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the closure. A poster session was also set up, considering it
an open space where all contribution were welcome.
The key - note lectures involve both theoretical and practical
aspects of Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and GIS. Indeed
the Chance and the Challenge of Data Processing versus
Geomatics and a Talk on Geomatics / Remote Sensing
Education in Africa were exposed.
Three technical sessions belonged to the important topics of
Education, in the English (n. 1) and French (n. 2) languages.
Different concrete experiences were presented, analyzed and
compared, going very, very deeply in the difficult paths of
Communication and Networking in Africa.
Three technical sessions belonged to the interesting topics of
Remote Sensing and GIS for Africa, in the English (n. 2) and
French (n. 1) languages. The new technologies were utilized,
taking into account powerful tools, whilst the longstanding
experiences completed this presentation suitably.
The One - day Educational Tutorial on Photogrammetry,
Remote Sensing, GIS and Geomatics was particularly
devoted to Africa. It offered the great and real occasion to do
International Cooperation, Transferring useful Technologies
positively and growing together lecturers and students.
The last day Seminar presented a successful example of
sustainable knowledge transfer on Geoinformatics in Africa.
It reflected on activities and achievements during the Support
Project period and confirmed the requirements for effective
and sustainable education programs in the future.
Going deeply into the program, concrete experiences of
Education, concerning Spatial Techniques, Surveying and
Geomatics, were done in Algeria, Nigeria, Cameroons and
Botswana, both involving traditional education and computer
assisted teaching.
Furthermore important contributions to the education in
Africa were given by some European institutions, especially
from France. An essential contribution was supplied by the
pattern and process of GIS and spatial/temporal statistics in
public health education.
Finally education experiences were obviously achieved also
in some other continents, e.g. in South America and Central
Asia, which were relevant too, because done in developing
countries. More information, concerning the single
presentation, are available in the proceedings.
Analogously real examples of Technology Transfer came, at
continental and national level, both from international and
national institutions. They were always interested in
positively solving the problems of Africa positively, working
on the themes of Remote Sensing and GIS.
Continental applications involved Remote Sensing tools for
environmental aspects, including the environmental impact
assessment, the establishment of a reliable and durable GIS,
challenges and opportunities offered by low cost small
satellites for earth observation.
At the regional and local level, examples came from the crop
growth modeling, the study of the ecosystems, Internet atlas
of natural and agronomic resources and the impacts of mining
on the environment, respectively in Mali, Guinea, Niger,
Benin, Nigeria and Zambia.
The Symposium is dedicated to the memory of Professor
Luigi Solaini, on the occasion of his 10 th anniversary. He
belonged to the famous school of Professor Gino Cassinis,
which was active in the field of Photogrammetry, in Milan
(Italy), since the 1930s until the 1970s.
Professor Luigi Solaini was teacher of Surveying and
Photogrammetry at the University of Pisa (Italy) and at the
Polytechnic (TU) of Milan, from the 1940s to the 1970s. For
a long period he was also the Director of the Institute of
Geodesy, Surveying and Photogrammetry at TU Milan.
The scientific work of Professor Luigi Solaini enhanced the
mathematical and statistical foundations of the survey and
mapping disciplines. He served as President of ISPRS in the
period 1968 - 1972. Furthermore he was elected as an
Honorary Member of ISPRS.
Professor Luigi Solaini was President of the OEEPE,
according to the national rotation of this charge, and first
Italian national delegate. In this role, he promoted several
international projects and participated in them by means of
the above quoted Institute in Milan.
He had many students, co-workers and assistants, whose the
majority is still active and very well introduced in the world
of Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and GIS. The whole
ISPRS knew their contributions brought to the different
events, in the past and/or in recent years.
Prof. Luigi Solaini was a fine man, surely shy in front of a
large number of people, but clear and clever when one person
or a small group of people was approaching him. His
availability was very large, his spirit (coming from the
famous region Tuscany) very fascinating.
The writer is an Italian citizen, so he is glad to present, in
conclusion of this report, a short summary of the Italian
activities in the field of Technology Transfer and Education
in Africa. This list, of course incomplete, globally concerns
the survey and mapping disciplines.
Three examples seem to be sufficient to present the
educational activities. Starting from the 1950s a student from
Ethiopia was hosted at the TU of Milan, studying
photogrammetry and cartography; then, owing to this, he
occupied an important position in his country.
Successively, during 1990s, two students, from Somalia and
Angola, were hosted respectively at the TU of Milan and at
the 1 st University of Rome (Italy). The first one specialized in
data processing and geomatics, whilst the second one in
geodesy and surveying.
The writer knew very well both students. Moreover he
worked a lot, in close contact, with the student from Somalia.
His scientific and technical capabilities, his perfect behavior
proved the excellent qualities of the person. The writer
sincerely hopes all the best for him.
Regarding technology transfer, some recent experiences on
thematic cartography in Kenya and on Applied Geophysics in
Angola can be quoted. Furthermore the perfect cooperation,
both in geodesy and photogrammtry, with some Egyptian
colleagues was particularly relevant.
Finally the decision to issue the Proceedings before the
Symposium, imposed to finish all duty before it. On the other
hand, because it was very difficult to write a compte - rendu
in advance, the writer wished to invite all readers to attend
this Symposium: he was sure, it will be much better.
