Statement

Minutes of the First Standing Committee Meeting of the International Symposia on Flood Defence

Time: Sept. 11, 2002

Meeting Site: China Hall of Science and Technology

Attending Members: Zhao-Yin Wang, Erich Plate, Roger Falconer, Joseph H. W. Lee, Michel Leclerc, N. De O. Carvalho, Xiaotao Cheng, David Ta-wei Soong, W. Kron, J. Vrijling, T. Kojiri, G. Klaassen (Doben), Bela Petry, K. Takeuchi, Heping Hu, H. van Stokkom, J.S.L.J. van Alphen, N.M.S.I. Arambepola, Jinchi Huang, Fi-John Chang, Cheng Liu

 Agenda of the first committee meeting:  
1.  Establish the committee, introduce the committee members;
2.  Discuss and approve the constitution statutes (attached);
3.  Elect the president and vice president;
4.  Discuss the location of the secretariat
5.  Discuss the biddings for the next symposium and decide the theme, venue and organizer of the next symposium

The First Standing Committee Meeting of the International Symposia on Flood Defence was held in the China Hall of Science and Technology on Sept. 11, 2002. Twenty-one members attended the meeting and discussed the related issues of the constitution statutes, the president, the location of the secretariat, the theme, venue and the organizer of the next symposium.

 I. Constitution statutes

   1)     It is suggested to omit the sentence in the statute 4 “The expenses involved for the president or vice president and the secretary-general to attend the committee meeting shall be born by the Local Organization Committee of the symposium”.

   2)     The name of the symposia is discussed. The committee decided to maintain the title  “International Symposium on Flood Defence” unchanged, though other names such as “International Symposium on Flood Defence Management” or “International Symposium on Flood Defence and Management” were suggested.

   3)     The members discussed the relationship between the committee and the international associations such as IAHR and IAHS etc. Efforts should be made to make the symposia a regular event of the associations. Then conflict with the similar technical conferences may be avoided, and the conference will have  more attendants by the associations delivering newsletters and advertisements. The secretariat will contact the associations to discuss the issues of cooperation.

   4)     It is suggested to pay more attention to flood management, social, economic and environmental impacts of flood. More managers of rivers and policy-makers should be attracted to attend the symposium. Especially, the influence of the flood on ecosystem and habitats should be emphasized in the symposia.

   5) The revised constitution statutes will be discussed in the next committee meeting.

   II. Dr. Erich Plate was elected as the chairperson of the committee. The vice chairpersons will be elected in the next meeting. Three chairperson and vice chairpersons will represent Asia, Europe and America.

   III. The committee meeting decided to have the secretariat established and maintained at the Research Center on Flood and Drought Disaster Reduction of the Ministry of Water Resources of China. Dr. Xiaotao Cheng was selected to work as the secretary-general with assistance of Dr. Jichi Huang.

   IV. All of the members agreed that the Third International Symposium on Flood Defence will be held in Nijimegen, the Netherlands in the spring of 2005, hosted by the Dutch Rijkswaterstaat (Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Watermanagement). Hein T.C. Van Stokkom, director of the East Netherlands Department of the Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management, will be the chairperson of the Local Organization Committee.

    V. Dr. Alphen, assistant of Prof. H. van Stokkom, introduced the preparation for organizing the next symposium. 1) The first announcement of the symposium will be presented at the 3rd World Water Forum in Japan in March 2003 and other international events; 2) Not only scientists and engineers but also the governmental official and policy-makers will be invited to attend the symposium.  The theme will cover the scope of development of science and technology in flood defence, and non-structural strategies of flood defence; 3) About 200 participants, among which 30% are from the developing countries, will be attracted to attend the symposium.

   VI. According to the suggestion of Prof. Newton I. Carwalho, Dr. JersonKelman , president of the ANA, Federal Agency of Waters, will be invited and replace Mr. Carvalho as a committee member from Brazil.