20th Anniversary of the Albania Association of Geodesy (AAG) and 1st General Conference

Tirana. Albania, 22 January 2011

The Albanian Association of Geodesy celebrated its 20th anniversary since its establishment and organized a one-day Conference in Tirana on the 22nd of January 2011. The conference was a historic event as it was at the same time the 1st conference of AAG. During these past 20 years Albania and its Association of Geodesy (AAG) have both walked in the path of progress. AAG became a member association of FIG at the congress in Sydney.

More than 400 participants attended the conference, most of them surveyors from Albania and the neighboring countries in the Balkan region. The technical program included more than 30 presentations; all of them will be published in the technical journal of AAG.

Organizer of this conference was Dipl. Ing. Bledi Stefa, President of AAG, Welcome addresses were given by Mr. Pjerin Marku, Advisor of the Prime Minister of Republic of Albania, Prof. Andrea Maliqari, Dean of the Faculty of Construction Engineering, Dr. Stavri Ristani, Professor, former Deputy Minister of Ministry of Public Works Transport and Communications, other members of the Albanian Association of Geodesy and international guests. FIG President, CheeHai Teo and the FIG Council co-sponsored the event and the President’s greeting letter was read during the Conference.

FIG Vice President, Prof Chryssy A Potsiou represented the Council at the conference where she made a welcome address on behalf of FIG and gave also an invited speech on “Land Reforms and the Importance of Security of Tenure”. During the event, the AAG President kindly nominated Vice President Potsiou as an honorable member of the AAG.

The European Group of Surveyors (EGoS) also supported this Conference. Vice
President Nikos Zacharias (also General Secretary of Hellenic Association of Rural and Surveying Engineers) made a welcome address. International participants also included President of Kosovo Association of Surveyors Mr. Abdurrahman Kuleta, Prof. Murat Meha, Chief of the Kosovo Cadastral Agency, Prof. Perparim Ameti, Head of the Department of Geodesy in the University of Prishtina, Prof Ismail Kabashi from the University of Prishtina, Prof. Bashkim Idrizi from the University of Tetova, and Mr. Daut Bejta from Montenegro.

The work plan of the Albanian Association of Geodesy includes among others: all surveying topics, among them geodesy, photogrammetry and other technical aspects, security of tenure and land administration, valuation and compulsory purchase of land, and the creation of the relevant local commissions; regular publishing of the AAG journal; establishment of a Young Surveyors forum; cooperation with the public and private sectors, the academia, the government, and other surveying associations from various countries. The objectives of AAG can be briefly presented in three pillars:

1. Protection of the professional interests of the Albanian surveyors (technical, legal, economic)
2. Capacity Building (Professional, Academic, Institutional)
3. Professional Networking and development of International Activity

The Conference included a technical exhibition and dinner for the invited guests offered by the sponsoring companies.

• The opening speech by Bledi Stefa, Presiden of AAG

President of AAG giving his speech	The birthday cake of AAG
The Albanian Young Surveyors’ group	Conference dinner
Technical exhibition	Tirana, Albania

10 February 2011