Letters of Support and Recognition issued by prominent international organisations for HUNAGI

The  incoming Letter of Support of UNGIWG  - together with Letters of Recognition issued upon request by the European Umbrella Organisation for Geographic Information ( EUROGI), the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC), the International Society for Digital Earth (ISDE) and the Global Spatial Data Infrastructure Association (GSDI) were attached to the proposal prepared by collaborators  in the subject "National Geospatial Technology Platform" submitted by HUNAGI to the grant authority on Monday, 21 July, 2008.Similar supportive document is expected from the SDI Unit of the DG JRC next week. Endorsed by HUNAGI, these letters will be circulated among the Platform Participants via the nominated NGTP Project Manager Attila Oláh.

In order to keep transparency, these letters are accessible for the wider spatial data interest community too:

EUROGI (European Umbrella Organisation for Geographic Information) 

Written by the Secretary General: www.fomi.hu/hunagi/pdf/2004/LoS-EUROGI.pdf

ISDE (International Society for Digital Earth) 

Written by the Secretary General: www.fomi.hu/hunagi/pdf/2004/LoS-ISDE.pdf

GSDI (Global Spatial Data Infrastructure Association) 

Written by the Executive Director: www.fomi.hu/hunagi/pdf/2004/LoS-GSDI.pdf

OGC (Open Geospatial Consortium) 

Written by the President and CEO: www.fomi.hu/hunagi/pdf/2004/LoS-OGC.pdf

UNGIWG (United Nations Geographic Information Working Group) 

Written by the Director of the Secretariat on behalf the Co-Chairs: www.fomi.hu/hunagi/pdf/2004/LoS-UNGIWG.pdf

These letters were issued to support the grant application of HUNAGI to establish and strengthen a National Geospatial Technology Platform in Hungary.

The abstract of the proposal written by Attila Oláh is as follows:

"National Geospatial Technology Platform

Proposer: HUNAGI (Hungarian Association for Geo-information)

Project duration: 24 months

Project budget: 36 000 000 HUF

Executive summary

The main goal of the project is to develop the Hungarian geospatial industry in a focused manner to enable it to enter the international technological arena. The proposer's main activities are to be expanded to handle the role of the nationwide framework platform for the National Spatial Data Infrastructure and related technologies.

During the 2 year lifespan of the project, a sustainable - 100% member funded - geospatial technological platform is to be developed. The project aims to have 4 courses of action: Research, Development, Innovation and Utilization."

HUNAGI signed the grant application on the establishment of a National Geospatial Technology Platform

Zsolt Barkóczi, President of HUNAGI duly signed the project proposal today. Images: HUNAGI Visuals resource, 2008

Participants of the event: Zsolt Barkóczi of HUNAGI, Attila Oláh of ESRI Hungary, Peter Gaertner, Tamás Martinák and Viktor Hajdú of the Consulting Company Brüsszel Center.

Officers of HUNAGI with the Managing Director of the Consulting Company Brüsszel Center.

GSDI President Bas Kok on the GSDI-11 at the ISPRS Congress

Prof Bas Kok in action. Image: HUNAGI Visuals resource, 2008

GSDI President Bas Kok co-chaired the second technical session of the ISPRS Working Group on Spatial Data Infrastructure during the ISPRS XXI Congress held in Beijing between 3-11 July 2008

On July 11, 2008 Prof. Bas Kok, President of GSDI Association co-chaired the first Technical Session of the ISPRS Working Group IV/1 on Spatial Data Infrastructures, arranged by Dr. Jie Jiang of the National Geomatics Center of China and Programme Organiser of the Congress.

Professor Kok also delivered an introduction to the 11th GSDI Conference during the second Technical Session of the Working Group on 11th July 2008. It was moderated by Gabor Remetey-Fülöpp of HUNAGI, and Secretary of the GSDI Association.

The session had four presenters including Prof.Chang-qing Zhu from China who gave an overview of the watermarking algorithm devoted to vector geospatial data. Toshimitsu Ishiwata from Japan introduced a data platform for promoting environmental management of coastal zones. The presentation of O.A.Ogundele of RECTAS in Nigeria generated considerable discussion and excellent contributions from Croatia, Nigeria, India and Iran. The subject of his paper dealt with the institutional development aspects of SDIs. He emphasized the prospects and challenges for the federal state in developing countries. His presentation was an excellent subject for the following presenter, namely Bas Kok, who addressed issues on the introduction of the evolution of global/regional/national SDI initiatives. These developments pinpoint the importance of capacity building, a top-down/bottom-up approach in legislation framework and institutional developments, as well as the importance of standards and frameworks to ensure interoperability.
The presentation was concluded with a film, offering message from the Dutch Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment highlighting the societal benefits from SDIs, and an invitation by the Mayor of Rotterdam to the next GSDI-11 Conference to be held in his city in June 2009.
Professor Bas Kok also participated in the meeting of the JBGIS Joint Board of Geospatial Information Societies, held during the ISPRS Congress in Beijing.
He also participated in a courtesy meeting hosted by the First Vice Premier of the Chinese Government, where a Beijing Declaration was signed.
As summarized by Congress Director Chen at the Closing Ceremony, according to this document, today we
„establish and operate a new „silk road“ for information from imagery, leading to people-centered and development-oriented information society.
- commit adequate investment and active engagement in scientific research and development, education and training as far as capacity and infrastructure building,
- promote the sharing of imagery technology and data for scientific research and peaceful applications,
- encourage constructive dialogue and close cooperation and collaboration between scientists, governments, public and private sectors , non-governmental organisations, and international organisations and institutions.“

Remetey-Fülöpp, Gábor (dr)
gabor.remetey@gmail.com

Report written for GSDI Newsletter. Published in the UNSDI HUCO newsblog by the kind permission of Ms. Karen Levoleger of the Dutch Kadastre, Assistant for GSDI President in the International Affairs. Her kind contribution is very much appreciated.

The Beijing Declaration signed during the ISPRS Congress

Please find enclosed. Courtesy by GSDI President Bas Kok.

www.fomi.hu/hunagi/pdf/2004/Beijingdeclaration.pdf

Closing Session of the XXI ISPRS Congress

President of the ISPRS voted for the period 2008-2012 Prof Orhan Altan (Turkey) at the Closing Ceremony
Please find detailed summary at http://hunagi8.blogspot.com

Second SDI Session chaired by GSDI/HUNAGI representatives

EuroSDR Session on SDIs at ISPRS Congress

Visit of the Remote Sensing Centre and Digital Earth of the Chinese Academy of Sciences

Short illustrated summary of the visit of the Disaster Situation Room and the Lunar Observation Control Room of the Remote Sensing Centre ad Digital Earth of the Chinese Academy of Science will be available here soon.

IJDE Editorial Board Meeting with invited ISDE Executive Committee members

Some of the outcomes of the meeting having also UNSDI relevance will be reported here asap.

Digital Earth Session at ISPRS Congress

Digital Asia, Virtual Australia: new trends in the implementation of the Digital Earth vision. More on the session with some references soon. 

ISPRS Commission IV Discussion Meeting proposed to acknowledge UNSDI initiative

The inclusion of the UNSDI initiative in the context was suggested by HUNAGI representative for consideration and has been approved by the Open Discussion Forum chaired by the ISPRS Commission IV outgoing President Prof Shailesh on July 4. Image: HUNAGI Visuals resource, 2008
The Forum proposal for the WG IV/4 was Geospatial Data Cyber-infrastructure reflecting the role of the cyber/age and Internet-based services

ISPRS Congress in Beijing

Photo taken on the projected slide. Image: HUNAGI Visuals resource, 2008 High profile presentations were given todaz by the candidate Presidents representing 13 bids for 8 posts this morning. Decision will be made later during the Congress by the General Assembly.