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Background sheet #1
STRUCTURE AND PROGRAM OF THE
32nd INTERNATIONAL GEOLOGICAL CONGRESS
Florence,
Italy, August 20-28, 2004
After more than a century (2nd IGC, Bologna 1881), Italy will
again host the International Geological Congress, whose primary
objectives are:
a)
to demonstrate the scientific advances and benefits which
geology brings to humanity, starting from Italy, a country
which is at high geological risk and which has a natural part
to play in connecting, across the Mediterranean, developing
and advanced countries.
b) to contribute to the “renaissance” of the Earth
Sciences in Italy, where they were born during the Renaissance.
The
Congress, to take place next year at Florence’s Fortezza
da Basso Congress Center, offers a packed schedule of events,
some of which will occur before its official opening and others
which will continue after the closing ceremony, as follows:
Pre-congress
events: August 15-20, 2004
Post-congress events: August 29-September 3, 2004
The
detailed structure of the scientific program envisages a schedule
of:
·
plenary lectures
· symposia
· workshops
· short courses
· geological excursions
Collateral
events will be:
Geoexpo
2004
Science Theater and First International Festival of
Scientific Geological Cinema
Plenary
Lectures. The eight plenary lectures, treating problems
relevant to the themes of the 32nd Congress, will be given by
eminent scientists from all over the world and will be open
to all participants. Five of the lectures concerning the following
themes have already been defined:
·
Geoscience and Cultural Patrimony. Peter T. Bobrowsky,
Geological Survey of Canada.
· Global Climate Change. Wallace S.
Broecker, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, New York.
· Geological Risks, Franco Barberi,
Department of Geological Science, University of Rome Three
· Tower of Pisa. Geology’s role
in the great works of engineering for conservation of the monument.
Michele Jamiolkowski, Department of Structural Engineering and
Geotechnics, Polytechnic of Turin and Carlo Viggiani, Department
of Geotechnical Engineering, “Federico 2” University
of Naples
· Water, life and geological history of planets
Mars and Earth. Victor Baker, Department of Planetary
Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, U.S.A.
Symposia. Three types of symposia are envisaged.
1.
Special Symposia, concerning interdisciplinary themes.
These will tackle emerging problem areas. There will be 13 special
symposia.
2. Topical Symposia. dealing with specific
themes. A total of 38 themes have been proposed and many of
them include a number of work sessions, making a total of 152
program headings.
3. General Symposia, pertaining to themes of
Earth Sciences’ classical disciplines. There will be 173
sessions based on 24 general themes.
Workshops.
These encounters provide Congress participants with important
occasions to exchange ideas on subjects of common interest and
will orient specialists towards new areas of research. Some
of the 36 workshops will include field trips. Before, during
and after the Congress.
Short Courses. Coordinated by experts and including
practical exercises, the 25 short courses offer opportunities
for technical training to those who desire to enrich their knowledge.
Before, during and after the Congress.
Geological Field Trips. The Mediterranean area,
because of its geological characteristics, offers a variety
of nearly complete sites of great scientific interest. The map
of field visits includes 113 localities, the majority in Italy,
the rest in countries belonging to the Mediterranean Consortium.
Before, during and after the Congress.
Geoexpo 2004. The exposition will take place
throughout the entire period of the Congress, August 20-28.
Occupying 10,000 square meters in the Fortezza da Basso Congress
Center it will give Congress participants the opportunity to
become acquainted with equipment, products and services.
Science
Theater and the First International Festival of Scientific Geological
Cinema. The festival is organized by the National Institute
of Oceanography and of Experimental Geophysics of Trieste and
the Department of Scientific Cinematography of the CNR-IRPI
of Cosenza. Prizes will be awarded to the best authors, specialists
and collaborators in the productions. Congress participants
will have the opportunity to view films, videocassettes and
other multimedial products illustrating scientific materials.
Congress
Publications include three Circulars, the Congress
Program, CD-ROMs containing summaries of oral presentations
and posters and guidebooks for geological excursions. Study
materials for the workshops and short courses will be distributed
to the participants.
For
this occasion, 150 years after “The Beautiful Country”
(Il Bel Paese) by Abbot Antonio Stoppani was published, a modern
version of this naturalistic masterpiece will be presented.
Press
Office Hill & Knowlton - Gaia
For information: Ph # +39 06 4416401 - +39 335 1309390
Alessia Calvanese, calvanesea@hkgaia.com, Irene Celli, cellii@hkgaia.com
www.32igc.com
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