Article
FIG Page: Hand-over Ceremony
At a hand-over ceremony on 2nd December 2006 in the historical City Hall of Münster in Germany, former FIG president Holger Magel handed the chain of office to Stig Enemark. The German Council relinquished leadership of FIG, handing this on to an international team of individuals elected by the FIG General Assembly. This, after a 128-year tradition of country-based Council administration, represents a milestone for FIG.
Welcoming Addresses
The mayor of Münster, Ms Beate Vilhjamsson, welcomed more than forty invited representatives from FIG, the German Association for Geodesy, Geo-Information and Land Management (DVW), FIG Council host for the past four years, and German agencies. The occasion took place in the Friedensaal (Hall of Peace), famous for the treaty of 1648 that ended the thirty-year war and brought peace and decisive territorial change to Europe. Hagen Graeff, DVW president, in his welcome address reminded his audience that the German Council had brought new spirit to FIG over the last four years and that the German FIG presidency had made an especial contribution in the political arena. Mr Graeff handed over a cheque for e20,000 for the FIG Foundation from the FIG Congress in Munich.
Farewell Speech
Retiring FIG president Holger Magel in his speech ‘Changing FIG – Model for a Changing World’ described inauguration in the surroundings of the Hall of Peace in Münster as symbolic for the new leadership. The FIG community of idealists and volunteers had dedicated itself to world peace. Its contributions embraced the fields of land, water and coastal management, settlement, the equal development of urban and rural areas, guarantee of property and tenure, building of functioning market economies, environmental protection through data acquisition and data processing, and monitoring of measurement on land, air and in space etc. The German Council had set itself ambitious aims. It had wanted to exercise intellectual leadership concerning the role and identity of surveyors, to continue the reorganisation of FIG, to generate more income and to substantially increase FIG membership. It had wanted to promote the outcome and results of FIG meetings, to increase co-operation with the UN, including the World Bank, and to increase commitment to the poor of the world. It had wanted to increase co-operation with sister organisations, to achieve greater on-the-spot presence in the regions, to strengthen bridges within the FIG between practitioners and academics, and to meet young people. He spoke for all members of FIG Council, said Prof. Magel, in describing the FIG years as strenuous but at the same time wonderful. He thanked DVW, FIG members and his team, Dr Andreas Drees, Dr Ralf Schroth, T. N. Wong, Ken Allred, Stig Enemark and Thomas Gollwitzer, as well as Matt Higgins (2005-2006) and Gerhard Muggenhuber (2003-2004). He wished the new Council success in its responsibility on behalf of FIG, the mother of all survey engineers and surveying.
Laudatio
In a real ´laudatio´, FIG honorary president Prof. Peter Dale reflected upon the German presidency. He observed that Holger and his team had steered FIG through a difficult period of transition. There had been a significant growth in FIG membership and activities. The main blanks on the map remained in Africa and Central Asia. In what way was FIG value for money Prof. Dale spoke here of globalisation, networking, learning from others who were struggling with the same problems, friendship, and about how the more you put in the more you would get out. He outlined a vision for the future in a quickly changing world. All these things remain true and had been delivered by the German Council, in addition to a series of successful meetings across the globe. FIG declarations and publications had raised its profile. Relations with the UN have never been better. There is no other organisation that addresses land issues in a manner and with the breadth achieved by FIG, and areas covered by water could be included here. Prof. Dale had had the chance to read Prof. Magel’s speech in advance and he could honestly say that all aims had been achieved. FIG not only had a great history but also an understanding of the present and a vision for the future.
Inauguration Speech
Handing over of the chain of office from Holger Magel to Stig Enemark then took place. New Council members were introduced: Dr Dalal Alnaggar, Prof. Paul van der Molen and Dr Chryssy Potsiou. The remaining members of the Council, Ken Allred and Matt Higgins had unfortunately been prevented by travel problems from attending the ceremony. In his speech, new FIG president Prof. Stig Enemark expressed the great honour it was to wear the traditional chain of office. He spoke of his pleasure at the presence of two FIG honorary presidents, Peter Dale from the UK and Robert Foster from the USA at the ceremony. The foundation was solid and the view was good. He thanked Holger Magel for his eminent leadership. The role of FIG Council would now change to global scope. He was happy to continue work begun by previous Councils, and even to broaden it, especially in relation to the World Bank. An agenda for coming years was, he said, under discussion, based on the framework introduced by president Enemark.
The meeting closed with a reception and address by Prof. Joachim Thomas, head of the Higher Land Consolidation Authority, Münster.
Welcoming Addresses
The mayor of Münster, Ms Beate Vilhjamsson, welcomed more than forty invited representatives from FIG, the German Association for Geodesy, Geo-Information and Land Management (DVW), FIG Council host for the past four years, and German agencies. The occasion took place in the Friedensaal (Hall of Peace), famous for the treaty of 1648 that ended the thirty-year war and brought peace and decisive territorial change to Europe. Hagen Graeff, DVW president, in his welcome address reminded his audience that the German Council had brought new spirit to FIG over the last four years and that the German FIG presidency had made an especial contribution in the political arena. Mr Graeff handed over a cheque for e20,000 for the FIG Foundation from the FIG Congress in Munich.
Farewell Speech
Retiring FIG president Holger Magel in his speech ‘Changing FIG – Model for a Changing World’ described inauguration in the surroundings of the Hall of Peace in Münster as symbolic for the new leadership. The FIG community of idealists and volunteers had dedicated itself to world peace. Its contributions embraced the fields of land, water and coastal management, settlement, the equal development of urban and rural areas, guarantee of property and tenure, building of functioning market economies, environmental protection through data acquisition and data processing, and monitoring of measurement on land, air and in space etc. The German Council had set itself ambitious aims. It had wanted to exercise intellectual leadership concerning the role and identity of surveyors, to continue the reorganisation of FIG, to generate more income and to substantially increase FIG membership. It had wanted to promote the outcome and results of FIG meetings, to increase co-operation with the UN, including the World Bank, and to increase commitment to the poor of the world. It had wanted to increase co-operation with sister organisations, to achieve greater on-the-spot presence in the regions, to strengthen bridges within the FIG between practitioners and academics, and to meet young people. He spoke for all members of FIG Council, said Prof. Magel, in describing the FIG years as strenuous but at the same time wonderful. He thanked DVW, FIG members and his team, Dr Andreas Drees, Dr Ralf Schroth, T. N. Wong, Ken Allred, Stig Enemark and Thomas Gollwitzer, as well as Matt Higgins (2005-2006) and Gerhard Muggenhuber (2003-2004). He wished the new Council success in its responsibility on behalf of FIG, the mother of all survey engineers and surveying.
Laudatio
In a real ´laudatio´, FIG honorary president Prof. Peter Dale reflected upon the German presidency. He observed that Holger and his team had steered FIG through a difficult period of transition. There had been a significant growth in FIG membership and activities. The main blanks on the map remained in Africa and Central Asia. In what way was FIG value for money Prof. Dale spoke here of globalisation, networking, learning from others who were struggling with the same problems, friendship, and about how the more you put in the more you would get out. He outlined a vision for the future in a quickly changing world. All these things remain true and had been delivered by the German Council, in addition to a series of successful meetings across the globe. FIG declarations and publications had raised its profile. Relations with the UN have never been better. There is no other organisation that addresses land issues in a manner and with the breadth achieved by FIG, and areas covered by water could be included here. Prof. Dale had had the chance to read Prof. Magel’s speech in advance and he could honestly say that all aims had been achieved. FIG not only had a great history but also an understanding of the present and a vision for the future.
Inauguration Speech
Handing over of the chain of office from Holger Magel to Stig Enemark then took place. New Council members were introduced: Dr Dalal Alnaggar, Prof. Paul van der Molen and Dr Chryssy Potsiou. The remaining members of the Council, Ken Allred and Matt Higgins had unfortunately been prevented by travel problems from attending the ceremony. In his speech, new FIG president Prof. Stig Enemark expressed the great honour it was to wear the traditional chain of office. He spoke of his pleasure at the presence of two FIG honorary presidents, Peter Dale from the UK and Robert Foster from the USA at the ceremony. The foundation was solid and the view was good. He thanked Holger Magel for his eminent leadership. The role of FIG Council would now change to global scope. He was happy to continue work begun by previous Councils, and even to broaden it, especially in relation to the World Bank. An agenda for coming years was, he said, under discussion, based on the framework introduced by president Enemark.
The meeting closed with a reception and address by Prof. Joachim Thomas, head of the Higher Land Consolidation Authority, Münster.
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