IRTCES NEWS: The first meeting of the 7th IRTCES Advisory Council was held in IRTCES, Beijing on November 6, 2008. Over 20 participants from UNESCO, Ministry of Water Resources of China (MWR), IRTCES Advisory Council, International Sediment Initiative (ISI) Steering Committee and IRTCES attended the meeting.

The meeting was chaired by Prof. WANG Zhao-Yin, the Chairman of the 7th IRTCES Advisory Council and Professor of Tsinghua University. At first, Prof. HU Chunhong, the Secretary-General and Deputy Director of IRTCES, welcomed the council members representing 6 regions of the world and expressed sincerely gratitude to UNESCO, MWR and relevant institutes/organizations for their long-term support to IRTCES. Since it was established in 1984, IRTCES has conducted many bilateral and multilateral collaborative researches, training and information exchanging programs. These activities have actively promoted the development and communication in the field of erosion and sedimentation for 24 years. IRTCES has implemented over 100 research projects and consulting programs, organized over 40 training courses, sponsored and co-sponsored over 90 symposia and workshops and arranged more than 130 technical visits outside of China. IRTCES serves as the Technical Secretariat of UNESCO International Sediment Initiative (ISI), Secretariat of World Association for Sedimentation and Erosion Research (WASER), and the permanent Secretariat of the International Symposia on River Sedimentation, and publishes the International Journal of Sediment Research and the Gazette of Chinese River Sediment, as well as manages Qian Ning Memorial Prize for Erosion and Sedimentation. These activities have actively promoted the development and communication in the field of erosion and sedimentation, and won high recognition by UNESCO and MWR. Prof. Hu on behalf of IRTCES welcomed good advices and suggestions on the future development from council members.

Mr. LIU Zhiguang, Deputy Director General of the Department of International Cooperation, Science and Technology, MWR and representative of the Chinese Government in the council, said in his speech that the MWR will continue provide both financial and policy support to IRTCES. Dr. Anil Mishra, Programme Specialist of Division of Water Sciences, UNESCO, made a speech on behalf of Dr. András Szöllösi-Nagy, representative of the Director General of the UNESCO. In his speech, he high appraised excellent contribution of IRTCES to international cooperation and communication, especially the big contribution to the UNESCO – ISI serving as the ISI Technical Secretariat. He said the meeting would play an important role in collaborating sedimentation studies, collaboration with UNESCO and promoting global studies.

Prof. LIU Cheng, Deputy Division Chief of Department of Research and Training, IRTCES, delivered IRTCES Work Report on behalf of the Secretary-General Prof. HU Chunhong. He reported the achievements of researches, trainings, conference organizations and international communications during the period of the 6th IRTCES Advisory Council, and putted forward proposals on establishment of International Networks of Erosion and Sedimentation (INES) and research projects.

Chaired by Prof. WANG Zhao-Yin, ten topics were listed, and participants discussed choosing randomly each topic proposed:

1. Role of IRTCES in sediment research.
2. Service as a sediment information center and database.
3. Coordination of sediment research in the world and China.
4. Training programs and Platform of training courses.
5. Development of the International Journal of Sediment Research.
6. New problems and new directions of sediment research.
7. Relationships of UNESCO and ISI.
8. Cooperation of IRTCES with organizations and institutions.
9. Secretariat of WASER and ISRS.
10. Finance of IRTCES.

The members had discussion enthusiastically and offered good advices and suggestions on international training workshop, international cooperation project, scientist exchanging with other institutes and centers, etc.

On November 7, the members visited the Longfengling Scientific Demonstration Zone of Water and Soil Conservation located in suburban of Beijing, and visited the National Stadium Bird Nest.

The 7th IRTCES Advisory Council is established according to the Agreement between Chinese Government and UNESCO concerning IRTCES resigned in 2005. The Council consists of 13 prominent individuals including: one representative of the Chinese Government, one representative of the Director General of the UNESCO, six members elected by the IHP Intergovernmental Council and five members selected by the Government in consultation with the Director-General of the Organization. 

 
Meeting


 
Speech by Mr. LIU Zhiguang, Deputy Director General of the Department of International Cooperation, Science and Technology, MWR, China


 
Speech by Dr. Anil Mishra, Programme Specialist of Division of Water Sciences, UNESCO
 


Speech by Prof. HU Chunhong, the Secretary-General and Deputy Director of IRTCES 


 
Chaired by Prof. WANG Zhao-Yin, the Chairman of the 7th IRTCES Advisory Council


 
Prof. LIU Cheng, Deputy Division Chief, IRTCES, delivered IRTCES Work Report on behalf of the Secretary-General Prof. HU Chunhong


 
Group photo


 
Technical tour in the Longfengling Scientific Demonstration Zone of Water and Soil Conservation