grafika ilustracyjnaThe Association of European Geological Surveys, the EuroGeoSurveys (EGS) celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2021, but due to pandemic reasons its official celebration was not held until October 2022. 

The jubilee celebration, which took place from October 25-27, 2022 in Brussels, was accompanied by the 53rd General Assembly of EGS-affiliated geological survey directors, a workshop for directors and the official launch of the Geological Service for Europe project. These meetings were attended by the Director of the Polish Geological Institute-NRI, Dr. Mateusz Damrat, and the Deputy Director for Geological Survey, Dr. Andrzej Głuszyński.

At the General Meeting of Directors, the Geological Survey of Iceland was unanimously admitted into the EuroGeoSurveys by a vote. Currently, the number of members - geological surveys - in the Association in now 37.

The Assembly also elected two ordinary members to the EGS Executive Committee - Vanessa Heyvaert, director of the Geological Survey of Belgium, and Ralph Watzel, director of the German Geological Survey, who will occupy the position after stepping down as EGS president.

Geological Survey directors and some national delegates, along with invited guests, attended the October 26 EGS Directors Workshop and the World Geological Survey Community Forum, held under the theme "Shaping the Earth of Tomorrow." After an insightful discussion of the most important challenges and goals common to geological services around the world, presentations were made by directors and scientists from Geoscience Australia, the US Geological Survey, the Geological Survey of Canada, the Association of Iberoamerican Geological and Mining Surveys, the Coordinating Committee for Geoscience Programs in East and Southeast Asia, the Organization of African Geological Surveys, and the EGS. Presentations were also made by the Ukrainian Geological Survey.

The inauguration ceremony of the Geological Service for Europe (GSEU) project was also held on October 26, 2022. Speeches emphasized the cross-cutting strategic and scientific importance of the work that will be carried out as part of the GSEU. Speakers from the European Commission, the European Parliament, European institutions and associations, academia and industry shared their views on the importance of the data and knowledge that will be generated and made available through GSEU for solving key and pressing social and environmental problems in Europe, now and in the near future.

Walne spotkanie dyrektorów służb geologicznych

General meeting of directors of geological surveys

Grupowe zdjęcie uczestników uroczystych obchodów 50-lecia EuroGeoSurveys

Group photo of participants at the 50th anniversary celebration of EuroGeoSurveys

During the 50th anniversary of EuroGeoSurveys, a Cooperation Agreement was also signed between PIG-PIB and the State Geological Institute of Dionýza Štúra from Slovakia (Štátny Geologický Ústav Dionýza Štúra - SGÚDS). The scope of future cooperation will include geothermal, geological mapping, mass movements and geoinformation, among others. The agreement was signed for a period of 5 years, but it should be noted that cooperation between the surveys of both countries has already been in effect for a long time.

Podpisanie Porozumienia o współpracy Mateusz Damrat dyrektor PIG-PIB (z lewej) i Igor Slaninka  dyrektor SGUDS

Signing of the Memorandum of Cooperation Mateusz Damrat - Director of PGI-NRI (left) and Igor Slaninka - Director of SGUDS

 

Translated by: Tomasz Trzpil