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Date: Mon, 8 May 2000 20:38:30 +0200
From: Adalberto Vallega <a.vallega@pn.itnet.it
Subject: Seoul/Oceans 21

Dear Colleagues and Friends,
Following my March 27 letter, I am pleased to inform you that the joint meeting of the IGU members of the Steering Committee and Advisory Committee of the Oceans 21 programme will be held in Seoul, Korea, Sunday, August 13, Lunchtime, in the framework of the full day meeting of Chairmen of IGU Commissions and Study Groups convened by the Presidency and General Secretariat of IGU.

These distinguished colleagues confirmed that they will be able to attend the Oceans 21 meeting:

Steering Committee:
- Prof. Pieter Augustinus, Chairman of the Commission on Coastal Systems;
- Prof. David Pinder, acting on behalf of Dr. Hance Smith, Chairman of the Commission on Marine Geography;

Advisory Committee:
- Prof. Rod Gerber, Chairman of the Commission on Geographical Education;
- Prof. Professor C. Michael J. Hall, Chairman of the Study Group on the Geography of Sustainable Tourism;
- Prof. Yukio Himiyama, Chairman of the IGU Study Group on Land Use and Land Cover Change;
- Prof. Vladimir Kolossov, Chairman of the IGU Commission on World Political Map;
- Prof. Alain Miossec, full member of the Commission on Coastal Systems;

I would like to emphasise that you should feel free to invite actual or presented members of your Commission/Study Group to participate in the meeting as observers. Now, let me deal with the goal and possible outcomes of the meeting.

THE STATE OF ADVANCEMENT OF THE PROGRAMME
The preparation stage of the Oceans 21 programme is over. Next June, the programme will be officially presented in the IOC General Assembly. Then IGU is expected to work the initial products out. The visibility of IGU in this international arena, and the prospect of getting funds from IOC/UNESCO, will depend on how IGU will be able to carry out research and
to provide results in a short term. This means that the prestige of IGU is at stake.

THE ROLE OF PROGRAMME IN THE IGU STRATEGY
The Oceans 21 programme has an experimental role. Its key scope consists in experimenting how IGU could establish collaboration with intergovernmental organisations in order to implement its international visibility, and to widen the access to funding. This strategy has been successfully operated by other scientific communities, such as layers and biologists, who have
established strong and fruitful collaboration.

THE ROLE OF IGU COMMISSIONS/STUDY GROUPS
In this context, an operational link is necessary to be operated between the Oceans 21 programme and the 2000-2004 programme of the IGU Commissions/Study Groups. In short, it is necessary that the programmes of the IGU Commissions/Study Groups include some parts of the Oceans 21 programme.

WHAT IS EXPECTED IN SEOUL
As a result, our meeting in Seoul is expected to design effective actions in this direction.

WORKING PAPER
In this view, please find enclosed a concise working paper, which could serve as a basis for the Seoul discussion.

PREPARATORY CONTRIBUTIONS
I would be very grateful if you could send me your comments and proposals before the Seoul meeting.

I thank you very much for your collaboration.

I look forward to hearing from you.
My warmest regards.
Yours, sincerely,
Adalberto Vallega

Co-ordinates:
Adalberto Vallega
Vice-president of International Geographical Union
c/o University of Genoa
Department Polis
Stradone S. Agostino, 37
16123 Genoa, Italy
Phone:++ 39 010 2095858
Fax: ++39 010 209 5891
E-mail: vallega@polis.unige.it
http://www.polis.unige.it/igu-vallega

Office:
Adalberto Vallega
Vice-president of International Geographical Union
c/o University of Genoa
Department Polis
Stradone S. Agostino, 37
16123 Genoa, Italy
Phone:++ 39 010 2095858
Fax: ++39 010 209 5891
E-mail: vallega@polis.unige.it
http://www.polis.unige.it/igu-vallega

Residence:
Via S. Giorgio 24
Auriga House
17028 Vezzi Portio, Savona, Italy
Phone ++39-019-7428.001
Fax ++39-019-7428.900
E-mail: a.vallega@pn.itnet.it

Office:
Adalberto Vallega
Vice-président de l'Union Géographique Internationale
c/o Université de Gênes
Département Polis
Stradone S. Agostino, 37
16123 Gênes, Italie
Tel.:++ 39 010 2095858
Fax: ++39 010 209 5891
E-mail: vallega@polis.unige.it
http://www.polis.unige.it/igu-vallega

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