FIG Working Week 2004 in Athens, Greece
May 22-27, 2004

Olympic Spirit in Surveying - Citius, Altius and Fortius

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.

Among the important issues decided by the General Assembly were the revised definition of surveyor and the FIG information policy document. Undoubtedly the most waited issues were the elections of the two new Vice Presidents. After three voting rounds Prof Stig Enemark from Denmark and Mr. Ken Allred from Canada were elected  as Vice Presidents for 2005-2008.

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:

• Commission 1: Yaacoub Saade, Lebanon
• Commission 2: Bela Markus, Hungary
• Commission 3. Chryssy Potsiou, Greece
• Commission 5: Rudolf Staiger, Germany
• Commission 6: Alojz Kopacik, Slovak Republic
• Commission 7: András Osskó, Hungary
• Commission 8: Spike Boydell, United Kingdom
• Commission 9: Kauko Viitanen, Finland
• Commission 10: Andrew Morley, United Kingdom

Picture Gallery from Athens

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