NEWSLETTER
Thursday, August 09, 2001

GDIN MEETING SCHEDULED FOR OCTOBER 26-27, 2001 IN Washington, DC. More details will be forthcoming the first week of September; but for now the GDIN Secretariat is planning on a two day session of meetings to prepare for GDIN2002. The primary event will be a meeting of the Executive Committee that anyone may attend to look at progress by the different working groups and take comments on what should be accomplished at GDIN2002. Anyone interestd in GDIN may attend.
Several have recommended that we also host meetings of the Academic Working Group, the Infectious Disease Working Group and the Americas Working Group. A cocktail party for anyone interested in GDIN will also be hosted on Saturday, October 27th at 7pm. If you would like to attend any of those meetings or the cocktail party, please send an email to Larry Roeder at fariggs@erols.com. Meetings will likely be held near Dulles Airport.

GDIN2002 Agenda is Under Development
The agenda for GDIN2002 is being developed between the Government of Italy and the GDIN Secretariat. The third edition was distributed to the drafting team on August 8th. We hope to have a broad based distribution the first week of September. If you would like to see an advanced copy of the current draft, send an email to shuttleworthme@state.gov before August 23.

ACADEMIC WORKING GROUP STRATEGY MEETING HELD IN AMES, IOWA August 3rd.
While in Iowa to meet with experts interested in GDIN, the Executive Director met with Professor Tom Al Austin of the University of Iowa in Ames. Dr. Austin chairs the Academic Working Group. A plan of action was agreed upon to expand participation in the working group, raise money for research and help GDIN interact with Industry. Dr. Austin will present a report on this discussion at the October GDIN meeting.

UN WORKING GROUP ON EMERGENCY TELECOMMUNICATIONS (WGET)
TO HOLD MEETING IN CONJUNCTION WITH GDIN2002. The UN has proposed that the June2002 session of the Un Working Group on Emergency Telecommunications be held on the Monday and Tuesday (17/18) of the week of the GDIN2002, thus bolstering participation at the conference, which is proposed for June 19-20-21, with a possible field trip to a disaster site on the 22nd. (note the agenda is still under development)

AMERICAS WORKING GROUP IN NEED OF A CO-PERSON.
The Americas Working Group will meet later in the season. The Co-Chairpersonis Dr. Fernando Echavarria f.echavarria@state.gov. GDIN management tries to have two co-Chairpersons for every working group. If you are interested in this slot and are also interested in helping GDIN find better ways of facilitating disaster information in the Americas, please volunteer by sending an email to fariggs@erols.com.

GDIN Survey Sent Out
The GDIN Information Facilitator Working Group has sent out a survey examining user and providers needs and capabilities in order to help the GDIN program propose a set of specific services at GDIN2002 in Rome in June, 2002. If you haven't filled the survey out, please do so ASAP and send the results to gdincommunity@hotmail.com.

GDIN Disaster Simulation being Developed
A draft disaster desktop simulation exercise is being developed for use at GDIN2002 and will be distributed to Working Group Chairs in December. For questions, send an email to Larry Roeder at fariggs@erols.com

NGO WORKING GROUP PLAN OF ACTION
The Executive Director met with Ambassador James Bishop of Interaction, a co-chair of the NGO Working Group and worked out a plan of action for engaging the NGO community. Further details will be further worked out with Megan Fox of the American Red Cross, which also co-Chairs this Working Group and sits on the Executive Committee. An article is being proposed for publication in Interaction's journal, as well as a special briefing on GDIN for NGO's this fall. GDIN is also discussing using the Red Cross's world wide network to spread the word on GDIN's value to NGO's.

GDIN Briefing Held at US Department of State
A special briefing on GDIN was held on August 1 for the following people, all of whom were invited to attend GDIN2002.

Armenia: Mr. Aram TANANYAN Deputy Head, Emergency Management, Administration, Government of Armenia
Bahamas, Ms. Chrystal Rosemarie GLINTON Assistant Director, Social, Services, Recovery Sub-Committee
Belize Mrs. Lillette BARKLEY-WAITE Chairperson, Housing and Shelter Committee, City Emergency Management Organization
Botswana, Ms. Veronica Dineo MOGWE Director, National Disaster, Management, Office, Office of the President
Botswana, LT. Col. George Modirwa TLHALERWA Lieutenant Colonel, And Chairman, Botswana Defense Force Disaster Committee
Bulgaria, Mr. Ivan Guerguiev KARAPENEV Director, Integration, And Humanitarian Operations Directorate, Civil Protection State Agency
Chad, Mr. Koumo GOPINA Andreas Secretary General of the Chadian, Red Cross
Cote d'Ivoire, Mr. Michel Konan KOUAKOU Section Head for Inspection, And Investigations, Ivoirian Anti-Pullution Center
Denmark, Ms. Henriette THUEN Advisor, Commissioner for Baltic Sea, States
Guatemala, Ms. Luz Emilia GONZALEZ Arce Education and Information Manager, National Coordinator for Disaster Reducation
Malawi, Mr. Betinigo Willie GIDALA Deputy Commissioner, Disaster Preparedness, Relief and Rehabilitation
Mozambique, Mr. Emidio Filipe Paulino DULAMO Technical Advisor, District Planning, Concern Worldwide
Pakistan, Mr. Faiz Mohmmad FAYYAZ Executive Director of Human Survival and Development; Chairman of Pakistan Campaign to Ban Landmines
Sierra Leone, Ms. Konah Cecila KOROMA Development Secretary, Ministry of Development and Economic Planning
Spain, Mr. Ignacio BURRULL VALDES Sierra Leone Desk Officer, Humanitarian Aid Office, European Commission
Spain, Mr. Javier MENENDEZ BONILLA Desk Officer for Near and Middle Eastern; Asian; European Commission Humanitarean Aid Office
Turkey, Mr. Suat OZCAGDAS Project Coordinator of Psycho-Social Support Centers, International Federation of the Red Cross/Red Crescent Societies; Secretary General of Turkish Psychological Association
United Kingdom, Mr. Matthew BAUGH Head of Humanitarian Programs Team, Conflict and Humanitarian Affairs Department, Department for International Development