Invitation to the 82^nd General Assembly

Brussels, May 27 – June 1^st, 2008

1.   Nomination of Delegates.

Arrangements are now in hand for the 82^nd General Assembly of the UAI, to be held in Brussels in the Palace of the Academies, at the request of the Académie royale des Sciences, des Lettres et des Beaux-Arts de Belgique, from Tuesday May 27 till Sunday June 1^st, 2008. Form A (enclosed) will list the names of the delegates who will be representing your Academy. It would help if this form could be returned as soon as possible, that is before March 15, 2008 at latest.

In order to secure a harmonious measure of continuity, delegates should be appointed for a period of not less than three ordinary General Assemblies, as the Regulations provide ; it being understood (Article 1,b) that if a delegate is unable to be present, or no longer able to act, a substitute may be nominated.

New delegates are asked to provide a brief CV (not more than half a page), to accompany the nomination.

2.   Admission of new Member Academies.

Proposals for admission of new Member Academies (members, associate members and corresponding members) should be received not later than March 15, 2008.

3.   Papers for the 82^nd General Assembly.

In order that the material for the meeting can be prepared in time, the reports on the research projects in which Member Academies participate have to be sent to the Secretariat by April 1, 2008, not later. As in previous years, an up-to-date list of the members of the relevant National Committees and of others collaborating in the research concerned is welcomed. Reports should be in French or in English (texts in other languages will not be translated any more). They should be set out in the format given by Form B (enclosed). It is very important that they should be written in a manner suitable for direct presentation to the Assembly, and they should aim to be both complete and concise. The reports which will be arrived at the Secretariat after April 1, 2008 will not be included in the general documentation preliminary given to each delegate.

            Following the decisions of the General Assembly of Lisbon (June 2003), an evaluation of the progress of each project happen every four years (this must guide the General Assembly to vote on the renewal of a project or not, for another period of four years). In Brussels, the 9 following projects will firstly be the object of an extensive examination by independent experts:

Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum ; Alchemic Texts ; Works of Grotius ; Dictionary of Medieval Latin ; Tabula Imperii Romani – Forma Orbis Romani ; Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum ; Corpus Inscriptionum Iranicarum ; LIMC & Thesaurus Cultus Rituumque Antiquorum and Corpus of the Coptic literary Manuscripts.

The directors or responsibles of these projects have already received a special form (for synthesis) to be completed and to be returned to the Secretariat by November 15, 2007.

4.   Hotels.

In order to facilitate contacts between delegates, the Secretariat of the UAI obtained price reductions from four hotels. Three are located not far from of the Palace of the Academies (walking distance : a few minutes), the fourth is located in the centre (near the Metro Rogier, walking distance : 15 minutes). The standard of these hotels is good, the level of equipment satisfactory. They provide an excellent quality of services. Following reduced prices have been proposed :

            Except for Hôtel Progress, prices include breakfast (buffet) and all taxes. Nevertheless, a minimum of occupation is required to obtain the price reduction (there is of course no obligation at all to book in one of these four hotels). Form C (enclosed) has to be sent to the Secretariat of the UAI as soon as possible and before April 1, 2008 at the latest). Reservation must be confirmed directly to the hotel with a credit card.

5.   Agenda.

The Agenda should reach the delegates after May 1, 2008.

            May we remind you that the General Assembly is extended to the following sessions:

– May 27     morning           :  meeting of the Four years Evaluations Committee;

                   afternoon         : Bureau session;

                evening            :  reception (buffet) at the Palace of Academies;

– May 28     morning           :  Opening Assembly;

                   afternoon         :  thematic session (to determine);

– May 29     morning           :  scholarly sessions of the projects submitted to an annual evaluation;

                   afternoon         :  Ad hoc Committees

– May 30     morning           : sessions on the projects submitted to a four-year evaluation;

                   afternoon         :  Finance Committee and Ad hoc Committees;

– May 31     morning           :  Commission for Internal Affairs;

–                 afternoon         : excursion;

– June 1^st     morning           : Closing Assembly and votes (reports, budget, elections).

            Please return forms D and E before April 15, 2008 at the latest.

6.   Optional tour and Accompanying persons

No specific program will be provided for the accompanying persons (with the exception of the reception on Tuesday evening May 27 and the excursion day on Saturday afternoon May 31).

7.  

Any information in relation with the Session may be addressed to the Deputy General Secretary of the UAI, Mr. Jean-Luc De Paepe (tel.: +32 2 550 22 00 ; fax: +32 2 550 22 05 ; e-mail: depaepe@easynet.be ; secretaire-adjoint@uai-iua.org).