United Nations Global Geodetic Centre of Excellence
UN Campus in Bonn, GermanyIn 2020 the United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM) welcomed and supported the offer from the Federal Republic of Germany to establish and host a Global Geodetic Centre of Excellence (UN-GGCE) at the United Nations Campus in Bonn, Germany. With the conclusion and signing of the Agreement on the Operationalization of the UN-GGCE by the United Nations and the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community, UN-GGCE is ready to start of work. The State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community (BMI) Juliane Seifert emphasizes:
"With the successful conclusion of the Agreement for the United Nations Global Geodetic Centre of Excellence Germany once more proved itself to be a reliable international partner. The Centre of Excellence is going to provide important contributions to a UN Member State agreed worldwide geodetic infrastructure. This infrastructure is the reliable long-term foundation for applications like satellite navigation, space-borne Earth observation as well as monitoring of the UN Sustainable Development Goals 2030."
"With the successful conclusion of the Agreement for the United Nations Global Geodetic Centre of Excellence Germany once more proved itself to be a reliable international partner. The Centre of Excellence is going to provide important contributions to a UN Member State agreed worldwide geodetic infrastructure. This infrastructure is the reliable long-term foundation for applications like satellite navigation, space-borne Earth observation as well as monitoring of the UN Sustainable Development Goals 2030."
Recognizing the growing need for a high quality and sustainable Global Geodetic Reference Frame (GGRF) to support good policy development and decision-making for inclusive social progress, increasing environmental sustainability and vibrant economic development, the General Assembly on 26 February 2015 adopted resolution 69/266, entitled 'A Global Geodetic Reference Frame for Sustainable Development'. The resolution recognizes the importance of international cooperation, as no one country can do this alone, to realize the GGRF and services to underpin global navigation satellite systems technology and provide the framework for all geospatial activity, as a key enabler of geospatial data interoperability and data integration, and sustainable development. The resolution also recognizes the economic and scientific importance of and the growing demand for an accurate and stable global geodetic reference frame for the Earth that allows the interrelationship of measurements taken anywhere on the Earth and in space, combining geometric positioning and gravity field-related observations, as the basis and reference in location and height for geospatial information, which is used in many Earth science and societal applications, including sea-level and climate change monitoring, natural hazard and disaster management and a whole series of industrial applications including mining, agriculture, transport, navigation and construction) in which precise positioning introduces efficiencies.
UN-GGCE's overarching goal is to assist Member States and geodetic organizations to coordinate and collaborate to sustain, enhance, access and utilise an accurate, accessible and sustainable GGRF to support science, society and global development. The objective is to support, within available resources, the implementation of General Assembly resolution 69/266 through strengthening and advancing: global geodetic cooperation and coordination; worldwide geodetic infrastructure; standards and policies; education, training and capacity development; and communication and awareness.
The Secretariat of the United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM), in collaboration with the Federal Government of Germany, through its Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community (BMI) and the Federal Agency of Cartography and Geodesy (BKG), hosted the Opening Ceremony of the United Nations Global Geodetic Centre of Excellence (UN-GGCE) on 29 March 2023 at the UN Campus in Bonn, Germany.
Following a series of collaborative and productive consultations over the past two years, in November 2022 an Agreement between the United Nations and the Federal Republic of Germany, which defines the modality of operationalization of the UN-GGCE, was finalized and signed. This Agreement forms the foundation for the establishment and initial operations of the UN-GGCE. The Centre's overarching goal is to assist Member States and geodetic organizations to coordinate and collaborate to sustain, enhance, access and utilize an accurate, accessible and sustainable Global Geodetic Reference Frame (GGRF) to support science, society and global development. The objective is to support within available resources the implementation of General Assembly resolution 69/266 through strengthening and advancing: global geodetic cooperation and coordination; worldwide geodetic infrastructure; standards and policies; education and capacity development; and communication and awareness, while also coordinating measures and overseeing their implementation.
Over one hundred invited guests including members of the inaugural International Advisory Committee of the UN-GGCE and the UN Subcommittee on Geodesy attended the Opening Ceremony. Guests came from every continent on Earth, except Antarctica. There was someone from each of the five regional committees of UN-GGIM, and the eight functional groups and four thematic networks that report into the UN-GGIM. The momentous occasion was graced by a number of invited dignitaries that included: Ms. Juliane Seifert, State Secretary of the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community of Germany; Ms. Kjersti Bjǿrnstad, State Secretary of the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development of Norway; Ambassador Peter Thomson, United Nations Secretary-General's Special Envoy for the Ocean and United Nations Global Geodesy Ambassador; Ms. Melanie Grabowy, First Deputy Mayor of Bonn; Ambassador Rainer Lassig of the UN Campus Liaison Office, Federal Foreign Office of Germany; together with Prof. Paul Becker, President of BKG and Mr. Stefan Schweinfest, Director of UN Statistics Division.
Documents
Congress website : https://unwgic2022.in/index.html
UNWGIC 2022 Program Guide
Please click on each Plenary, Thematic Parallel Sessions, Special and Side Events to view the presentation materials
Monday, 10th October 2022
| Time (Hrs) |
G.01-02 |
G.03-04 |
G.05-06 |
| 10:00 - 11:30 |
Side Event #1 - Indian Evolving Geospatial Ecosystem: Dialogue with Global Stakeholders |
Special Event: Geo-enabling the Global Village with Generations Z and Alpha |
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| 11:30 - 11:45 |
Tea/Coffee Break |
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| 11:45 - 13:15 |
Special Event: Geo-enabling the Global Village with Generations Z and Alpha |
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| 13:15 - 14:30 |
Lunch Break (Hall 3) |
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| 14:30 - 16:00 |
Side Event #4 - Bridging Academia and Industry in Geospatial Research, Education and Training |
Special Event: Geo-enabling the Global Village through the Celebration of Multi-faceted Diversity and Inclusion Approaches |
Side Event #3 - Matchmaking Forum for the Indian Geospatial Industry and National Government Agencies |
| 16:00 - 16:30 |
Tea/Coffee Break |
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| 16:30 - 18:00 |
Side Event #4 - Bridging Academia and Industry in Geospatial Research, Education and Training |
Side Event #3 - Matchmaking Forum for the Indian Geospatial Industry and National Government Agencies |
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| 18:30 - 21:00 |
Official Welcome Reception (Hall 3) |
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Tuesday, 11th October 2022
| Time (Hrs) |
Hall 4,5,6 |
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| 09:30 - 11:00 | ||||||||||
| 11:00 - 11:30 |
Tea/Coffee Break | Exhibition Opening (Hall 1,2) |
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| 11:30 - 13:15 | ||||||||||
| 13:15 - 13:30 |
Geospatial Knowledge Infrastructure Readiness Index and Value Proposition in World Economy, Society, and Environment (Report Launch) |
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| 13:30 - 14:30 |
Lunch Break (Hall 3) |
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Ground Floor |
First Floor |
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Novotel Ballroom |
G.01-02 |
G.03-04 |
G.05-06 |
1.01 |
1.02 |
1.03 |
1.04 |
1.05 |
1.06 |
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Parallel Track 4 - Strengthening Capacities, Capabilities and Communications |
Parallel Track 5 - Operationalizing the Integrated Geospatial Information Framework at the Country-level |
Parallel Track 7 - National Development Priorities and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development |
Parallel Track 8 - Integrated Geospatial Information and Earth Observation for Climate Resilience |
Parallel Track 1 - Governance, Policy and Legal Frameworks, and Sustainable Financing |
Parallel Track 2 - Data and Standards |
Parallel Track 3 - Creativity and Innovation |
Parallel Track 6 - Determining the Future Geospatial Information Ecosystem |
Parallel Track 9 - Enabling Geospatial Knowledge, Innovation and Technology via Academia and Private Sector |
Parallel Track 10 - Generations, Diversity and Partnerships |
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14:30 - 16:00 |
TP4A - Capability Development for Sustainability and Resilience |
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TP2A - Integrated Marine Geospatial Information for Sustainable Oceans, Seas and Coastal Zones |
TP6A - Drivers for the Future Geospatial Information Ecosystem |
TP10A - Celebrating Diversity in Geospatial Information Management |
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| 16:00 - 16:30 |
Tea/Coffee Break | Indian SDGs Showcase: Geospatial in Women Empowerment (G-Chaupal Area: Foyer of Hall G0.6 Ground Floor) |
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| 16:30 - 18:00 |
TP4B - Strengthening Capacities for Sustainability and Resilience |
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| 19:00 - 21:30 |
Official Congress Dinner (Hall 4) |
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Wednesday, 12th October 2022
Thursday, 13th October 2022
| Time (Hrs) |
Hall 4 |
Hall 5,6 |
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| 09:30 - 11:00 |
Special Session #2A: Modernizing and Transforming National Geospatial Information Arrangements |
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| 11:00 - 11:30 |
Tea/Coffee Break | Indian SDGs Showcase: Indigenous Community (G-Chaupal Area: Foyer of Hall G0.6 Ground Floor) |
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| 11:30 - 13:15 | ||||||||||
| 13:15 - 14:30 |
Lunch Break (Hall 3) |
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Ground Floor |
First Floor |
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Hall 5 |
G.01-02 |
G.03-04 |
G.05-06 |
1.01 |
1.02 |
1.03 |
1.04 |
1.05 |
1.06 |
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| 14:30 - 16:00 |
TP4E - Strengthening Geospatial Knowledge for Sustainability |
TP5E - Operationalizing the UN-IGIF According to National Circumstances |
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| 16:00 - 17:00 |
Official Closing Session (Hall 4) |
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Friday, 14th October 2022
| Time (Hrs) |
Novotel Ballroom |
G.01-02 |
G.03-04 |
| 09:30 - 11:00 |
Eleventh Plenary Meeting of the Regional Committee of United Nations Global Geospatial Information Management for Asia and the Pacific (UN-GGIM-AP) [hosted by the Survey of India] |
Meeting of the UNWGIC 2022 International Advisory Committee (by invitation) |
Side Event #5 - Space-based Geospatial Activities in India: Applications of Space Technology in the User Ministries |
| 11:00 - 11:30 |
Tea/Coffee Break |
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| 11:30 - 13:15 |
Eleventh Plenary Meeting of the Regional Committee of United Nations Global Geospatial Information Management for Asia and the Pacific (UN-GGIM-AP) [hosted by the Survey of India] |
Meeting of the UNWGIC 2022 International Advisory Committee (by invitation) |
Side Event #6 - The Importance of Land Administration for the Implementation of the SDGs |
| 13:15 - 14:30 |
Lunch Break (Hall 3) |
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| 14:30 - 16:00 |
Eleventh Plenary Meeting of the Regional Committee of United Nations Global Geospatial Information Management for Asia and the Pacific (UN-GGIM-AP) [hosted by the Survey of India] |
2022 Meeting of the UN-GGIM Expanded Bureau together with co-Chairs of the UN-GGIM Functional Groups (by invitation) |
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| 16:00 - 16:30 |
Tea/Coffee Break |
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| 16:30 - 17:00 |
Eleventh Plenary Meeting of the Regional Committee of United Nations Global Geospatial Information Management for Asia and the Pacific (UN-GGIM-AP) [hosted by the Survey of India] |
2022 Meeting of the UN-GGIM Expanded Bureau together with co-Chairs of the UN-GGIM Functional Groups (by invitation) |
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Documentation for the Second UN World Geospatial Information Congress
- Information Note
- Calendar of side events and meetings (forthcoming)