Contribution to IGU Conference and Congress

The AGC was a significant contributor to plenary sessions in 2002 at the Durban Regional Conference. At the 2004 Glasgow Congress we were even more active! The opening session on Monday, August 16 featured former French Minister of Industry Christian Pierret; Mr. Pierret was the only Minister to address the Glasgow Congress. He is indeed distinguished and a strong supporter of geography in general and applied geography in particular. Mr. le Ministre Christian Pierret has been awarded the IGU Planet and Humanity Medal “In recognition of his contribution to the geographical culture through the creation of the Unique International Festival of Geography in Saint-Die-des-Vosges, a major annual event extols geography as the nexus relating humans, environment, and society” (International Geographical Union, Report 2000-2004 page 20). As a member of The Applied Geographical Commission’s International Industry Advisory Committee Mr. Pierret attended the AGC’s dinner for commission members and friends and he participated in both of the AGC’s sessions on Monday the 16th.

Finally Mr. Pierret and AGC Chair Antoine Bailly played a central role in the IGU’s August 17 Plenary Session titled Geopolitics in the 21st Century World: Cultures in Confrontation. Mr. Pierret made a presentation on “Considering borders between States and Nations, Ukraine, Belarus, Turkey and EU”. AGC Chair Antoine Bailly chaired this session.