KNSDI Developments in East Africa

Screenprint of the blog of "the interoperability guy" Mr. Mick Wilson.

Newsblog on the SDI Developments in Nairobi, Kenya.

Jelle U. Hielkema wrote in his mail today: "... I don't know whether you have been following Mick Wilson & Co's praiseworthy no-budget, truly bottom -up SDI development efforts in Nairobi since March but a lot what he reports in his blog http://sdi-ea.blogspot.com/ is highly worthwhile reading and his most recent statement hit a few nails right on the head! "

Special: Birthday of Hungary celebrated today

Crowded riverbank in front of the Parliament. Hunagi Visuals resources, 2007


One of the highlights was the spectacular Air Race over the Danube in Budapest. The flights of the four bests Mike Mangold, Kirby Chambliss, Paul Bonhomme and Péter Bessenyei were visualized and the measurements over the water surface and below the Chain Bridge were shown in cm accuracy. A collection of snapshots were taken for HUNAGI Visuals resource to be found at http://hunagi18.blogspot.com

Please note, during the past several hours www.unsdi.hu website was visited from Argentina, Australia, USA, Italy, Portugal including FAO, University of Georgia and USAID. Anyone can subscribe for the HUNAGI e-Newsletter. Simply write a request to hunagi@hunagi.hu giving your name, affiliation and e-mail.

Information Systems and Services in Earth Observation

WGISS-21 Meeting in the Hotel Gellért, Budapest. Image: HUNAGI Visuals resource, 2006

CEOS WGISS-24 hosted by DLR in Oberpfaffen-hofen, 15-19 October 2007

The program will be available soon. GSDI Association will be represented by the Hungarian member of the Board, liason between GSDI and the WGISS of CEOS, the Committee on Earth Observation Systems.

October 17 will be devoted to the presentations of the host institution, the German Aerospace Agency (DLR).
This half-day WGISS-24 Host Workshop will introduce the new and upcoming German Earth Observation missions which have been developed as Public Private Partnership where industry supplies the mission hardware and commercial user services, and DLR provides ground segment and user services for science users.
Preliminary Agenda of the DLR German Remote Sensing Data Center includes the highlights of the New German EO Missions - Industry and Science Supporting GMES
The TerraSAR-X and TanDEM-X Missions (Infoterra Germany), The EnMap Mission (Kayser-Threde GmbH)
The RapidEye Mission (RapidEye AG), The DLR Multi-Mission Groundsegment (DLR) and GMES Applications Exploiting the New Missions (DLR).

You might know, the CEOS WGISS -21 and WGCV Meetings were held in Budapest arranged by EOGEO Hungary Foundation and hosted by HUNAGI in Spring, 2006. That WGISS Meeting had a Host Workshop too with active participation of many important Hungarian stakeholders (Hungarian Space Research Office, MoAgriculture and Rural Development, MoEnvironment and Water, FÖMI Institute of Geodesy, Cartography and Remote Sensing, Geological Institute of Hungary, National Meteorological Service, National Park Kiskunság, and NGOs such as Hungarian Society of Astronautics), most of them founder of the UNSDI HUCO in 2006.

Among the last 15 blog visitors today the following entities were identifyable: Macmillan Publisher, Linkoping University and the web map server provider AED Sicad of Siemens.

8th UNGIWG Meeting coupled with Meeting on the use of space technologies for emergency response

Illustration: UN Conference Centre in Bangkok. Source: www.cms.int

8th UNGIWG Meeting
28-30 November 2007
Bangkok, Thailand
4th UN-wide Meeting on the Use of Space Technologies for Emergency Response and Humanitarian Assistance (27 November 2007, Bangkok, Thailand -back-to-back with the 8th UNGIWG meeting 28 – 30 November 2007, Bangkok,Thailand).
Participation is limited to representatives from United Nations agencies and from organisations and institutions interested in contributing to the work of the United Nations in the area of space-based information for disaster management, emergency response and humanitarian assistance. This meeting is being organised together with UNESCAP.
Source of the news: David Stevens Programme Coordinator UN-SPIDER United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, Vienna - Austria. For details of the latest circular in English please visit: http://hunagi.blogspot.com/2007/08/un-spider-outreach-activities.html#links

Hungarian Consortium prepares participation of eSDI-Net+p Meeting

Meeting venue, the Fraunhofer Institute. Image source: Darmstadt, Cityreview from Internet


Kick-off Meeting of eSDI-Net+
with a Hungarian Consortium represented by HUNAGI
Darmstadt, 20-21 September 2007

Chaired by HUNAGI President Zsolt Barkóczi a meeting was held in Budapest yesterday to prepare the set up the consortium which takes part in the international eContentplus project called SDI-Net+.
The Hungarian participation will be coordinated by HUNAGI, which will serve as liason with Inigraphics, the overall project coordinator. The content will be provided by VÁTI and Ihlet Public Benefit Companies, HUNAGI and Bonaventura Ltd. The Kick-off meeting will be hosted by the Fraunhofer Institut's Inigraphics in Darmstadt, Germany on 20-21 September 2007.

UNSDI as reflected by the international press

Roger Longhorn, Editor of GEOconnexion at the 13th EC GIS/GI Workshop with the Winner of the Poster Contest. Image: HUNAGI Visuals resource, 2007

GEOconnexion published article on UNSDI in its July/August Issue

From our mail. Roger Longhorn, Editor of the GeoConnexion Journal wrote:
"Gentlemen, The UNSDI article is in the July-August issue that begins shipping today and on-line at the magazine web site www.geoconnexion.com"
The article is a contribution of Jelle Hielkema, SDI expert of the UNGIWG Secretariat.
Please note, the future of the UNSDI strategy implementation will be on the agenda of the UN UNGIWG Meeting will be held in Bangkok in November this year. Our Newsblog will inform you on any development.

Our blog was visited today among others by NASA, Massachussetts Institute of Technology, ITC, Russian Space Science, John Wiley & Sons and National University of Rwanda.

Facilitating the Re-use of Public Sector Information in Europe

Meeting room of the Falconer Radisson SAS Hotel, venue of the meeting. Image source: Radisson Hotels website, 2007

.

1st Thematic Meeting : PSI re-use business with the European Associations will be held in Copenhagen on 31 August 2007

President of EUROGI and SG of HUNAGI have been invited.

For details please visit http://www.epsiplus.net/

More information: ePSIplus Meetings Coordinator Olga.McHenry@epsiplus.net

UNSDI.HU website attacted 420 visitors from 49 countries in July

Last 15 visitors as displayed by ShinyStat. Image Visuals resource, 2007

United Nations, Japanese Ministry of Education, University of Jena, European Commission among the visitors of the last several hours

Breakdown by countries: Hungary 23%, USA 22%, The Netherlands 9%, Germany 5%, United Kingdom 4%, India, Canada, Italy,Austria, Japan, European Institutions etc.

The GeoVisitor sketch of the geographical distribution of the http://www.unsdi.hu/ site visitors of the past 24 hours.

Contribution SDIC HUNAGI to the panel discussion at the 13th EC GI&GIS Workshop

Even this commercial wristwatch of today is using process control, based on the time service of an ultra-precise clock and a regular radio communication from thousand km distance. Guess if the Internet, PC and GNSS capabilities will be added within a decade... Image: HUNAGI Visuals resource, 2006

The 4th dimension - the temporality in GI/GIS -

the potentials are unlimited
The importance of the time aspect, the temporal dimension was underlined. The slightly enhanced version of the merit of the HUNAGI comment is as follows:
While the excellent presentation on the Healtcare GIS in the Environment II Session was focusing on GIS based monitoring and reporting having an impact on the policy planning and legislation amendments in month and years on the time scale, many GI/GIS application environments needs feedbacks with a turnaround time in days and weeks. But the indoor and outdoor sensors, measurement devices and wireless intercommucation technologies today allow also near-real time feedbacks and control with decisions on reactions in minutes and hours. The timescale and temporal resolutions are extremely important aspects in many applications from disaster mitigation to healthcare and from history-GIS to geoscience and life science related investigations. Meteorology is the best example, how their operational services can facilitate the daily life and human activities based on full 4 dimension modelling, simulation and forecasting.
It is encouraged to improve the INSPIRE legislation framework on a longer run taken into account the potentials of the 4th dimension, which is not only a subject of research but also innovation and daily practice.
Based on the exchange of views with the acknowledged expert Professor Michael K.Buckland at the 5th Digital Earth Symposium held at UC Berkeley recently, by invitation HUNAGI is now looking for committed experts who can join the team dealing with the temporal changes of objects and phenomena of the real world, which are usually represented by maps and databases having validity only for a given time or timeframe.

AfricaGIS 2007 - A UN SPIDER Announcement

Africa GIS 2007
will be held in Burkina Faso

From our daily mail: SPIDER Programme Coordinator Mr. David Stevens of the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs wrote:
Dear Colleagues,
Please find attached the announcement/information of the next IEEE GEOSS Workshop - The User and the GEOSS Architecture which will be held inBurkina Faso just before the planned AfricaGIS 2007. This is the 17thworkshop in this series of workshops. These workshops have beencontributing in a significant way to bringing the user community to GEO andUNOOSA has been promoting and participating in several of these meetings.
If you are planning to attend AfricaGIS 2007 (http://www.africagis2007.gov.bf/) then you should definitely plan toattend this workshop as well.If you would like to receive further info please contact (please do notcontact me as I will just be forwarding your e-mail directly to him): Mr. Jay PearlmanTelephone ++1 (253) 773 5419, Fax ++1 (253) 773 2772email: jay.pearlman@boeing.com RegardsDavid (See attached file: AfricaGIS 2007 GEOSS Workshop.pdf)
David Stevens Programme Coordinator UN-SPIDER United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs Vienna - AustriaTel. ++43-(1)-26060-5631 - Skype: tazarkountFAX ++43-(1)-260607-5631 - E-Mail david.stevens@unvienna.org

Setting up formal communication between HUNAGI and SAGI

In line with the preparatory actions related to the EUROGI Industry Day (will be held later this year), with the helpful assistance of Mr. Jiri Hiess, President of CAGI a successful link has been established between Ms. Dagmar Kusendova, Chair of SAGI, the National GI Association in the Slovak Republic and HUNAGI's SG. Taking the liberty based on the request of Prof. Mauro Salvemini, President of EUROGI to propose some entities from the EU12 New Members, the Hungarian member of EUROGI ExCom recommended SAGI to be invited for the EUROGI event.
Although the Industry Day is now postponed, recent communication between HUNAGI and SAGI is promising and paves also the way toward a closer collaboration of the NGIAs of the Visegrad subregion in the field of GI&GIS. Initiated by Jiri Hiess and seconded by HUNAGI, also a Summit Think Tank is foreseen.
More information on SAGI: www.sagi.sk
More information on CAGI: www.cagi.cz

e-Government Conference under the PT Presidency

Lisbon downtown riverside. Image: HUNAGI Visuals resource, 2007

e-Government Conference under the EU PT Presidency in Lisbon

4th Ministerial e-Gov Conference will be held as part of the PT Semester in Lisbon 19-21 September 2007.

The European eGov Awarding 2007 is a part of the event More information: www.egov2007.gov.pt

New Book of Ian Masser now about the European SDIs

Cover photo: HUNAGI Visuals resource, 2007


New, comprehensive book on the European SDI

Published by ESRI Book Series, Professor Ian Masser, former President of AGILE, EUROGI and GSDI wrote his second book devoted to Spatial Data Infrastructures focusing on Europe. The book was actually announced at the ESRI Users Conference in San Diego this summer and generously distributed also for the participants of the gala dinner of the 13th European Commission GI–GIS Workshop held in Porto, Portugal

eContentplus - New Call announced on 7th July.

New Call for Proposals in the eContentplus programme
From our daily mail, a letter from the eContentplus HelpDesk:
Dear Sir/Madam,
You have asked to be informed about the eContentplus programme.
We are pleased to inform you that the eContentPlus work programme and call for proposals have been adopted by the Commission on 6 July 2007, and that the eContentplus 2007 call announcement was published in the Official Journal on 7 July 2007.
You will find all informations on: http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/activities/econtentplus/calls/proposals/index_en.htm
The eContentplus helpdesk is at your disposal for any questions you may have.
Best regards,
eContentplus HelpDesk

ExCom Meeting of EUROGI made important decisions

The second part of the Meeting was hosted by the Mercure Hotel in Porto. Image: HUNAGI Visuals resource, 2007

The Meeting held in Porto on 6-7 July 2007 discussed many items in light of the INSPIRE developments and the conclusions of the 13th GI&GIS Workshop.

Some of the participants on the image from left to right:

Joao Geirinhas, Pascale DiDonato, John Leonard, Daniel Holweg, Bruce McCormack, President Mauro Salvemini, Isabel Barros, Rene Sonnay, Sebastian and Antti Vertanen.

Two of the ExCom members are Members of the EU INSPIRE Committee namely Sebastian representing Spain and Antti Vertanen representing Finland.

Jelle U. Hielkema voted unanimously as Director of the EUROGI WAG International Affairs

Henry the Navigator. Statue in Porto. Image: HUNAGI Visuals resource, 2007
As the former director of WAG IA became member of the Executive Committee of EUROGI, the vacant place was open for candidate nominees. The application of Jelle U. Hielkema as candidate of AM/FM Italy was approved by the ExCom on its meeting on 6th July 2007 in Porto. He was introduced by the SG of HUNAGI, the former director of the WAG IA.

13th EC GI&GIS Workshop

The historical custom house now converted to the Porto Conference Center, site of the Workshop Image: HUNAGI Visuals resources, 2007
Summary on conclusions will come soon

INSPIRE Meeting orchestrated by the Hungarian Member of the EU INSPIRE Committee

Pál Bozó, Member of the EU INSPIRE Committee. Image: HUNAGI Visuals resource, 2007

Planned collaboration of MoEW and HUNAGI announced by Mr. Bozó


Mr. Pál Bozó Deputy General Director at Ministry of Environment and Water invited HUNAGI to the meeting devoted to the introduction of the FÖMI INSPIRE Working Group and the roadmap for the next two years.
The meeting co-chaired by Dr. Szabolcs Mihály Director General of FÖMI was hosted by FÖMI.
The following ministries and governmental agencies were represented:
Ministry of Environment and Water
Department of Human Resources and Informatics
Department of Watershed Management
Nature Protection Department
Hungarian Meteorological Service (as registered LMO)
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
Department of Land Administration and Geoinformation
Institute of Geodesy, Cartography and Remote Sensing (as registered LMO)
Ministry of Local Governments and Regional Development
VATI

Peter Winkler Deputy DG of FÖMI initiator of the FÖMI INSPIRE WG in 2005.
Image: HUNAGI Visuals resource, 2007


HUNAGI, the Hungarian Association for Geo-information (as registered SDIC) was also present.
Major issues will be summarized here soon.
Official minutes is downloadable from here:
www.fomi.hu/hunagi/pdf/2004/INSPIREfomi-kvvmEmlekezteto.doc

HUNAGI moves to the Third Floor inside the MoARD Building

Building of the MoARD in the Kossuth Lajos Square
Image: HUNAGI Visuals resource, 2007
MoARD will host the HUNAGI Secretariat in a new room inside its building

Reconstruction works will start in early July in the MoARD Building in order to host the FAO Regional Centre for Europe and Central Asia. This will affect the future location of the Department of Land Administration and Geoinformation and HUNAGI too. HUNAGI will move tomorrow to the third floor, Room Nr. 342. E-mail address of HUNAGI will be unchanged hunagi@hunagi.hu
The same for the mobile telephone number: +36 30 415 8276

Cross-border River Watershed Workshop Successfully Completed with Statement

Chair Jelle Hielkema and Prof. Hirochito Fukui. Image: HUNAGI Visuals resource, 2007

News under compilation.

The statements of the IHLET Brussels Workshop will be announced at www.ihlet.org first.

or you can download it from here

The IHLET Workshop in work

3e3 Room of the ASP Buiding during the Ihlet Workshop: Image: HUNAGI Visuals resource, 2007

All the presentations including programme will be available soon at www.ihlet.org

IHLET Tisza Watershed Area Development Programme Workshop started in Brussels

Representative of Catherine Day, Secretary General of the European Parliament opened the Workshop today
In the premise of the European Parliament high profile representatives of the European Institution Messrs. Joachim D'Eugenia, Supervisor of the EWFD and INSPIRE senior expert Hugo De Groof , both of DG Envi as well as representative of Prof. Mauro Salvemini, President of EUROGI opened the Kick-off Workshop of the IHLET Tisza Development Programme.

In the afternoon session chaired by Jelle U. Hielkema, adviser of the UNGIWG, the projects related to the rivers Mekong, Parana and Mosel were presented.

e-Nodes and e-Hubs in Central Europe

Vienna as seen from the top of the BEV HQ. Image: HUNAGI Visuals resource, 2006
Nodes and Hubs in Central Europe
www.milestone.at/central
From our daily mail:
"Central Europe Digital describes Central European intermediaries and multipliers in the field of ICT to an interested international audience.
By registering in our database you can
- present your organisation to an international audience and increase your visibility in Europe and beyond
- find and establish contact with nodes and hubs all over Central Europe (intermediaries such as IT associations, clusters, networks etc)
- promote your activities such as conferences, workshops and other events through our event calendar
How to participate
Simply visit www.milestone.at/central and click on the “register here” button. Or send us an e-mail at central@milestone.at
Central Europe Digital is the place for anyone interested in IT collaboration in the Central European Region (CENTROPE and beyond). " - Daniel Spichtinger, Milestone, Vienna

UNSDI HUCO on the Central Europe Digital Hub in Vienna

Mozart Statue in Vienna. Image: HUNAGI Visuals resource, 2006
Increased visibility is provided for UNSDI HUCO by the On-line Service of the Central Europe Digital Database

UNSDI HUCO is now among the referred Hungarian Organisations including NJSZT, IVSZ and HUNAGI

http://europe.milestone.at

UNGIWG and UNSDI: Good News from New York

UN Headquarters in New York. Image: HUNAGI Visuals resource, 2004

UNSDI discussed in New York on 8th June 2007

The UN SDI documents and related actions discussed and adopted by UNGIWG Meeting hosted by OCHA (Operation Center for Humanitarian Aid) in New York

The UNGIWG Meeting and Teleconference in the subject UNSDI resulted positive outcomes as communicated by UNGIWG Advisor Jelle U. Hielkema from Rome recently.

Preparation of the Ihlet Tisza River Development Programme Workshop in its final stage

Building of the European Parliament in Brussels. Image: HUNAGI Visuals resource, 2004

The invitation based Workshop will take place at the European Parliament in Brussels between 20-22 June, 2007

Scope, goals, preliminary programme and list of participants will be announced later this week. HUNAGI took actively part in the preparation recommending experts to be invited from the European Institutions, EUROGI, EuroGeographics, FIG, ISPRS, Digital Earth, UNGIWG's UNSDI and other relevant communities.

Hungarian National Committee on the Year of the Planet Earth established

Historical Building of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. Image: HUNAGI Visuals resource, 2006

Committee established for the Year of the Planet Earth - 2008
Established by the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and the Hungarian National Commission for UNESCO, the Committee held its inagural meeting on 5th June.
The ten themes in the two action directions (scientific programmes and education/awareness) of the Committee are as follow:
Groundwater.
Hazards,
Earth & Healths,
Climate,
Resources,
Megacities,
Deep Earth,Ocean,
Soil,
Earth & Life.
Signed by the Presidents of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and the Hungarian National Commission for UNESCO, the Secretary General of HUNAGI was invited to be member of the Committee. Earth Observation, (G)SDI and the Digital Earth Vision will be channelled in the multidisciplinary work, and arrangements related to the Hungarian participation at the Digital Earth Summit scheduled for October 2008 in Potsdam will be among the planned contributions.

Forecast for the future

ISDE5 Moderator Dr. Glen Lauder and speaker Dr. Mike Liebhold before the presentation. Image: HUNAGI Visuals resource, 2007
Message of the last day of the ISDE-5 Symposium based on the presentation of the chief scientist of the Institute for the Future in Palo Alto, Calif. will besummarized in the Symposium report posted in early July.



John Graham of the San Diego Supercomputer Center delivered an extra presentation in the Closing Session. Image: HUNAGI Visuals resource, 2007








Representatives of the Industry and Academia at the closing Image: HUNAGI Visuals resource, 2007

3rd Day of ISDE-5 Presentation on GEOSS and Earth Cafe

Greg Withee of NOAA in the Q/A part.
Image: HUNAGI Visuals resource, 2007


Session entitled Technology for Survival of Society


In the Session Greg Withee, Senior Advisor to Vice Admiral Lautenbacher, Head of NOAA and Co-chair of GEO introduced the Global Earth Observation System of Systems. To the 4th GEO Ministerial level Meeting 70 member countries and about 50 organisations are invited. Representative of the Digital Earth community is intended to take part too.
The presentations delivered by the representatives of the San Diego Supercomputer Center and the Japanese Earth Simulator Center are reported on :http//hunagi.blogspot.com

At the end of the sesion, Richard Simpson, GIS Champion of New Zealand and Prof Manfred Ehlers of Germany the organisers of the past and next Digital Earth Summit (in Auckland, August 2006 and in Potsdam in October 2008 respectively) made brief summary on the achievements and plans. The Auckland Summit devoted to Sustainable development was participated the Prime Minister of NZ with five other cabinet members, while the Potsdam Summit will be around the topic Climate Change (more focusing on science and technology).
Earth Cafe scenery in the Martin Luther King Hall. Image: HUNAGI Visuals resource, 2007

After the session parallel round table discussions were arranged involving the students and volunteers of civil organisations. The otput recorded on whiteboard was shared with the participants of the symposium.

HUNAGI/UNSDI HUCO presentation delivered at ISDE5

Hungarian presentation at ISDE5.
Photo taken by Prof.Manfred Ehlers. HUNAGI Visuals resource, 2007
The session devoted to
Nations: Around the world with the spin of a globe
were chaired by the SG of HUNAGI.

Four presentations were delivivered
China's Digital Earth Technology
Professor Guo Huadong (Director, International Society for Digital Earth, Beijing, Dept. Secretary General of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Secretary General of ISDE)
National Agendas for Digital Earth Progress - the Case of Hungary
Dr. Gabor Remetey Fulopp (HUNAGI Budapest, Hungary) Co-authors Alessandro Annoni DG JRC and Jelle U. Hielkema (UNGIWG Secretariat)
The Electronic Cultural Atlas Initiatve: 10 years experience with Geo-Temporal Resources
Prof. Michael Buckland (UC Berkeley)
What Visioncruiser (TM) can do for Digital Earth
Academician Prof. Li Deren, Wuhan University, China
The Hungarian presentation can be downloaded from here:
www.fomi.hu/hunagi/pdf/2004/rfgISDE5.pdf

Shocking Facts on the Global Changes for Climate and Environment

Peter Worden, Director of NASA Ames Research Center.
Image: HUNAGI Visuals resource, 2007

Selected Highlights on the Day 2 of the ISDE-5
Director Brig.Gen. Peter Worden introduced the NASA Ames Research Center's activities emphasizing the importance of the collaboration with the industry to facilitate the access to the enormous data asset of NASA for everybody.

Robert Corell of the Heinz Center Image: HUNAGI Visuals resource, 2007

Shocking facts, figures and graphs were shown by Robert Corell, Director of Global Change of Heinz Center DC. Some of the visualised information are provided even for the situation room of the White House (e.g. thematic maps on bio-epidemics).
In the Session devoted to Google Earth applications moderated by Rebecca Moore of Google, impressive achievement to map remote and wide (1o M hectars) areas in Amazonia in unprecedently very short time involving the local tribes was presented.

The Darfur case introduced by the Washington Holocaust Museum.

Image: HUNAGI Visuals resource, 2007
Another excellent example was introduced by experts of the Holocaust Museum Washington DC by geolocating and visualising the spots of crisis in Darfur, Sudan. It is anticipated Amnesty International will also use this technology to monitor such tragic events, and keep eye on them. A press conference in this subject is scheduled for later today. Public access to such information could assist to raise the awareness of the people around the world.
Mary Anne Hitt addressed the issue of the open coal mines in the Appalachians and their irtreversible damages on environment and landscape. The civil initiative Appalachian Voices has its own website to introduce the geolocated sites of mountaintop removals.

ISDE-5 Officially Opened by Remote Speeker from Tromso, Norway

The thin layers which keep the life on the Earth as seen from a manned spaceflight. Picture taken by NASA Astronaut Ed Mitchell. Photo: from ISDE presentation, HUNAGI Visuals resource, 2007
ISDE-5 started with high gear this morning


Director Jan-Gunnar Winther of the Norwegian Polar Institute opened the ISDE-5 via mobil phone from Tromso today.
Norway is the host country of the World Environmental Day 2008 devoted to the Impact of Melting Ice a hot issue for the mankind.
Further opening speakers include Xu Guanhua, Minister of Science and Technology, PR China and Lt. Governor of California John Garamendi.
Honorable John Garamendi, Lt.Governor, State of California. Image: HUNAGI Visuals resource, 2007

The UC Berkeley Campus welcome was provided by the Vice Chancellor Tom Kalil and the keynote seech was delivered by Dr. Tim Foresman entitled The Digital Earth Saga.

Dr.Timothy Foresman, Director of the ISDE-5 delivers his keynote speech. Image: HUNAGI Visuals reource, 2007


Dr. Below: Edgar Mitchell, Astronaut during his presentation at ISDE-5. Image: HUNAGI Visuals resource, 2007


Dr. Edgar Mitchell, astronaut of the Apollo 14 made deep impression on the audience with his subjective, retrospective presentation with unique illustrations, while by Ambassador John McDonald`s presentation was devoted to the relations of Environment, Conflict and Peace, referenced by three stories from the UN from the late 60' till 1990, namely UNEP/Nairobi, the Stockholm and the Special Session of the UN devoted to the Drinking water and Salination resulted a 10-year programme.

Digital Earth Wiki located at http://isde5.pbwiki.com/ Getting started by this efficient way to build and share collaboratively knowledge online by posting your links and contributions on the web.
Prof.Gua Huadong, SG of ISDE and Deputy SG of the Chinese Academy of Science, Hu Guanhua, Minister of Science and Technology, PRC and Academician Prof Li Deren of the Wuhan University Photo: HUNAGI Visuals resource, 2007

Photographic portfolio of the event will be available soon on www.hunagi.hu at the Photo collection on Country (Summer flowers of the San Francisco Bay Area), Cities (San Francisco), Events (IJDE Editorial Board Meeting, ISDE Board Meeting, ISDE 5 Symposium), People (ISDE-5) and Sites (University of California at Berkeley).

Book on the Polar Bears and the Climate Change

Colophon of the book with access data. Image: HUNAGI Visuals resource, 2007
Book not only for Children about The last Little Polar Bear

Dr.Timothy Foresman ecologist, former UNEP, NASA expert and today Conference director of the ISDE-5 introduced his new book at the Board Meeting of the International Society for Digital Earth earlier today.

Beijing will host the ISDE-6 Symposium

Screenshot of the Chinese presentation. Image: HUNAGI Visuals resource, 2007
China won the competition to host the ISDE-6
In the year of the 60th Anniversary of the People`s Republic of China, Beijing will organise the next International Symposium on Digital Earth in 2009. All the applicants including Israel and Hungary received 10-10 minutes to introduce their bids in the Meeting of the ISDE Board on 4th June here in Berkeley.
In the Q/A part notes and questions raised by Professors John van Genderen and Michael Goodchild related to the Hungarian presentation were positive.
For 2008 the German Society for GI won against New Zealand to host the ISDE Summit in the theme Global Change and GIS. This Conference will be held in Potsdam and is scheduled for November 2008.
The distributed Hungarian proposal included a two page reasoning plus a two-page introduction of the host organistion and its members. The escorting letter addressed to Prof. Guo Huadong, Secretary General of ISDE and Deputy Secretary General of the Chinese Academy of Sciences was also disseminated for information. These documents will be accessible on this blog later on.

International Journal of Digital Earth launched in 2008

The International Society for Digital Earth has now e-Journal

Ms.Rachel Sangster, Publisher of Environmental and Agricultural Journals represented Taylor & Francis, the oldest commercial journal publisher in the world at the meeting chaired by Professor John L. van Genderen. The meeting was held in the Durant Hotel, Berkeley on 4th June 2007.
The Vol 1 No. 1 will be published in January 2008. All articles will be reviewed. HUNAGI representative got also a paper for reviewing.

Morning report from the University of Berkeley

View from the Summer Visitor`s Stern Hall on the campus UC at Berkeley.
Image: HUNAGI Visuals resource, 2007
HUNAGI Proposal to host ISDE-6
known by EC and the UNGIWG
ExCom of ISDE will discuss the proposal later this week

Jelle U. Hielkema from Rome informed me this morning that Co-Chairs of the coming UNGIWG Meeting scheduled for 8th of June in New York hosted by OCHA were informed on the HUNAGI Proposal which was released to Prof Huadong Chair of the International Society of Digital Earth to host the ISDE-6 in Budapest in 2009.
As learned in a communication of the Head of the Unit SDI of the Institute of Environment and Sustainability at DG JRC Mr. Alessandro Annoni expressed his support also in this context.
More news on the developments soon. Fortunately the connectivity is no problem here in the campus of the University of Berkeley.