, Prof. Margaret Robertson, wrote that the workshop established a strategy to implement the role of geography in the secondary school education systems. The document can be seen in the Home of Geography website, in the "events 2005" section .  The participants in the International Workshop in Villa Celimontana, denominated as "Celiographers" by the host, Giuliano Bellezza. Left to tight: N. Berutchasvili, C.Thanawood, A.Sanchez, S.Woo, G.F.Bautista, M.Robertson, M.Chauke, M.Ferreira, C.Romero, S.Asolekar. In September 6th and 7th the Home was the seat of an important workshop of the IGY+50 International Years Program, organized by representatives of the International Year of Planet Earth (Planet Earth), the Electronic Geophysical Year (eGY), the International Polar year (IPY) and the International Heliophysical Year (IHY). 21 scholars gathered in our premises, under the direction of Edward Derbyshire and Ed De Mulder. The Background notes can be seen in the Home of Geography website, in the "events 2005" section.  The participants in the GEOSS Workshop in one of the terraces of Villa Celimontana; in the center stands IGU Past President, Anne Buttimer. The 1st workshop of the Steering Committee of the Cultures and Civilizations initiative of the IGU was held in the Home from 5th to 7th October. The Home, in accordance with the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs, helped obtaining visas for all the participants to the meetings and for other visiting scholars wanting to study the Archives and, when requested by participants to meeting non directly organized by IGU or Home, lodging and meals. 4. Editing and circulating a book series: By mid September we eventually received the text of the volume "Rights to the City", the third of our series. In a few days, just before Saint Dié we received the first proof from the printer. It is now likely the Home could begin the dissemination of the volume before the December C&C meeting. Since last spring we did not receive news about two books, proposed in 2004 by Tony Jones (IGU Commission for Water Sustainability; title: Managing water resources in a changing physical and social environment) and Ton Van Naerssen (Assessing the (un)desirability of borders towards migration, mobility and flows after enlargement of the European Union). As about the following points, the numbers 5 (Perform and circulate the IGU Electronic Newsletter), 6 (Implement its role of IGU books editor) and 8 (Serving as local focus for international research and educational projects) have sufficiently being explained in the precedeing lines. Point 7 (Establishing and managing the Membership Service) and 10 (Assuming other tasks relevant to the IGU organization). can be treated jointly, as the operations relative to the Membership service revealed to be such a heavy task to absorbe our energies rather completely. In this I include the maintenance of the website, where number of communications from Commissions have been lodged. The Executive Secretary has been very efficient in preparing the list serve of the more than 800 CMs, including several members of the ICSU. We sent to all the first issue of the new e-Newsletter. The second has been completed and disseminated before the Shanghai meeting of the IGU EC. As about Point 9 (Collaborating with the Festival International of Geography), see Appendix 3 below.
Appendix 1: Designing the IGU's future
As was announced in the IGU e-Newsletter #1, the Ten Theses on IGU Strategy and Actions was circulated to the "IGU family" in order to trigger discussions about the mid- and long-term targets of the Union. The theses are reported below as an Appendix to the Newsletter. All the geographers are cordially invited to specify if they agree, don't agree, or have no opinion as regards the individual theses. It may be done by crossing the relevant boxes and by return the filled in Appendix to Home of Geography (info@homeofgeography.org). The full text of Ten Theses on IGU Strategy and Actions may be found in, and download from, the www.homeofgeography.org, and www.igu-net.org. The Home of Geography would also be pleased to send it upon request. 1) Five theses on IGU Strategy Thesis 1 - Redress the Imbalance between Technique- and Episteme-Building The elaboration of scientific knowledge and representations of the interactions between social and spatial processes have entered a paradoxical phase. Representation techniques have improved much more rapidly than the underlying epistemological discourse upon which they are based, particularly the discourses on the epistemological role of geography in bridging the human and natural sciences, on integrating structuralist and non-structuralist visions, and on strengthening holistic visions of the world. Hence, the IGU is intrinsically encouraged to promote synchronization of representation techniques and concept building, namely techne and logos. Yes, I agree ______/ No, I don't agree ______/ I have no opinion ______/ Thesis 2 - Trigger Effective Discussions of Interdisciplinarity The cardinal focus of future geographical discussions should be the development of an episteme that meets the need for the interdisciplinary approaches specified by the 1999 World Conference on Science. Interdisciplinarity is increasingly essential to dealing effectively with global change and globalisation. Hence, the IGU should now contribute to changing concepts of interdisciplinarity from the mere assembling of disciplines and perspectives to interdisciplinarity defined as creating isomorphisms that integrate the natural and social components of spaces and places. Yes, I agree ______/ No, I don't agree ______/ I have no opinion ______/ Thesis 3 - Promote Holism in the Geographical Sciences One of the major gaps to be bridged in the scientific approaches to the Earth's surface is the increasing inclination to attribute strong validity to nomothetic sciences and to discount idiographic research. The need for effective integration of these two components of knowledge has acquired increasing relevance.The IGU's mission here is to encourage discussions that bridge logos- focused and graphia-concerned disciplines in order to capitalize on the latent synergy between case studies and theoretical approaches. Yes, I agree ______/ No, I don't agree ______/ I have no opinion ______/ Thesis 4 - Accommodate All Theoretical Streams The expanding social need for sustainable and human development based on safeguarding the bio-cultural identity of places, the evolving framework of science, and finally the unprecedented improvement of geographical investigation techniques converge to suggest that, in geography, discussions rooted in diverse topical and theoretical streams is essential to progress in the discipline and prerequisite to expanding geography's role in the international scientific arena. Isolation and internal ideological conflicts must be foregone. The IGU must accommodate and encourage open and constructive discussion in a spirit of global scientific communication and interaction. Yes, I agree ______/ No, I don't agree ______/ I have no opinion ______/ Thesis 5 - Focus on New Concepts The entire scientific landscape has recently been marked by increased numbers of new concepts representing and explaining interactions between human communities and the Earth's surface, with special consideration to interactions between local and global systems. Consequently, the IGU has a double mission. It must collaborate closely with the disciplines that use and need geographical concepts and methods; at the same time it bears primary responsibility for improving the design and operationalization of new geographical concepts and for disseminating them in the broader scientific community. Yes, I agree ______/ No, I don't agree ______/ I have no opinion ______/ 2) Five Theses on actions Thesis 6 - Reorganize the Executive Committee International scientific unions such as the IGU face two options: 1) they can maintain the conventional organisation and serve as arenas for internal, self-referential communication and networking, or 2) they can redesign their goals and structures to accommodate the needs of science and society. The second choice implies increased etero-referential planning and action. In the conventional approach the president of a scientific union plays an essentially representative role, the secretary general serves as a reference person for the union's national committees and research bodies, and vice-presidents assume occasional responsibility for specific initiatives. In the reactive (second) approach the president attends also to the union's strategy and co-ordinates the role of vice-presidents in order to ensure consistency of actions with goals, the secretary general manages the organisation as a whole, and the vice-presidents assume responsibility for the union's operational fields. The faster the IGU shifts from the conventional stance to the second executive committee structure the sooner it will become more effective in representing the global geographical community in the international scientific arena. Yes, I agree ______/ No, I don't agree ______/ I have no opinion ______/ Thesis 7 - Harvest Research The changing role of science and increased interaction among disciplines demand that the scientific achievements of IGU Commissions and Task Forces be systematically used to improve the status of geography in the international arena and in national contexts. These efforts are to be carried out by systematically collecting the scientific outputs of individual research bodies consisting of concepts, methods, and lessons from case studies and by using these outcomes to enhance the roles of geography in international research programmes and in national geographical educational systems. Accordingly, the executive committee should move beyond monitoring of the work of commissions and task forces to interacting closely with such bodies with the aim of evaluating their products and disseminating them through global scientific networks. Intensive publicizing of the IGU's scientific resources will raise the visibility of geography in the international arena and within member countries. Yes, I agree ______/ No, I don't agree ______/ I have no opinion ______/ Thesis 8 - Involve the Entire Geographical Community The IGU has been primarily self-referential since its inception in that its role in the international arena has depended primarily on its national committees, commissions and task forces. The IGU should now become, in addition, etero-referential. The newly-elected executive committee is keen to establish increased communication with bodies and individuals operating outside the IGU. Global information and communication techniques should be more intensively used to increase such an involvement. Increased IGU willingness to host discussions and initiatives from the entire geographical community, will enable the IGU to be more effective in today's globalised scientific world. Yes, I agree ______/ No, I don't agree ______/ I have no opinion ______/ Thesis 9 - Expand Communication Communication will play a key role in validating the IGU as a full member of the globalised scientific community. Improved communication must be addressed systematically, open to all the geographers from inside and outside the Union, flexible in using traditional and electronic tools, and be continuously modulated by the IGU's evolving strategies. In particular, IGU communications should be addressed, as appropriate, to both the scientific world and to the public in order to respond to the expanding social needs for geographical assessments, representations, and insights. The more quickly the IGU shifts from traditional internally-directed communications to a more flexible stance marked by a firm inclination to improve and expand dialogue, the sooner its ability to play an effective role in the globalised world will expand. Yes, I agree ______/ No, I don't agree ______/ I have no opinion ______/ Thesis 10 - Raise Visibility In recent years geography has enjoyed increasing social relevance as representations of the Earth and the world have aroused an expanded interest in such traditional media as book series, magazines and newspapers, in such visual media as television, CDROMs and DVDs, and finally in the cyber media of the Internet. These developments constitute and implicit stimulus to IGU to exploit these multifaceted and powerful media. The IGU need specific programs to build bridges to those who control access to the media and to those who create media content. The IGU and the global geography community will benefit greatly by employing these media as channels to disseminate the results of IGU research to the public. Yes, I agree ______/ No, I don't agree ______/ I have no opinion ______/
Appendix 2: International Workshop: Cultures and Civilisations for a New World
VENUES: Società Geografica Italiana - Home of Geography. Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Roma Comune di Roma Preliminary Programme: Partner Organizations International Geographical Union, Home of Geography Società Geografica Italia (Italian Geographical Society) Fondazione della Cassa di Risparmio di Roma (Foundation of the Saving Bank in Rome) Comune di Roma (Roman Municipality)
Funding Organisations Fondazione della Cassa di Risparmio di Roma (Foundation of the Saving Bank in Rome) Comune di Roma (Roman Municipality) Scientific Co-ordinators Adalberto Vallega, President of International Geographical Union (a.vallega@iol.it) Ronald A. Abler, Secretary General and Treasurer, International Geographical Union (mailto:rabler@aaag.org) Local organiser Giuliano Bellezza, Director of Home of Geography (mailto:g.bellezza@homeofgeography.org Workshop rapporteurs Ronald A. Abler, Secretary General and Treasurer, International Geographical Union Anna Maria Cossiga, Società Geografica Italiana Languages: English and French Websites The materials of the Workshop may be found in the IGU www.igu-net.org and Home of Geography www.homeofgeography.org/. Reference Framework The Workshop was designed, and it is convened, in the framework of the Cultures and Civilisations (C&C) initiative, convened by the International Geographical Union with the aim of:
The workshop was designed to discuss the principles on which the C&C initiative could be based, the conceptual and operational approaches which it could fruit from, and the key actions which it could consist of. Therefore, it is expected that, as its major outcome, the workshop will adopt a comprehensive document, tentatively called Cultures and Civilisations for a New World, which will: i) present the general features of the C&C initiative, ii) include the proposal for the proclaiming of an international year of cultures and civilisations, and iii) sketch a relevant Action Plan. Reference materials In this view, the C&C Steering Committee adopted a draft document, called Cultures and Civilisations for a New World. A tentative approach, which is expected to serve as the reference basis for the workshop discussions. Moreover the following working papers were drafted:
Cardinal questions Moving from the above mentioned documents from the C&C Steering Committee, discussions held in the framework of the Workshop could usefully focus on the following range of questions:
Papers dealing with the above list of questions would be welcome. Abstracts of no more than 1,000 words should be conveyed to the Home of Geography (VC@homeofgeography.org) by October 30, 2005. They will be lodged in the IGU and Home of Geography websites. Also the preliminary draft of papers will be welcome to be lodged in the websites. Participation Participation is free. Participants are cordially invited to fill in the enclosed form, and to return it to the Home of Geography by e-mail (d.bissell@homeofgeography.org or l.ayo@homeofgeography.org) or by fax (++39-06-7759 1183). Daily Work design
Monday, December 12 SESSION 1 - Presentation of the workshop. Adoption of the Workshop work plan SESSIONS 2, 3 - The roles of cultures and civilisations in the present world. Conceptual issues and approaches vis-à-vis the need to design sustainable development-consistent political and social actions in the cultural and civilisational fields SESSION 4 - The prospect of proclaiming an international year on cultures and civilisations by the UN. The subsequent design of a Declaration and an Operational design to be addressed to the UN and to be uses for calling for partnership and collaboration. Presentation and initial discussions. Tuesday, December 13 SESSION 5 - The proposal of proclaiming a UN international year (continued). SESSION 6 - Discussing the proposal with distinguished persons from the political milieus in order to evaluate the prospect of collaboration and possible support from the institutional world. Wednesday, December 14 SESSIONS 7 AND 8 - The design of a Cultures and Civilisations Action Plan. SESSIONS 9 AND 10 - Presentation, discussion an adoption of the Workshop final documents. Social events A Farewell Dinner is expected on Wednesday. Secretariat Home of Geography Villa Celimontana Via della Navicella, 12 00184 Rome, Italy Voice: ++39-06-7759 1183 Fax ++39-06-7759 1183 E-mail: l.ayo@homeofgeography.org URL:www.homeofgeography.org/ Local contact person: Laura Ayo, Executive Secretary, Home of Geography Tel ++39-06-7759 1183 Fax +39-06-7759 1183 E-mail:d.bissell@homeofgeography.org or l.ayo@homeofgeography.org Download Participation form in PDF format
Appendix 3: IGU International Geographical Union FIG Festival International de Géographie Working together to promote geography in the scientific community, education, the media and the general public Memorandum of Understanding Between
The International Geographical Union, hereinafter "IGU", headquartered at the organization or institution to which the General Secretary - Treasurer is attached, represented by its President, Mr. Adalberto Vallega, And the Festival International de Géographie, hereinafter "FIG" and supported by the Association de Développement du Festival International de Géographie (ADFIG), headquartered at Saint-Dié-des-Vosges (France). The Festival is represented by its Founding President, Mr. Christian Pierret, who will inform ADFIG of the directions taken in this memorandum so that ADFIG can broadly support them. Preamble:The basics of cooperation between IGU and FIG IGU and the FIG Recognize that their activities share a common purpose:
are stepping up moves to bring the science of geography closer to all people:
… and aim to generate a geographical approach that complies with the universal values of peace, human development and solidarity by:
Experience gained Since the creation of the Festival, and with a presence ensured by several of its most distinguished members, the IGU has been working more closely with the FIG since 2001. The IGU's Executive Committee meeting has even been hosted by the Festival's twelfth edition. Since then, their collaboration has grown and proved efficient, and the latest Festival, the 15th (2004) once again served as the setting for IGU's Executive Committee meeting (elected in Glasgow, August 2004) for several days. Common goals Based on their mutual interests and the productive relationships already brought to fruition, IGU and the FIG firmly believe that working together more closely and as a matter of routine is likely to benefit geography at international level. They jointly strive to:
Instruments and content of cooperation In order to pursue their common goals, IGU and the FIG suggest designing and developing a set of instruments for cooperation. For the IGU:
vThe FIG shall invite IGU speakers and participants to take part in the Festival's various activities and other initiatives; Development of cooperation In order to carry out the actions referred to, IGU and the FIG shall set up a Cooperation Team consisting of two members from IGU and two members from FIG. The Team shall be jointly chaired by IGU's President and FIG's Founding President, with the assistance of the Science Director and the General Director of the Festival. The Cooperation Team's main tasks are to:
As their cooperation grows, and depending on both the level and efficiency of such cooperation, IGU and the FIG might in time come to set up a more structured form of cooperation, aimed at establishing a proper legal organization open to broader objectives. Paris, … [to be completed] Mr. Christian Pierret Mr. Adalberto Vallega
Founding President PresidentFestival International de Géographie International Geographical Union
Appendix 4: SCOPE programme and projects
1 - Management of societal and natural resources
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