UGI 2011 meeting to ICC2009

The first work meeting aimed at preparing the Regional Geographic Conference (UGI 2011), was held with the participation of the President of the International Geographic Union, Ronald Abler. During the days 13th to 16th of November 2009, Mr. Abler met in Chile with the members of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) for UGI 2011, among them the President of LOC, Colonel Juan Vidal Garcia-Huidobro, Director of the Military Geographic Institute of  Chile (IGM) and other professional staff at the IGM. At the meeting the main policies and general outline of the UGI2011 conference were agreed on, thus raising its importance to the highest level among the international scientific gatherings set for the year 2011.

The meetings were held in the context of the 24th International Cartographic Conference (ICC 2009), organized by the IGM in conjunction with the International Cartographic Association (ICA) during the period 15th to the 21st of November 2009. Mr. Abler participated in ICC 2009 as a special guest and took the opportunity to meet leaders of the ICA and of the Pan American Institute for Geography and History (PAIGH); moreover he was able to see at first hand the capacity of the IGM for hosting international confernces.