3-1 Role of the UN in the 3-1 Role of the UN in the standardization of standardization of

geographical namesgeographical names

Helen Kerfoot

Natural Resources Canada

BackgroundBackground

1950s - need for clear unambiguous names in UN cartography and communication

1960s -first UN technical meetings; first UN conference (1967)

2000s– names at core of communication ... maps,

census, search & rescue, postal services, etc.– UN continues to provide focus and forum

8th Conference 2002; 21st UNGEGN session 2002

Some major goals/dreamsSome major goals/dreams

Every country having some form of authority for geographical names

Standardized (“authorized”) forms of names nationally recognized and used

All authorized names easily available and accessible for international use

All languages/writing systems having a standardized conversion to Roman orthography

Some areas of common interestSome areas of common interest Field collection of locally used names

– resolving questions of recording and writing Names authorities and standardization

processes Disseminating data - gazetteers, digital files,

data transfer standards, world wide web ... Developing national toponymic guidelines

for international cartographic use Conventional names and exonyms

How the system functionsHow the system functions UN Conferences (every 5 years) UNGEGN (~ every 2 years) UNGEGN Divisions (22)

– geographical and/or linguistic groups of countries UNGEGN Working Groups

– Publicity and funding; Toponymic terminology– Gazetteers and toponymic data files– Country names; Romanization systems– Training courses

UNGEGN tools and Berlin UNGEGN tools and Berlin ConferenceConference

Available references– UNGEGN and Conference reports– individual papers– UNGEGN web site– Glossary of terms– UNGEGN brochure

UNCSGN Conference – Where, time, how it functions

UNCSGN UNCSGN resolutionsresolutions

Linguistic/Geographical DivisionsLinguistic/Geographical Divisions

1. East Central and South-East Europe DivisionAlbania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkey, Ukraine, Yugoslavia(Chair: Milan Adamic, Slovenia)Web site: http://www.sigov.si/kszi/division/index.html

16th SESSION OF THE EAST CENTRAL AND S16th SESSION OF THE EAST CENTRAL AND SOUTH-EAST DIVISION OF THE UNGEGNOUTH-EAST DIVISION OF THE UNGEGN

MEETING OF THE WG ON GAZETTEERS AND MEETING OF THE WG ON GAZETTEERS AND TOPONYMIC DATA FILESTOPONYMIC DATA FILESApril 18-20, 2001, Ljubljana, Slovenia The aim of the meeting will be focused on

establishing national database system on geographical names and giving answers to the following questions:

How to create a national toponymic database? What are the data elements required in the database? What are the data formats required? What are the data transfer standards required? How to maintain collected data?

UNGEGN WORKING UNGEGN WORKING GROUPSGROUPS

Under the umbrella of UNGEGN, several working groups have been created to follow up topics and issues which cut across the divisional structure of UNGEGN.

1. Working Group on Country Names1. Working Group on Country Names Convenor: Sylvie Lejeune (France) Convenor: Sylvie Lejeune (France) sylviesylvie..lejeunelejeune@@ignign..frfr

2. Working Group on Gazetteers and Toponymic Data Files2. Working Group on Gazetteers and Toponymic Data Files Convenor: Randall Flynn (USA) Convenor: Randall Flynn (USA) flynnre@nima.milflynnre@nima.mil

3. Working Group on Toponymic Terminology3. Working Group on Toponymic Terminology Convenor: Naftali Kadmon (Israel) Convenor: Naftali Kadmon (Israel) msnkadmo@mscc.huji.ac.ilmsnkadmo@mscc.huji.ac.il

4. Working Group on Publicity and Funding4. Working Group on Publicity and Funding Convenor: David Munro Convenor: David Munro David.Munro@strath.ac.ukDavid.Munro@strath.ac.uk 5. Working Group on Romanization Systems5. Working Group on Romanization Systems Convenor: Peeter Päll (Estonia) Convenor: Peeter Päll (Estonia) peeter@eki.eepeeter@eki.ee

6. Working Group on Training Courses in Toponymy6. Working Group on Training Courses in Toponymy Convenor: Ferjan Ormeling (Netherlands) Convenor: Ferjan Ormeling (Netherlands) toponymytoponymy@@geoggeog..uuuu..nlnl

7. Working Group on Evaluation and implementation7. Working Group on Evaluation and implementation Convenor: Ki-Suk Lee (Republic of Korea) Convenor: Ki-Suk Lee (Republic of Korea) leekisukleekisuk@@plazaplaza..snusnu..acac..krkr

8. Working Group on Exonyms8. Working Group on Exonyms Convenor: Milan Orozen Adamic (Slovenia) Convenor: Milan Orozen Adamic (Slovenia) milanmilan@@zrczrc--sazusazu.si.si

9. Working Group on Pronunciation9. Working Group on Pronunciation Convenor: Donall Mac Giolla Easpaig (Ireland) Convenor: Donall Mac Giolla Easpaig (Ireland) dmacgiollaeaspaigdmacgiollaeaspaig@@pobailpobail.ie.ie

Other UNGEGN Working Groups that have beenOther UNGEGN Working Groups that have been created, created,

fulfilled theirfulfilled their functions, and functions, and have have been disbanded, been disbanded,

include:include: Names of undersea and maritime features Names of undersea and maritime features

Extraterrestrial topographic namesExtraterrestrial topographic names