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UNGEGN WORKING GROUPS
In the short outlines that follow, the Convenor of each Working Group is indicated and can be contacted for more details.
Convenor: Leo Dillon (USA) E-Mail Mr. Dillon Lists of recommended country names: The most recent list of recommended country names, including changes made since August 2007, is available as: • UNGEGN List of Country Names, October 2007 (pdf, 2.85 mb) The country names list prepared by the Working Group on behalf of UNGEGN for the Ninth UN Conference on the Standardization of Geographical Names in August 2007 is available as: • E/CONF.98/89 Add.1 An abridged list of country names (endonymic forms) “Names of countries of the world (abridged version)” was included in the UNGEGN Technical reference manual for the standardization of geographical names, published by the United Nations in 2007 (Sales No. E.07.XVII.5). A version is available at the website of the UN Statistics Division at http://unstats.un.org/unsd/geoinfo/default.htm. Ongoing work programme: • Monitoring changes in country names; Reports of the Working Group on Country Names can be found in: • W.P.6 of the 24th Session of UNGEGN, 2007 Recent meetings of the Working Group: • During the Ninth Conference, New York, 2007 Suggested web sites: • List of country names and associated practical information on the web site of the Cartography Section, United Nations, New York
Convenor: Randall Flynn (USA) E-Mail Mr. Flynn
Scope of work: This Working Group now addresses various issues of toponymic data processing, including the creation, maintenance and outputs of toponymic data files (including gazetteer production) and aspects of toponymic data exchange formats and standards (including encoding of characters found in geographical names). Issues of providing geographical names information within national and international spatial data infrastructures through web (gazetteer) services are becoming more and more important for the Working Group. Current work plan:
Recent documents of the Working Group:
Recent meetings of the Working Group:
Web sites:
Convenor: Staffan Nyström (Sweden) E-Mail Mr. Nyström Work programme: The main task of the Working Group since its inception in 1991 has been to develop a revised Glossary of toponymic terminology. This has been completed and review and updating is now undertaken on an ongoing basis (in accordance with resolution VIII/3 from 2002). Publication: The United Nations published the Glossary of Terms for the Standardization of Geographical Names in 2002. The Glossary consists of six language versions (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish) combined in one volume with appropriate cross-referencing. The Glossary can be purchased as a United Nations Publication (Sales No. M.01.XVII.7). Additions and changes to the Glossary for the period 2002-07 will be prepared in the six languages and posted on the UNGEGN website in 2008. Working Group meetings: The Working Group met during the Ninth Conference when the text of additions to the Glossary for 2002-07 was finalized. Recent reports of the Working Group can be found in: • E/CONF.98/CRP.68 of the Ninth Conference, 2007
Convenor: David Munro (United Kingdom) E-Mail Mr. Munro Background: This Working Group was set up following the Sixth UN Conference on the Standardization of Geographical Names in 1992. Its aims are to make the activities of UNGEGN more visible and, where appropriate, to seek or help identify funds to support: Publications: • The brochure Consistent Use of Place Names, based on text prepared by UNGEGN, was published in English in Australia (1999) and presented to the 20th session of UNGEGN in 2000. Subsequently, the brochure has been published by the United Nations in six languages (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish) and is available for downloading as a .pdf file at: http://unstats.un.org/unsd/geoinfo/ungegnbrochure.htm. The text of the brochure may be translated, and the brochure may be reproduced in other languages (but should include a disclaimer stating that the UN is not responsible for the translation). Please contact Mr. Yacob Zewoldi at E-Mail Mr. Zewoldi). • The UNGEGN Manual for the national standardization of geographical names was published by the United Nations in 2006 (Sales No. E.06.XVII.7). It is organized in two parts, one about organizing a national programme for geographical names standardization and the other providing some selected readings relative to standardization. In 2007, the Manual was published in the other five languages of the United Nations. The text of the brochure may be translated, and the brochure may be reproduced in other languages (but should include a disclaimer stating that the UN is not responsible for the translation). Please contact Mr. Yacob Zewoldi at E-Mail Mr. Zewoldi. • The UNGEGN Technical reference manual for the standardization of geographical names (in English only) was published by the United Nations in 2007 (Sales No. E.07.XVII.5). In three parts, it contains information on Romanization systems, toponymic data transfer standards and formats, and names of countries of the world in abridged form. The text of the manual is available on the UNGEGN website at http://unstats.un.org/unsd/geoinfo/ungegn-tech-ref-manual_M87_combined.pdf. • The UNGEGN brochure Geographical names as vital keys for accessing information in our globalized and digital world was published by the United Nations in 2007 and is available in six languages (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish). Its target audience is the national mapping, charting and GIS organizations of developing countries that can benefit from standardized geographical names data as a fundamental element of their national data infrastructure. The text of the brochure may be translated, and the brochure may be reproduced in other languages (but should include a disclaimer stating that the UN is not responsible for the translation). Please contact Mr. Yacob Zewoldi at E-Mail Mr. Zewoldi). Current tasks of the Working Group include:
Reports of the Working Group include:
Recent meetings of the Working Group: • Joint meetings have been held with the Working Group on Evaluation and Implementation, most recently in San Francisco (2008), at the Ninth Conference in New York, 2007; in Honolulu in 2007; at the 23rd Session of UNGEGN in Vienna in 2006, and in Seoul in 2005 and 2003.
Convenor: Peeter Päll (Estonia) E-Mail Mr. Päll Mandate: The basic mandate of the Working Group is to consider and reach agreement on a single romanization system for geographical names proposed by a (donor) country using a non-Roman writing system. The process requires time for full consultations on technical matters between the Working Group, the proposers and potential users. Romanization systems should be based on sound scientific principles and be implemented by the proposing country. New systems are referred to the United Nations Conferences on the Standardization of Geographical Names for resolution and vote before becoming a United Nations standard. The Working Group contributed Part one, “Romanization systems for geographical names” to UNGEGN’s Technical reference manual for the standardization of geographical names, published by the United Nations in 2007. Latest reports of the Working Group are:
Resolutions on Romanization from the Ninth Conference:
Recent meetings of the Working Group: The Working Group met during the Ninth Conference in New York, August 2007, and in conjunction with the Baltic Division meeting in Tallinn, October 2006. Website: The Working Group has its own website at http://www.eki.ee/wgrs/
Convenor: Ferjan Ormeling (Netherlands) E-Mail Mr. Ormeling Ongoing work programme: The Working Group coordinates information on toponymy training courses, and where required assists in the planning and delivery of international courses organized by a host country or UNGEGN Division. Training courses offered in recent years:
Web-based training: Web-based training has the potential to provide instructional material to a wider audience than can be reached through the courses offered in different regions of the world. At present the following web-based training in toponymic issues are available:
A workshop about training courses on the web was given in association with the Ninth UN Conference, New York, 2007. Reports of the Working Group:
Website:
Convenor: Ki-Suk Lee (Republic of Korea) E-Mail Mr. Lee Background: The original Working Group on Evaluation was established to address resolution 4 of the Fifth United Nations Conference in 1987. Reports of the Working Group were presented to UNGEGN at its 14th Session in 1989 (W.P.31), at its Session in 1991 (W.P.55), and its 16th Session in 1992 (W.P.3). The Working Group was then disbanded in favour of a new working group to consider the particularly important aspects of publicity and funding. However, as the work of evaluation of UNGEGN and the Conferences needs to be considered on a continual basis, the Working Group was re-established during the 20th Session of UNGEGN (2000). Current work plan: The work plan includes an evaluation of the functioning and efficacy of UNGEGN and the Conferences and the implementation of resolutions; finding ways to involve member states not currently participating in UNGEGN; looking at the needs of developing countries to achieve national standardization of their geographical names; and proposing actions to increase the effectiveness of the UN Conferences, UNGEGN and its Divisions and Working Groups. Meetings of the Working Group: Joint meetings have been held with the Working Group on Publicity and Funding, most recently in San Francisco (2008), at the Ninth UN Conference in New York in 2007, earlier in 2007 in Honolulu, in 2006 during the 23rd UNGEGN Session in Vienna, and in 2005 and 2003 in Seoul. Reports of the Working Group include:
Co-Convenors: Peter Jordan (Austria) E-Mail Mr. Jordan
Background: The Working Group was formed in September 2002, as recommended by resolution 4 of the Eighth Conference (Berlin, 27 August - 5 September 2002). The need for such a group had also been expressed at earlier discussions (Frankfurt am Main, 2000 and Berchtesgaden, 2001). Current work plan: Various conference resolutions now exist on the treatment, use and reduction of exonyms in the context of geographical names standardization and effective UN communication. The Working Group encourages progress in addressing these UN resolutions. As a next concrete project it aims to elaborate guidelines for the use of exonyms. Publication: A publication of articles on exonyms was prepared from presentations to the Working Group meetings. Exonyms and the international standardisation of geographical names. Approaches towards the resolution of an apparent contradiction . Edited by Peter Jordan, Milan Oro žen Adamič and Paul Woodman. Published in 2007. Wien, Berlin: LIT Verlag. = Wiener Osteuropastudien, vol. 24 (EUR 24.90). The book may be ordered directly from the publisher LIT Verlag, Grevener Str./Fresnostr. 2, D-48159 Münster (http://www.lit-verlag.de, vertrieb@lit-verlag.de) or via Peter Jordan, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Urban and Regional Research, Postgasse 7/4/2, A-1010 Wien peter.jordan@oeaw.ac.at, Meetings of the Working Group: The next meeting of the Working Group will be held in Timişoara (Romania), in conjunction with the ICA Commission on National and Regional Atlases, in September 2008.
More information: Several meetings have been held since the Working Group was formed in 2002:
Reports of the Working Group:
Website: The Working Group website can be accessed at http://www.zrc-sazu.si/ungegn/WGE/exonyms.htm
Convenor: Dónall Mac Giolla Easpaig ( Ireland) E-Mail Mr. Mac Giolla Easpaig Creation of the Working Group: The Working Group was formed in response to resolution 11 of the Eighth Conference (Berlin, 27 August - 5 September 2002), which noted that the transliteration of geographical names from the script of one language into another script, such as romanization, does not normally provide a guide to the correct pronunciation of such names by persons who are unacquainted with the source language. Current work plan:
Reports of the Working Group:
Meetings of the Working Group: The Working Group met:
Convenor: Bill Watt (Australia) E-Mail Mr. Watt The Working Group was formed to address resolution 1 of the Eighth Conference (Berlin, 2002), recommending that geographical names authorities present a summary of activities for inclusion in a general report on the promotion of the use of indigenous and minority group geographical names. The mandate of the Working Group was extended as a result of resolution 5 of the Ninth Conference (New York, 2007) to cover guidelines for field collection, gathering of models for promotion of these names and opening dialogue with other groups involved in this work. Results to 2007: A systematic reporting procedure was prepared to allow countries that so wished to contribute information on their indigenous and minority group name programmes in time for the Ninth Conference in 2007. Results of this work can be viewed as:
Updates will periodically be made to the report and made available here.
Current work plan:
Earlier documents (prior to August 2007):
Coordinator: Brahim Atoui (Algeria) atoui.khalil@caramail.com At the 22nd UNGEGN session in 2004, Peter Raper (South Africa) was invited, as former UNGEGN Chair, to make a presentation on issues relative to Africa. At this same session, a task team for Africa was established. At first this was led by Ridwan Brimah (Ghana), but in 2006 the lead was taken over by Brahim Atoui (Algeria), Vice-President of UNGEGN. Recent and forthcoming activities: ● Training courses were offered in Sudan (2003), in Mozambique (2004 and 2006) and in Tunisia (2007); and support provided for African participation at a colloque offered in Paris (2007). ● Geographical names were included on the agenda for CODI V held in Addis Ababa in 2007 under the umbrella of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), with a proposal passed that the next UNGEGN Session be hosted in Africa. ● In 2007, efforts were made in the Africa West Division to ascertain the level of geographical names standardization activity in the countries of the Division, with a view to re-invigorating the work of the Division. ● The Ninth UN Conference on the Standardization of Geographical Names (2007) passed a resolution supporting the UN hosting the 25th UNGEGN Session in Africa (likely in Nairobi) in 2009 (probably in May). ● Africa GIS 2007 was held in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso in September 2007. UNGEGN was represented with a presentation about its operation, the importance of national standardization of geographical names and the need for a structure to handle this in each country. Arrangements were made for geographical names to be on the agenda of future Africa GIS conferences. ● AOCRS, at its administrative council meeting in November 2007, expressed its intent to cooperate with UNGEGN to hold a training course for West Africa (in Burkina Faso), similar to that held in Tunisia. ● Plans are being made with the International Geographical Union to hold a special session (TSS.8) on the Standardization of geographical names in Africa, at the 31st International Geographical Congress to be held in Tunis, 12-15 August 2008. See www.igc-tunis2008.com
B. Toponymic Guidelines for Map and Other Editors for International Use Coordinator: Isolde Hausner (Austria) E-Mail Ms. Hausner Background: At the Third United Nations Conference on the Standardization of Geographical Names held in Athens in 1977, the gathering and dissemination of toponymic information were discussed. The great variation in approaches from country to country, led Josef Breu, elected as UNGEGN Chair in 1977, to initiate the compilation of Toponymic Guidelines, with a sample from Austria submitted to the Eighth Session of UNGEGN in 1979 (W.P. 5). Recommendations have been made, and updated, concerning the content of Toponymic Guidelines, and the subject is retained as an UNGEGN and Conference agenda item. Guidelines have been presented as technical documents, published in World Cartography, published by individual countries, or made available on websites. 37 countries have now issued Toponymic Guidelines, with a number of countries having developed several editions since 1979. Other countries are encouraged to make their material available for editors worldwide. Content of Toponymic Guidelines: The content of Toponymic Guidelines has been developed since 1979 and includes information about national and minority languages, names authorities, source material for toponyms, glossaries, abbreviations used on official maps, differentiating text from toponyms on national maps, and administrative regions. At the Ninth Conference (Conference report, paragraph 106), it was acknowledged that format should not be too restrictive; also considered important were having guidelines in more than one language and cooperating with neighbouring countries. Recent report of the Coordinator:
Status reports, recent Guidelines, etc.:
Other UNGEGN Working Groups that have been created, fulfilled their functions, and been disbanded, include:
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