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develop plans for the member states of OOSA for the
next 5 years. As well as Plenary and Committee meet-
ings, many technical workshops were staged by interna-
tional organisations such as ISPRS, and a major Space
Exhibition was also held. ISPRS was provided with exhi-
bition space free of charge and held a display of its
remote sending activities at the Amsterdam Congress. At
UNISPACE Ill, ISPRS presented a policy statement on
remote sensing to the General Assembly plenary. It also
held three events as follows:
- Workshop on “Resource Mapping from Space"
- Workshop on *Remote Sensing for Detection, Monitor-
ing and Mitigation of Natural Disasters" together with
EARSeL
- Seminar on "Environment and Remote Sensing for
Sustainable Development" together with NASA
A Special Session 'UNISPACE III Revisited' was organised
at the Amsterdam Congress, to review the findings at the
UNISPACE III conference.
ISPRS has also jointly held two conferences in conjunc-
tion with OOSA, "The 2nd UN International Conference
on Spin-off Benefits of Space Technology: Challenges
and Opportunities" in Florida, USA, in April 1998 and a
meeting "Promoting Space Technology Transfer and
Geomatics Education in Africa" in Benin, jointly organ-
ised by ISPRS Working Group VI/3, *International Co-
operation and Technology Transfer", the Regional ISPRS
member, AARSE (African Association for Remote Sens-
ing of the Environment), CENATEL, and the Benin Centre
National de Télédétection et de Surveillance du Couvert
Forestier.
UN - Statistics Division
The Regional Cartographic Conferences, which have tradi-
tionally been held under the auspices of the UN Economic
and Social Council (ECOSOC), have now been transferred
to the UN Statistics Division. ISPRS participated in a Spe-
cial Working Group Meeting of Experts and Delegates of
the UN Regional Cartographic Conferences held during
March 1998 in Aquascalientes, Mexico, in a review of the
future of Regional Cartographic Conferences. Given the
current lack of adequate mapping in many parts of the
world and the recognised future role of GIS, both ISPRS
and the International Cartographic Association (ICA) have
urged the maintenance of these conferences, since they
play an important role in the future provision of essential
spatial data for planning and maintenance of the environ-
ment.
UN - Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
ISPRS is an accredited NGO in consultative status with
both the New York and Vienna offices. ISPRS receives
many reports and announcements from the Council.
UNESCO
ISPRS has non-governmental organisation (NGO) Cate-
gory B relationship for Information and Consultative Rela-
tions, which means that it is eligible for receiving subven-
tions for worthy projects. In 1997, ISPRS submitted a
number of proposals for support of ISPRS activities in
areas that were believed to be within the interests of
UNESCO. While two of the submitted projects, on map-
International Archives of Photogrammerty and Remote Sensing. Vol. XXXIII, Part A. Amsterdam 2000.
A = EEE
ping of the Lalibela heritage site in Africa and on CIPA Out-
reach Workshops, were cited to be of funding interest to
UNESCO, none has been supported at this stage.
UNESCO is now, once again, reviewing the Lalibela pro-
posal and ISPRS will continue to monitor this opportunity
for UNESCO support. ISPRS receives documentation from
UNESCO and requests for participation in UNESCO spon-
sored projects.
UN - Department of Public Information (DPI)
ISPRS has credentials for two ISPRS Council members
and access to the UN photo library services. ISPRS has
been co-operating with the UN Cartographer in a new UN
Geographic Database Project initiative.
Related International Organisations
International Union of Surveys and Mapping and the
Sister Societies
ISPRS joined the International Union of Surveys and
Mapping (IUSM) at its inauguration in 1989 and partici-
pated in its activities until 1997, when it made the deci-
sion to withdraw from the organisation because it was
not satisfying the needs of the Members of ISPRS.
In August 1999, IUSM was disbanded. However, ISPRS
intends to continue to co-operate with the major organisa-
tions that were IUSM members, specifically IAG, FIG, IHO
and ICA, in annual meetings of a newly formed ‘Joint
Board of Spatial Information Societies’. Several informal
meetings have been held between ISPRS and these indi-
vidual organisations, while a meeting of the Joint Board,
including IGU, was held on Monday 17* July at this Con-
gress, sponsored by ISPRS. The members of the Joint
Board have agreed to hold similar meetings at their future
international conferences.
International Committee for Documentation and
Architectural Photogrammetry (CIPA)
CIPA was established in collaboration with ISPRS and
the International Council of Monuments and Sites ICO-
MOS). Professor Waldháusl was elected as President in
1998. A report on CIPA activities has been provided in
each ISPRS Annual Report in ISPRS Highlights.
International Center of Remote Sensing of the
Environment
Recently ISPRS signed a Memorandum of Understanding
to work closely with the International Center of Remote
Sensing Of the Environment. The document brings
ICORSE into ISPRS as a Permanent Committee. As a
result, the biannual International Symposium on Remote
Sensing of the Environment becomes an ISPRS event.
This agreement thus ensures de-conflicting of future con-
ferences held by ISPRS and ICORSE and brings more
remote sensing specialists into closer co-operation with
ISPRS in scientific activities.
International Council of Science (ICSU)
ISPRS is an Associate Member of The International
Council of Science (ICSU). An application was submitted
in 1997 for ISPRS to become a Full Member of ICSU, but
the approval of the application has been delayed. It is
anticipated that this application will be successful at the
next ICSU General Assembly in Brazil in 2002. There is
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ISPRS
- 2000
