EFG Delegation engages in International Symposium on Resilient Cities and 23rd AGM of UK-CARE in China

From December 7th to 10th, 2023, a delegation of the European Federation of Geologists (EFG) actively participated in the International Symposium on Resilient Cities and the 23rd Annual General Meeting of UK-CARE, held in Cangnan, Wenzhou, China. The event, attended by 300 individuals, provided a platform for discussions on critical issues related to urban resilience and sustainability.

The EFG delegation, comprising President David Govoni, External Relations Officer Pavlos Tyrologou, and Tamás Zsolt Vári, President of the Youth Committee of the Hungarian Geological Society, represented the Federation at the symposium.

From left to right: Executive Secretary of the World Young Scientist Summit Meng Wang, EFG President David Govoni, EFG External Relations Officer Pavlos Tyrologou, and Tamás Zsolt Vári, President of the Youth Committee of the Hungarian Geological Society.

During the opening ceremony, David Govoni delivered a keynote speech as an honorary guest, highlighting the pivotal role of geology professionals in addressing contemporary societal challenges such as the energy transition, public safety, and climate change, all crucial aspects for building resilient cities. David Govoni emphasised the need for capacity building and collaboration, stressing the importance of educating a skilled workforce to achieve Sustainable Development Goals and fostering intercontinental and interdisciplinary cooperation.

David Govoni also presented various opportunities for collaboration from the EFG side, including the invitation for professional organisations in geosciences to apply as Associated members of EFG.

Keynote speech by EFG President David Govoni. 

Tamas Zsolt Vári echoed Govoni’s words, encouraging young earth scientists to engage in interdisciplinary collaborations with urban planners, policy makers, engineers, and architects. He emphasised the importance of embracing a global perspective, fostering communication between professionals from different fields, staying updated on smart technologies, and raising awareness about resilient cities and their evolving needs.

The event offered the opportunity for EFG to strengthen its international visibility as David Govoni has been appointed as Expert in the new Centre for Applied Future Engineering and Sciences, while External Relations Officer Pavlos Tyrologou was honoured to unveil the new China-UK Mangrove Wetland Ecological Research Centre together with Mr Renhai Zeng, Chief of the Cagnan County People’s Government.

Pavlos Tyrologou highlighted the significant outcomes of the event, including establishing contacts with the Coordinating Committee for Geoscience Programmes in East and Southeast Asia, exploring potential interests with the China Professional Geologists Society, increasing EFG visibility, and initiating actions to support the establishment of a geologists’ professional title in Asia in alignment with the European Geologist professional title.

The participation of the EFG delegation in the symposium underscored the Federation’s commitment to fostering collaboration, knowledge exchange, and innovation in addressing the complex challenges facing urban environments globally.