The Opening Ceremony of the International Research Center on Karst
The Opening Ceremony of the International Research Center on Karst under the Auspices of UNESCO was held in the Institute of Karst Geology , Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences in Guilin on 15 December, 2008 . Walter Rudolf Erdelen, the Assistant General on science of the UNESCO, Chen Zhangliang, Vice-Governor of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Wang Min, Vice-Minister of Ministry of Land and Resources, Li Zhigang, Mayor of Guilin city, and representatives from the UNESCO, Ministry of Land and Resources, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Water Resources, Guangxi Regional government, Guilin city government, China Geological Survey, Chinese National Commission for UNESCO, Chinese Permanent Delegate in UNESCO, Chinese National Commission for IGCP and experts and scientists from more than 20 universities and research institutes of about 200 attendees in total were present at the ceremony.
Erdelen, Wang Min ， Chen Zhangliang and Li Zhigang gave great congratulations respectively to the IRCK established in Guilin at the ceremony. Jiang Yuchi, the head of the Institute of Karst Geology , CAGS, was appointed the directory of the IRCK and the academician Yuan Daoxian from the Chinese Academy of Sciences was elected to be the directory of the Academic Committee of IRCK.
Mr. Erdelen gave a brief introduction on the background of IRCK and declared that the IRCK would be oriented to the development of Karst Dynamic System by scientific research, publication, international cooperation and exchanges in Sci-Tech information. And the center will aim at researching on global karst systems which were considered as the most vulnerable environmental systems around the world, providing scientific and technological support for the sustainable development of Karst areas. Meanwhile, he promised that the UNESCO would give permanent support to the development of IRCK in the future.
Mr. Wang Min also showed great welcome to the establishment of IRCK in Guilin and to the scientists from home and abroad doing scientific researches in Guangxi. He hoped that the IRCK would become a good platform of karst research, theoretical innovation, international academic exchange, cooperation and training, consultation and service by efforts to be made from researchers, government and non-government organizations and all the society to improve the exploration and development of karst resources, to protect the ecological environment and to provide services for the sustainable development of the whole society of global karst areas.
