Noticias de Colombia
Christchurch celebrates Antarctic connections
Friday, 25 September 2009
Christchurch’s role as a key gateway to Antarctica will be further strengthened today with the official opening of the first Antarctic-related Secretariat to be located in New Zealand.
The international Secretariat of the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs (COMNAP) will be based at the University of Canterbury’s Gateway Antarctica for the next six years. Created in 1988, COMNAP is the international association that brings together National Antarctic Programmes from around the world to develop and promote best practice in managing the support of scientific research in Antarctica.
The newly appointed COMNAP Executive Secretary is Michelle Rogan-Finnemore, former centre manager of Gateway Antarctica, who has 20 years experience in Antarctic-related issues. She is the fourth COMNAP Executive Secretary and the first woman to hold the position.
"COMNAP members are a very energetic and motivated group, who are constantly looking for innovative ways in which we can successfully deliver high quality Antarctic research. I am very proud to be part of that effort,” says Ms Rogan-Finnemore.
She says significant progress has been made since April in transferring the Secretariat from Hobart to New Zealand adding “we are now ready to begin another exciting chapter in the 20 year history of the organisation”.
CEO of Antarctica New Zealand, Lou Sanson, says the New Zealand Antarctic community is delighted with the opening of the country’s first Antarctic-related office.
“This reinforces the international quality of the case that the Christchurch City Council and the University of Canterbury put forward to the selection committee. The appointment will see the 28 Antarctic Treaty countries funding the office and Secretariat in Christchurch and potential for further Antarctic meetings held in the city. This honour reinforces Christchurch as a key gateway city to Antarctica and we warmly congratulate Michelle on her new appointment."
Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker says having the COMNAP Secretariat at the University’s Gateway Antarctica further strengthens Christchurch's links with Antarctica and its role as a key gateway city.
“We have an extremely strong Antarctic community in our city and we are committed to our responsibility to the programme and to all the partners involved," Mr Parker says.
“Hosting COMNAP is an impressive accomplishment and reinforces Christchurch as a key gateway city. I congratulate Michelle and Gateway Antarctica and look forward to COMNAP playing an important role in our city.”
The COMNAP Secretariat will be officially launched at Gateway Antarctica on 24 September with guests including UC Vice-Chancellor Dr Rod Carr, Mr Parker, Mr Sanson and representatives from Antarctic programmes in New Zealand, Australia, Chile, Japan, India and Belgium.
The following day representatives from the four other Southern Rim Antarctic gateway cities – Hobart (Australia), Cape Town (South Africa), Ushuaia (Argentina) and Punta Arenas (Chile) – will join the Mayor of Christchurch in signing a Statement of Intent. The statement is a commitment to a joint exploration into the benefits of academic and best practice exchange among the five cities.
On Sunday 27 September a church service will be held at10am at the ChristChurch Cathedral to farewell New Zealand, Italian and US personnel heading to the Ice for the 2009/2010 season. Immediately following that service, the New Zealand Antarctic Society will lay a wreath at the Scott Memorial Statue in memory of all those who have given their lives to Antarctica.
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