FIG Congress: D day –13 !

Lausanne (SUI) - Benidorm (ESP) FIG Office, October 04, 2008: In exactly 13 days, the President of the FIG, Professor Bruno Grandi (ITA), will officially open the 77th Congress and General Assembly of his Federation, and the sixth of his presidency since his election in 1996 in Atlanta (USA).

As if to call to mind this event, the Federations present in 2008 in Helsinki will equal in number those that had attended the Congress 12 years ago, in the capital city of the State of Georgia.

Indeed, next October 17, 18, and 19, 102 member federations and some 400 delegates and guests will take center stage and even witness the statutory elections, which take place every 4 years to renew the authorities of the FIG.

The President and the three Vice-Presidents are candidates to their own succession, but the situation is different for the Executive Committee, which will have to replace about one third of its membership. Generally, the FIG has a record number of candidates (155) for the 93 vacant positions. Several normal departures will significantly affect the structure of some committees.

The delegates will undoubtedly salute with a standing ovation those who will leave their functions in the Federations, in some cases after long years serving in the technical committees or taking charge of the Executive Committee. Among these personalities, let us mention Nicolae Vieru (ROU), a member of the Executive Committee and the dean of the authorities, as well as the names of three presidents of technical committees, Patricia Wade (GBR - ACRO), Egle Abruzzini (ITA - RG), and John Atkinson (GBR – AER).