Report to the IUGS Executive Committee about the preparations for the 35th International Geological Congress (IGC) to be held in South Africa in 2016: EC meeting: Paris, 19 - 22 February 2013 An inaugural Workshop was held on 3 July 2009, at which the LOC and its Committees was appointed. The Chairperson of the LOC is Prof Richard Viljoen, Emeritus Professor from WITS University. The Secretary General, Danie Barnardo, is from the CGS. The Committees and Sub-committees were appointed and a MOU was signed with the IUGS at the 34th IGC in Brisbane, Australia. A number of important milestones were met since 2009:

• A not-for-profit Company (the 35th International Geological Congress Foundation) was instituted. This company will be responsible to manage and organize all aspects of the 35th IGC. The Secretariat of this Company is hosted in the Headquarters of the Council for Geoscience (CGS) in Pretoria, South Africa

• A MOU was signed with the IUGS during the IGCC meeting in Brisbane during the 34th IGC. This MOU regulates the relationships between the IUGS and the 35th IGC and clearly spells out the responsibilities of both parties

• An Agreement was concluded between the CGS and the 35th IGC Foundation, transferring the responsibility for the organizing of the event to the 35th IGC Foundation and highlighting some important stipulations:

o The CGS provides an interest-free loan of R5 million (about US$580 000) to the 35th IGC Foundation to provide seed money for the initial stages of the IGC preparations

o The CGS will second three of its staff members to the 35th IGC Foundation to form the core of the 35th IGC Secretariat.

• An 35th IGC booth was hosted at the Geoexpo of the 34th IGC in Brisbane, from which the 35th IGC was promoted. Danie Barnardo and Prof Viljoen met with various role-players during the Congress and many valuable contacts were made. An on-line drive to recruit possible delegates to the 35th IGC was driven from the booth and over 700 contacts were added to a database of contacts

• A cocktail function in honour of the South African Minister of Mineral Resources was also held during the 34th IGC

• During the closing ceremony of the 34th IGC, the outgoing President handed the symbolic “Presidents Cup” to the 35th IGC President, Prof Richard Viljoen and with it the responsibility and privilege to host the next IGC in South Africa

• The 35th IGC Secretariat assumed the role of Secretariat for the International Geological Congress Committee (IGCC) for the next four years leading up to the 35th IGC

• The South African Government pledged its full support for the 35th IGC and the Minister of the South African Mineral Resources Department attended the closing ceremony of the 34th IGC and gave an address at this occasion

• The 35th IGC also featured on the agenda of a Cabinet meeting of the South African Government and at this occasion, support for the 35th IGC was re-iterated

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• A PCO to assist with the organization of the 35th IGC was appointed. Two delegates from the PCO accompanied the 35th IGC Secretariat to the 34th IGC, where they familiarized themselves with the nature of an International Geological Congress

• The website of the 35th IGC is currently hosted by the CGS, but it is in the process of re-vamping

• Contacts were made with various prominent scientists from around the globe who will champion sessions and workshops at the 35th IGC. The Chair of the Scientific Committee, Prof Jay Barton, also attended the 34th IGC and plan to follow the example set by the organizers of the 34th IGC

• Similarly, the Chair of the Field Trip Committee, Dr Christopher Hatton, attended the 34th IGC and already compiled a list of more than 40 potential field trips covering the entire African continent. Guides for most of these Field Trips were approached.

• The 24th Colloquium for African Geology was attended in Addis Abeba during January 2013, at which a booth was shared with the CGS. Meetings with various stakeholders were held at this event and many valuable contacts were made. This event is the major scientific event held in Africa every second year and proved to be an invaluable venue to attract attention to and gain support for the 35th IGC.

A number of subsequent meetings of the LOC were held during which progress with arrangements for the 35th IGC were discussed. As stated above, three staff members of the CGS will be seconded to the 35th IGC Foundation on 1 March 2013. The Secretary-General of the 35th IGC will attend the IUGS Executive Committee meeting at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France in February 2013 to report on the state of preparation for the 35th IGC. A formal date for the next meeting of the IGCC has still to be decided, but will most probably be held in Cape Town, South Africa in the second half of 2013. Danie Barnardo Secretary-General LOC of the 35th IGC February 2013

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