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.