First Day of the European Surveyor and Geoinformation –
Mercator Day - A Council of European Geodetic Surveyors (CLGE) Celebration
Brussels, Belgium 5 March 2012
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Gerardus Mercator, born at Rupelmonde (present day Belgium) on
5th March 1512 was a remarkable man, a man in his times and provided
solutions to his times. He was a surveyor, a cartographer, an
engraver, an instrument maker who is best remembered by the
Profession for the map projection that bears his name till this day,
the Mercator Projection. It is fitting that the Council of European
Geodetic Surveyors (CLGE) has chosen to celebrate the First “Day of
the European Surveyor and Geoinformation” on the 500th anniversary
of Mercator’s birth, on 5th March 2012 in Brussels, Belgium.
The event was held at the Conference Centre of the Royal Military
Academy in Brussels in the presence of the Honourable Minister of
State and President of the Belgian Mapping Agency, Phillippe
Busquin. In his opening address Jean-Yves Pirlot,
President of CLGE outlined the rationale for the launch of the “Day
of the European Surveyor and Geoinformation” as well as the Mercator
Day Celebration.
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General Major Ir. Harry Vindevogel, Commanding Officer and Rector
or the Belgian Royal Military Academy and Mr Axel Annaert, Vice
President of the Belgian Chamber of Land Surveyors welcomed all delegates
and participants. CheeHai Teo, President of FIG who joined the
celebration in Brussels, spoke at the opening segment and was honoured to
jointly unveil CLGE’s Mercator Day Poster together with the
Secretary-General of CLGE, Michelle Camilleri.
Anders Rhodin’s (Trimble) address was read to the audience who
also listened to the Executive Director of the European GNSS Agency, Carlo des Dorides, Prof. Dr. Er. Etienne Rooms who spoke on
“Mercator, a man for all seasons in the Netherlands as well as in Europe”;
Prof. Dr. Philippe de Maeyer on “Mercator, his life, his legacy” and
Dr. Dipl. Ings. Jens Riecken on “Mercator and the Challenges for the
Modern European Surveyor”. Before Jean-Yves Pirlot closed the delightful
afternoon with his closing address and the unveiling of the CLGE Mercator
Poster, Jan de Graeve, Honorary Member of FIG and Director of the FIG
Permanent Institution on the History of Surveying and Measurement spoke
about Mercator who is not only a cartographer but also a surveyor.
CLGE President Jean-Yves Pirlot at the opening |
CLGE President Jean-Yves Pirlot together with the Secretary-General
of CLGE, Michelle Camilleri |
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16 March 2012
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