OFFICIAL INAUGURATION OF WMO'S NEW HEADQUARTERS AND OPENING OF THIRTEENTH WORLD METEOROLOGICAL CONGRESS ON 4 MAY
Press Release
SAG/28
OFFICIAL INAUGURATION OF WMO'S NEW HEADQUARTERS AND OPENING OF THIRTEENTH WORLD METEOROLOGICAL CONGRESS ON 4 MAY
19990430 GENEVA, 30 April (World Meteorological Organization) -- The new headquarters of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), Avenue de la Paix, Geneva, will be officially inaugurated by the President of the Swiss Confederation, Ruth Dreifuss, on Tuesday 4 May. A message from United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan will be video-cast to the participants during the inauguration ceremony which will also be addressed by J.W. Zillman, President of the World Meteorological Organization and G.O.P. Obasi, Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization, in the presence of Martine Brunschwig Graf, President of the State Council of the Republic and Canton of Geneva, J. Spielman, President of the Great Council of the City of Geneva, Andre Hediger, Mayor of the City of Geneva, high-ranking officials representing the member countries of the WMO, representatives of the United Nations System Organizations and other international organizations and of the diplomatic community in Geneva.The inauguration of the building coincides with the official opening of the thirteenth session of the World Meteorological Congress, the supreme body of the WMO, which meets every four years. The opening is expected to be attended by some 500 senior government officials, representing 185 member countries and territories.
Commenting on the event, Professor Obasi said "this is a building for the twenty-first century that will enhance the WMO's capability to continue to address new challenges in matters related to weather, climate and water". Its construction", he added, "will crown cooperative efforts and the faith among member governments in the World Meteorological Organization and stands as a triumph of international will to commit itself for the betterment and well- being of life on this planet".
Professor Obasi expressed gratitude to the Geneva authorities for their donation of the plot of land for the building, to the Swiss Confederation for providing an interest-free loan and to the World Meteorological Organization members for their continued support to the project.
The inauguration of the new headquarters of the WMO is an important landmark in the organization's effort to acquire the necessary cost-effective infrastructure to reinforce its scientific and technical programmes for the benefit of its member countries.
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The building is a unique architectural example of its kind. The most innovative and time-honoured techniques of construction and energy conservation have been applied.
The architectural design was done by the Geneva-based Brodbeck & Roulet architectural firm. In the words of the architects: "The building is in itself meteorological." The building has a unique oval shape, making the best use of the strip of land on which it was built. The offices are around each floor, allowing for common and user-friendly space in their centre and providing a congenial working environment for the WMO secretariat staff members.
The building represents the embodiment of the very essence of the World Meteorological Organization's work in its role of coordinating worldwide efforts of the national Meteorological and Hydrological Services, in the monitoring and prediction of weather and climate changes, as well as the mitigation of natural disasters and the management of water resources in order to contribute to sustainable development and to the improvement of the well- being of humankind and preservation of our planet.
In 1985, with increasing environmental challenges and an already overcrowded building, the World Meteorological Organization considered several options for enlarging its office space. Cost, convenience and building regulations persuaded the Organization to discard ideas of expanding its old offices and renting space or adding extra floors. In 1990, the Geneva authorities donated to the World Meteorological Organization the site at Sécheron and the 11th World Meteorological Congress, held in 1991, approved the construction of a new building. The Swiss Confederation granted a construction loan in March 1995, and on 30 May, the foundation stone was laid at the opening of the 12th World Meteorological Congress. The construction of the building was also partially financed through the sale of the old building to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). The new building will lead to increased productivity and a greater operational efficiency of the organization.
A special brochure, "Building for the Twenty-First Century" has been published to mark the event and can be obtained from the Information and Public Affairs Office of the WMO.
For more information, please contact: Taysir M. Al-Ghanem, Chief, Information and Public Affairs, WMO, 7 bis, Avenue de la Paix, CH-1211, Genève 2, Switzerland, Telephone: (41 22) 7308315; Fax: (41 22) 733 2829 or 730 8027; email: Al-Ghanem_T@gateway.wmo.ch
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