Report of the Portuguese National Committee for the International Programme of Geosciences of UNESCO (IGCP) 2012 The Portuguese National Committee for IGCP was established as a formal association under the Portuguese Law, in May 2012. In spite of the formal establishment, this Committee was created in 2011, under the auspices of the Portuguese National Commission for UNESCO, while basically inheriting the structure and competences of the Portuguese National Committee for IYPE, which had a remarkable performance, as publicly mentioned by the Corporation UNESCO-­‐IUGS (Final Report), at the service of Earth Sciences in Portugal, as well as in the field of cooperation with other Portuguese-­‐speaking countries, particularly in Africa. Whereas changing its legal status, the Portuguese National Committee for IGCP is maintaining a close relationship with the Portuguese National Commission for UNESCO, for the responsible for the Science Sector, Mrs. Elizabeth Silva is also member of the Portuguese National Committee for IGCP and still remains as a liaison officer too. The National Committee for IGCP is composed by nine members, invited by the Portuguese National Commission for UNESCO, namely: -­‐
Artur Sá (University of Trás-­‐os-­‐Montes e Alto Douro) -­‐ President -­‐
Carlos Meireles (Portuguese Geological Survey -­‐ LNEG / Porto) -­‐
Diamantino Pereira (University of Minho) -­‐
Elizabeth Silva (Portuguese National Commission for UNESCO) -­‐
João Carlos Nunes (University of Azores) -­‐
José Brilha (University of Minho, President of ProGEO) -­‐
José Piçarra d’Almeida (Portuguese Geological Survey -­‐ LNEG / Beja) -­‐
Maria Helena Henriques (University of Coimbra) -­‐
Maria José Roxo (New University of Lisbon) ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Portuguese National Commission for UNESCO – Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Palácio das Necessidades, Largo das Necessidades, 1350-­‐215 Lisbon, Portugal Tel. (+351) 21 356 63 10; Fax. (+351) 21 356 63 19 Considered as vital for the achievement of the objectives of this National Committee, other members can also be co-­‐opted, in a near future. Objectives of the Portuguese Committee for IGCP: a) Coordinating own initiatives within the Earth Sciences and support others from other partners; b) Promoting and follow up of scientific research projects in the area of Earth Sciences that can be submitted to the IGCP program; c) Disseminating the International Geosciences Program UNESCO -­‐ IGCP, nationally and internationally, using various communication tools (website, newsletter, newspaper, magazines, etc.); d) Promoting close cooperation with other IGCP National Committees; e) Promoting close contact and collaboration between national institutions engaged, directly or indirectly, in the field of Earth Sciences, including entities that fund scientific research and dissemination; f)
Encouraging the creation of National Committees in African countries whose official language is Portuguese; g) Translating into Portuguese, IGCP documentation and UNESCO’s documentation, considered relevant in the area of Earth Sciences, for dissemination among society and through the scientific community and the Community of Portuguese-­‐Speaking Countries; h) Collaborating with the Portuguese Geopark Forum and the Portuguese Network of Biosphere Reserves of UNESCO, promoting education in Earth Sciences; i)
Working with the IUGS, in particular with the Commission for Education in Earth Sciences – COGE and also with the International Association for the promotion of Geoethics; j)
Maintaining regular contact with the Secretariat of the UNESCO IGCP by sending Annual Activity Reports and participation in the meetings of the Scientific Council, at UNESCO Headquarters. ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Portuguese National Commission for UNESCO – Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Palácio das Necessidades, Largo das Necessidades, 1350-­‐215 Lisbon, Portugal Tel. (+351) 21 356 63 10; Fax. (+351) 21 356 63 19 Functions: a) Issue opinions on new IGCP project proposals coming from the national geosciences community, before being submitted to the secretariat of the IGCP; b) To propose candidates for the IGCP Scientific Board; c) Encourage the participation of geoscientists in new Portuguese IGCP projects, allowing them to share in the ongoing international research in the field of geosciences. Projects of National Committee: a) Create an Annual Award for the best doctoral and master's degrees in the field of Geosciences in Portugal; b) To organize and support training activities on topics of Earth Sciences, especially for journalists and educators; c) To organize regular workshops on topics of interest to geoscientists and society; d) Create a National Network of GeoSchools entitled “GEA-­‐ Mother Earth” and organize an event to show how these schools work on an annual theme; e) Cooperate with initiatives of scientific and educational within the Earth Sciences, organized by partner organizations; f)
Encourage public understanding of Earth Sciences through the dissemination of press releases on current social relevance, particularly in the promotion of events and celebrating anniversaries; g) Prepare an annual planning and activities report. Activities developed in 2012: Looking to continue all the activities related to the themes of the International Year of Planet Earth -­‐ AIPT (2007-­‐2009), within the aegis of the Portuguese NatCom, the Portuguese Committee for IGCP, organized several events, at a national level. It also maintained and established new partnerships that allowed the referred continuity, through 2012. ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Portuguese National Commission for UNESCO – Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Palácio das Necessidades, Largo das Necessidades, 1350-­‐215 Lisbon, Portugal Tel. (+351) 21 356 63 10; Fax. (+351) 21 356 63 19 Among the implemented activities, the Portuguese Committee had an active participation in several conferences, congresses and workshops; co-­‐organized school competitions/contests, in partnership with several institutions; was responsible for the management and coordination of the Itinerant Exhibition entitled "Once upon a time Earth ...", involving multiple contacts with various entities. This exhibition was hosted by various institutions throughout 2012. Around the themes of the exhibition, several partners of the Portuguese NatCom and Portuguese Committee for IGCP organized a series of lectures, which also attracted many participants and involved various elements of the national scientific community, while lecturers. The website of the Committee has been updated (Figure 1). Fig. 1 – Image of the website of the Portuguese Committee for IGCP Highlighting the main activities carried out in 2012: • Support and organization of school competitions/contests, in the academic year 2012/2013, under the framework in the celebrations of the International Year of Water Cooperation (2013), under the motto "Water that Unites Us"; ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Portuguese National Commission for UNESCO – Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Palácio das Necessidades, Largo das Necessidades, 1350-­‐215 Lisbon, Portugal Tel. (+351) 21 356 63 10; Fax. (+351) 21 356 63 19 • Supporting the Travelling Exhibition "The Chemistry among Us", through schools, at a national level, in the academic year 2011/2012, under the framework of the International Year of Chemistry (2011), co-­‐organized by the Portuguese NatCom, BAYER -­‐ Portugal, Portuguese Society of Chemistry and several Portuguese municipalities (Figure 2); Fig. 2 -­‐ Travelling Exhibition "The Chemistry among Us" and School Contest • Supporting and management of the Travelling Exhibition "Once upon a time Earth ..." during 2012 (Figure 3); Fig. 3 -­‐ Travelling Exhibition "Once upon a time Earth ..." ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Portuguese National Commission for UNESCO – Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Palácio das Necessidades, Largo das Necessidades, 1350-­‐215 Lisbon, Portugal Tel. (+351) 21 356 63 10; Fax. (+351) 21 356 63 19 • Collaboration in the planning of the International Colloquium on Portuguese Geoparks, to be held in the Portuguese Parliament in 2013, and public presentation of the Portuguese Committee for IGCP among the policy makers/parliamentarians (during 2012); • Collaboration in the dissemination of the World Science Day (10th of November), dissemination of the message delivered by the DG of UNESCO on the occasion of this anniversary, translated into Portuguese; • Support and participation in the Workshop entitled "Information in Context", in partnership with the Portuguese NatCom, Public Portuguese Radio and Television -­‐ RTP, Municipality of Torres Vedras, Centre of Excellence on Education for Sustainable Development of the University of the United Nations -­‐ CREIAS-­‐Oeste and the Professional School of Trade Services of the West Region – ESCO, (October) (Figure 4); Fig. 4 -­‐ Workshop entitled "Information in Context" promoted in the website of the Portuguese Committee for IGCP ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Portuguese National Commission for UNESCO – Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Palácio das Necessidades, Largo das Necessidades, 1350-­‐215 Lisbon, Portugal Tel. (+351) 21 356 63 10; Fax. (+351) 21 356 63 19 • Support and participation in the 11th European Geoparks Conference, Arouca, Portugal (September), (Figure 5); Fig. 5 -­‐ 11th European Geoparks Conference, Arouca, Portugal • Co-­‐organization with the Portuguese Natcom, Portuguese Red Cross and the Municipality of Porto de Mós, the Seminary of Porto de Mós entitled “Tourism, Territory Planning, Biodiversity and Energy in the Context of Climate Change"(July), (Figure 6); Fig.6 – Logo of the Seminar “Tourism, Territory Planning, Biodiversity and Energy in the Context of Climate Change" ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Portuguese National Commission for UNESCO – Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Palácio das Necessidades, Largo das Necessidades, 1350-­‐215 Lisbon, Portugal Tel. (+351) 21 356 63 10; Fax. (+351) 21 356 63 19 • Participation in television and radio programs promoting the activities of the Portuguese Committee for IGCP (Figure 7); Fig. 7 – Participation in the Television Program “Civil Society” – RTP • Support and dissemination of the Medals of Honour L'Oreal PORTUGAL "Women in Science" for Life Sciences and Environment (June); • Support, dissemination and participation in the First International Congress of "Geosciences in CPLP", organized by the University of Coimbra (http://www.uc.pt/congressos/GeoCPLP2012/); • Support and co-­‐organization of the 32nd Course to update Geosciences Teachers, organized by the University of Trás-­‐os-­‐Montes and Alto Douro and the Portuguese Association of Geologists (May); • Support and participation in the Science Café entitled "Geology: the past in the present for the future”, organized by the Portuguese Parliamentary Commission for Education, Science and Culture, in partnership with the Agency “Ciência Viva” and with the collaboration of the Portuguese Associated Laboratories (April); ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Portuguese National Commission for UNESCO – Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Palácio das Necessidades, Largo das Necessidades, 1350-­‐215 Lisbon, Portugal Tel. (+351) 21 356 63 10; Fax. (+351) 21 356 63 19 •Participation in the 40th Session of the International Geosciences Program of UNESCO (IGCP), at UNESCO headquarters, in Paris, and participation in the celebrations of the 40th anniversary celebrations of the IGCP Program (February). Activities planned for 2013: It is expected that in February 2013, the Portuguese Committee for IGCP will attend the 41st Session of the IGCP Program of UNESCO, at the headquarters of the Organization, to present the Report of activities of the Portuguese IGCP Committee, referring to 2012. During 2013, the Portuguese National Committee for IGCP, intends to make all efforts to update the information of its website and to introduce new contents with the aim of disseminating relevant information on Earth Sciences, translated into Portuguese, not only with stakeholders at national level, but also among potential stakeholders belonging to the Community of Portuguese-­‐Speaking Countries. Thus, in 2013, efforts will be made in order to continue all this work, despite the scarce human and financial resources, seeking to strengthen partnerships with other entities, creating new opportunities to develop projects in collaboration with other founding members of the Committee and any other guests. Also in the website, it will be highlighted the activities of the Portuguese Forum of Geoparks and created several links to other National Committees for IGCP and other entities related with Earth Sciences. 31.12.2012 ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Portuguese National Commission for UNESCO – Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Palácio das Necessidades, Largo das Necessidades, 1350-­‐215 Lisbon, Portugal Tel. (+351) 21 356 63 10; Fax. (+351) 21 356 63 19