1st Balkan Geophysical
Congress is almost ready to take off
by Ali Ak (President of EAGE, September 1996)
We, geoscientist, are a bit different than order than other
professionals. We cannot
refrain ourselves from getting socialized, and more often, from
getting
internationalized...This is probably because the profession
that we make our living out
of, does not care about political borders very much. It rather
follows the geology,
which extends across the countries and the continents, surrounding
the earth all over.
Very soon, another example of our associative and international
character will be
displayed. The first scientific congress and technical exhibition
of the Balkan
Geophysical Society will gather geophysicist and geologists
from all around the world.
This event has a very special meaning to me.
Being a member of the Executive Committee of the Chamber of
Geophysical
Engineers of Turkey, I was one of those enthusiastic who believed
that a scientific
cooperation in Balkans would help, interalia, a stable peace
of to be established in the
region. Together with other enthusiastic colleagues, being friends
whit whom makes
me so proud today, we overcome all the barriers one by one.
And in 1993 the BGS
was founded. The spirit of sharing a common goal made in happen
and we are now
starting to reap its fruits.
EAGE has always been supportive of regional cooperation among
geoscientists and
engineers and we are in deep appreciation of the achievements
of our Associated
Society, the BGS, in this regard. As the President, it will
be one of my top priority
duties to strengthen the links between the two organizations.
On behalf of the EAGE,
and myself as a member of the Balkan Geophysical Society, I
wish a very successful
and smooth Congress and I extend my most sincere gratitude to
those who contributed
to its realization, especially to my friends in the Hellenic
Geophysical Union who are
hosting it this year. The outcome, I believe, will prove that
the efforts were worth
spending.