Welcome from FIG President Rudolf Staiger  

Today is the 10th of May and under normal circumstances, we the International Federation of Surveyors (FIG) would have our first General Assembly in the framework of the FIG Working Week 2020 scheduled from the 10th to 14th of May in the RAI-convention centre in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

However, as you all know, due to the global outbreak of COVID-19 and the related legal restrictions, it was impossible to organise this event in a normal way. As a kind of compensation, FIG is very happy to offer an alternative format: the FIG Working (from home) Week.

Last week, we announced the FIG Working (from home) Week with a sneak preview on what to expect during this week.

Now we are here…

Normally, a city and conference venue would be buzzing with surveyors and geospatial experts from all over the world, excited to meet (again) and we would all be eager to get started.

The FIG Fanfare should have marked the opening of the Working Week and the General Assembly.

Today, as we are not able to meet, we are happy to share this newsletter with you. Included here, please find a Welcome article by FIG President Rudolf Staiger that might give you an impression that the FIG Working Week has started, however in a different way than normal. Included is also the Presidents Report.

But first and foremost, please join us in this short video welcome address from FIG President Rudolf Staiger:

Please also look forward to the newsletter and articles that will be sent to you during the following 4 days.

Rudolf Staiger, FIG President

Welcome to the Working (from home) Week

Until the beginning of March 2020, LOC and FIG-Council were quite optimistic regarding the organization of the Working Week in May. Once the global lockdown started, it became more and more obvious that a normal organisation will not be possible. Some of our registered participants, who had already paid the registration fees, contacted the FIG Office and asked impatiently for a cancellation. At Mid-March it was in principle clear that the Working Week will not take place.  Read the article.

FIG Council

Presidents Report 2020

This is the first report from FIG Council for the period 2019-2022. Under normal circumstances it would have been presented at the first General Assembly during the Working Week 2020.
The year 2019 was not only the start of my presidency; it was also the induction of two new Vice presidents namely Jixiang Zhang (China) and Diane Dumashie (UK) and at the same time the start for ten new Commission Chairs. Read the report.

Proceedings

Did you know the proceedings are already available? The 80 sessions offer many different and interesting topics covering the entire broadness of the surveying profession.

From Cadaster and Land Administration over Hydrography, Crowdsourcing and VGI  to Valuation and Real Estate and much more… Hence, there is something for everyone! Check the proceedings

FIG is administered by its General Assembly – delegates of the member associations and non-voting members – who meet annually during the FIG Working Week/Congress. The General Assembly debates and approves policies

FIG General Assembly - Agenda

FIG Council has decided that there will be no General Assembly  in 2020. Instead, votings and decisions will bepostponed to 2021 in the Netherlands. The agenda of the General Assembly 2020 is already published and includes reports on the FIG activities. We encourage you to read the agenda and these reports, and through this stay updated on what is happening in our Federation and what FIG Commissions, Networks Task Forces and other active FIG individuals and groups are working on. Agenda

Thank you to our sponsors and supporters, we really do appreciate you being part - from the distance - of the FIG Working Week 2020!

Kind regards
FIG Office

Louise Friis-Hansen, Director and co-conference director
Claudia Stormoen, Event Manager
Maria Bangholz, Finance and Administration 

International Federation of Surveyors Fédération Internationale des Géomčtres Internationale Vereiningung der Vermessungsingenieure

During the days of the Working Week 2020 FIG and GIM Magazine will publish newsletters with articles that will guide you through the technical programme. Look out for the newsletters. If you do not already subscribe to GIM Magazine, you are encouraged to sign up now