Volume 48, number 2, 1993 29

The new members can benefit from the scientific and (iii) Closing Ceremony, 15:30-17:00, August 14, 1992 technical development which are coordinated and pre- The following actions were taken at the Congress sented through the Society at symposia, colloquia, Meeting in plenary session according to Bylaw IX- congresses and other meetings. The Society also can Congress 5: offer a network to colleagues in other countries, con- 1.1. It reviewed the decisions of the General Assem- tacts can be established and exchange of experience bly. and support can follow. It is all within the scope of the 1.2. It witnessed the ISPRS Awards. Society: to develop the international cooperation for 1.3. It elected Prof.Dr. Gottfried Konecny as an the advancement of photogrammetry and remote sens- Honorary Member. ing and their applications. But how much this is worth 1.4. It approved the summaries of the technical and to what extent it will take place that depends on you commissions, exhibitions and other events. and me as individuals. We have to convince decision- makers at various levels, and above all we have to 2. Decisions of the General Assembly make use of the resources we have at hand, whether The General Assembly met five times during the in universities and colleges, in private enterprises offer- 17th Congress of ISPRS. The following actions were ing hardware, software and services, in governmental taken: agencies and ministries. We can work in international 2.1. It approved reports of the President, the Secre- projects, we can initiate projects, some of us can decide tary General, the Treasurer, the Congress Director, the about funding and policy for international cooperation. Financial Commission, Position Paper, Ad-hoc Commit- It depends on us, you and me, what will be done! tee on Restructuring and the Editor of the lSPRS Official Photogrammetry and remote sensing cover disciplines Journal. that are applied in research laboratories, in industry, 2.2. It admitted ten new Ordinary Members: Albania in municipal planning, in national mapping, in environ- (1), Azerbaijan (1), Belarus (2), Bophuthatswana (1), mental and natural resources monitoring over larger Estonia (1), Latvia {1), Lithuania (1), Saudi Arabia (4), regions. We all can use our position to contribute to the Slovenia (1) and Ukraine (1). Number between brackets process of making the Earth a better place to live on. indicates category.

As President I have had many opportunities to meet 2.3. It accepted that the following Ordinary Members photogrammetrists and remote sensing experts and to change category: Germany from 7 to 8, Malaysia from listen and learn and to discuss the scientific, technical 1 to 2, Romania from 1 to 2, Spain from 4 to 6, Thailand and managerial matters of our disciplines and their roles from 1 to 2, Bulgaria from 3 to 2, Czechoslovakia from 3 and relations to other parts of the surveying and engi- to 2. neering sciences. I am very grateful for this experience, 2.4. It decided that the next Congress will be held and for all the good relations and friendships that have in Vienna, Austria in 1996 with the Austrian Associa- developed during these four years, tion for Surveying and Photogrammetry as the host.

My final duty as President is to transfer the Pres- The General Assembly ratified Prof.Dr. Karl Kraus as ident's chain to Shunji Mural. This magnificent collar Congress Director. was donated to the Society by the Photogrammetric 2.5, It elected President, Secretary General, Trea- Society of Great Britain in 1964. Before me it has been surer and Second vice-President. The outgoing Presi- carried by Paes Clemente, Hans H/Jrry, Luigi Solaini, dent chose theofficeofFirstvice-President as specified Samuel Gamble, Jean Cruset, Fred Doyle and Gottfried in Bylaw VIII-Officers. Konecny. 2.6. It assigned the seven Technical Commissions

Dear Shunji, I wish the Society continued successful to the following countries and presidents: Commission development, under your leadership. I, Italy, Prof. Luigi Mussio; Commission II, Canada,

Finally, I wish you all a good and safe journey back Dr. Mosaad Allam; Commission III, Germany, Prof. home, and I look forward to see you again in Vienna in Heinrich Ebner; Commission IV, USA, Prof. Roy Welch; four years, if not before. Commission V, Australia, Prof. John Fryer; Commission Thank you. Vl, China, Prof. Deren Li; Commission VII, Brazil, Dr.

Roberto P. da Cunha.

Report of Secretary General, 1988-1992, Prof. Shunji The Council of ISPRS has the following composition Murai for 1992-1996:

President, Prof.Dr. Shunji Murai, Japan; First vice- 1. Decisions of the Congress Meeting President, Prof.Dr. Kennert Torlegard, Sweden; Second The Congress Meeting in plenary session was held vice-President, Prof. Dr. Armin Grfin, Switzerland; Sec-

three times as follows: retary General, Dr. Lawrence W. Fritz, USA; Treasurer, (i) Opening Ceremony, 9:30-12:30, August 3, 1992 Prof. Dr. John Trinder, Australia; Congress Director, (ii) Plenary Session, 13:30-15:00, August 14, 1992 Prof. Dr. Karl Kraus, Austria

30 ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing

2.7. It amended the Bylaws, mainly Bylaw XIII- technologic opportunities. It is my pleasure to report Technical Commissions with changed titles and areas the following statistical highlights of the 17th ISPRS of responsibility for the Technical Commissions. The Congress. following Bylaws were amended: Bylaw II, Definition; Bylaw III, Qualifications; Bylaw V, Co-operation with Venue other International Organizations; Bylaw VI, Member- The Washington Convention Center was chosen ship; Bylaw X, General Assembly; Bylaw XIII, Technical for several reasons. Its meeting rooms are ample, all Commissions; Bylaw XlV, Financial Commission Mem- air-conditioned with three adjacent halls for concur- bers. rent sessions. The 15,000 m 2 exhibition hall has ideal

2.8. It elected Financial Commission members as facilities for participating commercial firms. The Wash- follows: Chairman, Mr. Keith Atkinson, UK; Members, ington, DC region, in addition to offering its tourist at- Prof. John Badekes, Greece, and Mr. Ramon Lorenzo, tractions as the nation's capital, is the headquarters for Spain. all Federal Government mapping, charting, geodesy, re-

2.9. It ratified the Statutes of the International Union mote sensing and space agencies. It has also numerous of Surveying and Mapping (IUSM). commercial firms and scientific institutions available for

2.10. It approved 42 resolutions proposed by the technical tours and visits; and ASPRS headquarters is First Vice President as well as the seven Technical located nearby. A modern, safe subway system makes Commission Presidents. local transportation, sights, shopping and innumerable

hotels readily accessible.

Congress Report, Lawrence W. Fritz, Congress In late 1988 an intersociety agreement was co- Director 1988-1992 ordinated with the 27th International Geographical

Congress (convening August 9-14) and the ASPRS to Introduction conduct concurrent conferences with the ISPRS man- When at the 1988 Kyoto Congress the USA pro- aging a common exhibition for all. In 1990, the ASPRS/

posed to the General Assembly its desire to host the ACSM decided to convene their annual conference dur- 17th Congress, not all of its membership recognized ing August 3-8 on the theme "Global Monitoring" and how formidable and different the task would be. Since invited Resource Technology '92 to join them. the 1960's the host society ASPRS and its sister orga- nization ACSM have had a legacy of annually staging Registration a Spring Conference attracting up to 7,000 attendees A low registration fee of $300 was established or more. Given that 1992 was proclaimed as the In- to give an opportunity for delegates and participants ternational Space Year, and the 500th Anniversary of from all economic conditions to attend. To maximize Columbus' voyage, the ASPRS leadership expressed opportunities for registrants it was agreed to offer $150 strong desire to offer a unified locale for staging crossover fee to get full registration for the 27th IGC its Annual ASPRS/ACSM Conference, the 17th ISPRS or Global Change Conferences. The final registration Congress and the 27th IGC Congress. These desires figures are: together with the subsequent offer to host what may Full registrants 2095 well be considered the first IUSM Congress, joint ef- Students 219 forts with the UN to conduct a UN/ISPRS Interregional Seniors over 65 30 Seminar and a UN/ISPRS ISY Workshop, recent Fed- Accompanying persons 283 eral policies toward professional societies which limit Exhibitors 1632 the type and amount of participation permitted by the Total participants 4259 Federal Government and its employees, the worldwide

Exhibition visitors 1362 economic recession that caused many companies to Countries represented 97 reduce their exhibition and show support, the new

headquarters purchase by ASPRS which precluded its Special funding was budgeted to provide limited providing seed funding, all coupled with the fact that support for more than 60 attendees from developing only a few committee members had ever attended a countries. Additional support was solicited and partic- Congress, created significant challenges, ipants were sponsored in part or full from the United

It has been an honour to serve our profession Nations, from Energy, Mines and Resources Canada, as ISPRS Congress Director. The experience with its and from US AID. joys and challenges has been satisfying. It has been a distinct pleasure to have facilitated the provision of Archives unprecedented support for attendees from develop- The International Archives of Photogrammetry and ing countries and to have coordinated multiple scien- Remote Sensing are the official publications of the tific meetings with offerings of numerous social and Congress and are produced in two parts. Part A contains