7th FIG Regional Conference in Hanoi, Vietnam, 19-22 October 2009

Agreement and themes of the conference "Spatial Data Serving People" with sub-themes: "Land Governance and the Environment - Building the Capacity" confirmed during the visit of President Stig Enemark to Vietnam in July

Hanoi, Vietnam, 8-11 July 2008

FIG President Stig Enemark and the FIG Director visited Hanoi, Vietnam 8-11 July 2008 for preparations of the 7th FIG Regional Conference that will take place in Hanoi 19-22 October 2009. During the visit the FIG representatives met with the Council of the Vietnam Association of Geodesy, Cartography and Remote Sensing, VGCR and several representatives of the Vietnamese administration on surveying, mapping and land administration. As result from the meeting the theme of the conference as well as subject of each of the three plenary session was confirmed. In addition a list of topics for technical sessions was prepared to assure that the conference will respond to the local and regional needs. Finally the agreement between FIG and VGCR was signed on the arrangements of the conference.

The delegation had also time to visit Hanoi (Vietnamese: Hà Nội) and Ha Long Bay (Vietnamese: Vịnh Hạ Long) which is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a candidate to the New7Wonders of the world. This will be a unique destination for the joint technical tour on the last day of the conference.

The theme of the 7th FIG Regional Conference will be
Spatial Data Serving People
Land Governance and the Environment - Building the Capacity

Each of the three days of the technical conference has a specific theme and keynote presentations:

• Land Administration
  • Land administration in Vietnam
  • World Bank projects in the South East Asia region
  • Land acquisition in developing economies
• SDI and the Environment
  • SDI developments in Vietnam
  • Climate change and disaster risk management
  • Decentralisation and environmental management
• Capacity Building
  • Professional standards and ethics
  • Surveying education in Vietnam and SEA region
  • Promoting public private partnership

Under each sub-theme there is a list of topics for technical sessions reflecting these three sub-themes. As normally there will be also an open call for papers.

The concept of the regional conference will follow the concept of previous FIG regional conferences that has proved to be successful. The conference will last for four days: three days for technical sessions and one day to a joint technical visit to Ha Long Bay with a cruise in this magnificent nature heritage.

FIG and VGCR are looking for partners for the conference. These will include the World Bank and UN agencies. There is also a proposal to prepare an FIG publication "Hanoi Declaration on Land Acquisition in Developing Economies" as an outcome of the conference. The organisers expect 300-350 participants to attend the conference. The participants are expected to come in equal parts from overseas, region (East and South East Asia) and from Vietnam. The registration fees are set to be low to allow as broad participation as possible. Registration fee for international participants will be about 350 EUR including lunches, dinners and the technical tour to Ha Long Bay.

During the visit President Enemark and the Director visited the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment where they met with Mr. Nguyen Van Duc, Vice Minister for Natural Resources and Environment, and representatives from departments of survey and mapping; environmental protection; and land administration that is in charge for the big land administration project that is on the way in Vietnam. There are several international projects in Vietnam that are of interest for surveyors. Together with the activity in the region, the regional conference is promising very interesting days in Hanoi. The Vice Minister confirmed the full support of the Vietnamese government to the conference.

The Vietnam Association of Geodesy, Cartography and remote Sensing, VGCR is very well prepared for the conference and will do its utmost to make the conference a great experience and success. President Dang Hung Vo, Secretary General Trinh Anh Co, Conference Director Vo Chi My and members of the Board of VGCR and the organising committee have already started preparations for the next year's conference.

President Enemark stated at the end of the visit that he is convinced not only on the high professional level of the conference, but also that Vietnam, Hanoi and Vietnamese people will offer an experience for the participants that will be remembered for a long time.

Read more:

• Conference web site: www.fig.net/vietnam/
• First invitation: www.fig.net/vietnam/images/vietnam_flyer.pdf
• Conference theme and topics as a .pdf-file

Hanoi is a city with 5 million people and full of Vietnamese tradition.	The Mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh.
Founded in 1076, Van Mieu, the Temple of Literature, serves as a pleasant respite from the bustle of Hanoi’s street scene. Emperor Ly Thanh Tong built it to honour academicians, and it served as Vietnam’s first university, educating the sons of mandarins until the 20th century. The city celebrates its 1000th year anniversary in 2010.	The local markets are one of the attractions in Hanoi.
The Hanoi opera house was built by the French in the beginning of 20th century.	Maison Centrale - the prison that is now a museum.
	In Ha Long Bay there are also few floating fishing villages.