UN-SPIDER Outreach Activities

UNO-City in Vienna, Austria. Image courtesy by the Hung.Met Service for HUNAGI Visual resources, 2005

From our daily mail: UN-SPIDER Programme Coordinator David Stevens wrote the following:

Invitation to contribute, attend and participate in the planned UN-SPIDER
Outreach Activities (Workshops and Expert Meetings)

"Dear Colleagues,
In its resolution 61/110 of 14 December 2006 the United Nations General
Assembly agreed to establish the “United Nations Platform for Space-based
Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response – UN-SPIDER”, as
a new programme of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, to
provide universal access to all countries and all relevant international
and regional organizations to all types of space-based information and
services relevant to disaster management to support the full disaster
management cycle by being a gateway to space information for disaster
management support, serving as a bridge to connect the disaster management
and space communities and being a facilitator of capacity-building and
institutional strengthening, in particular for developing countries.
Within its plan of work, UN-SPIDER is organizing a series of workshops and
expert meeting bringing together experts and relevant professionals from
around the world with the aim of discussing and shaping the future
activities of this new programme. We have already sent out the announcement
of the first workshop which will be held in Bonn, Germany. The deadline for
sending in your application to be considered for the Bonn workshop is
Monday, 27 August 2007. We would also like to make you aware of other
workshops and meetings also planned and we hope that your organisation or
institution would consider participating and contributing to at least one
of the planned events. The latest information and materials related to
these activities are available online at
http://www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/unspider/workshops.html.

1.) United Nations International UN-SPIDER Workshop: “Space-based
Information and Solutions for Disaster Management and Emergency Response”
(Bonn, Germany, 29 to 31 October 2007).
Participation is limited to 80 persons.
Focus: Identification of relevant space-based information for Disaster
Management Support and Emergency Response; Definition of a Knowledge Portal
to ensure that relevant information is easily accessible and disseminated
to all interested end-users; Identification of existing and planned
Communities of Practice that contribute to bringing together the
space-based technology and disaster management communities; Discussion and
definition of a knowledge management and transfer framework; GEOSS Capacity
Building Task CB-07-02 - Knowledge Sharing for Improved Disaster Management
and Emergency Response, and; Harmonisation of the various existing
initiatives that are contributing to helping developing countries access
and use space-based technologies for disaster management and risk reduction

2.) 4th UN-wide Meeting on the Use of Space Technologies for Emergency
Response and Humanitarian Assistance (27 November 2007, Bangkok, Thailand -
back-to-back with the 8th UNGIWG meeting 28 – 30 November 2007, Bangkok,
Thailand).
Participation is limited to representatives from United Nations agencies
and from organisations and institutions interested in contributing to the
work of the United Nations in the area of space-based information for
disaster management, emergency response and humanitarian assistance. This
meeting is being organised together with UNESCAP.

3.) United Nations/China Regional UN-SPIDER Workshop: “Building Upon
Regional Space-based Solutions for Disaster Management and Emergency
Response” (03-06 December 2007, Guangzhou, China).
Participation is limited to 40 persons.
Focus: Presentation of the current status of space technology for disaster
management and emergency response within the region; Discuss the UN-SPIDER
awareness raising strategy proposal building upon examples of similar
successful strategies carried out by other organisations within the region;
Discuss the development of country profiles, user input for the
establishment of a UN-SPIDER Knowledge Portal and capacity building needs
in the region; Define ways and means of efficiently coordinating and
interacting with National Focal Points and the Network of Regional Support
Offices; Reflect on the best concepts for delivering support to both
national activities and to national planning and policies, that consider
the use of space-based technologies, and; Review and discuss activities to
be carried out by National Focal Points with the support from UN-SPIDER and
the Network of Regional Support Offices.

4.) United Nations/Sudan International UN-SPIDER Workshop: “Space-based
Solutions for Disaster Management and Emergency Response” (09-12 December
2007, Khartoum, Sudan).
Participation is limited to 100 persons, except the first day which will
have a total of 250 participants.
Focus: Presentation of the current status of space technology for disaster
management and emergency response within the region; Special session on the
use of space-based technologies and solutions to support complex
emergencies; Define ways and means of efficiently coordinating and
interacting with National Focal Points and the Network of Regional Support
Offices; Reflect on the best concepts for delivering support to both
national activities and to national planning and policies, that consider
the use of space-based technologies; Review and discuss activities to be
carried out by National Focal Points with the support from UN-SPIDER and
the Network of Regional Support Offices; Discuss the development of country
profiles, user input for the establishment of a UN-SPIDER Knowledge Portal
and capacity building needs in the region, and; Discussion and update of
“The Khartoum Vision: a Vision for Building Partnerships in the Use of
Space Technologies”.

5.) United Nations/Austria UN-SPIDER Workshop: Network of Regional Support
Offices (07-09 February 2008, Salzburg, Austria).
Participation is limited to 40 persons.
Focus: Bring together representatives of the Network of Regional Support
Offices to discuss and coordinate the implementation of the UN-SPIDER
activities for 2008-2009.
Should you need any additional information, please do not hesitate to
contact Mr. Georg Magerl (Tel: +43-1-26060-4472,
georg.magerl@unvienna.org). We are looking forward to seeing you at one or
more of these activities.
Yours sincerely,

David Stevens
Programme Coordinator
UN-SPIDER
United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs
Vienna - Austria
Tel. ++43-(1)-26060-5631 - Skype: tazarkount
FAX ++43-(1)-260607-5631 - E-Mail david.stevens@unvienna.org