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 News & Notices

President's Report on the State of the Union

11. GLOBALIZATION

IUPAC strives toward the globalization of its activities with the participation of the entire world's chemistry community. During the last four years, IUPAC organized a series of meetings to obtain most significant input from leaders in chemistry on four continents, regarding its future science policy, structure, and function.

One of the first steps was to convene, in 1996, meetings in North America and in Europe that brought together leaders in chemistry who were not directly involved with IUPAC but who could help us to develop the programs of the Union so as to meet the perceived needs of the broad community of chemists. Out of these meetings came many ideas that were incorporated into our Strategic Plan. We followed up with a meeting in 1997 to address the advances in chemistry and resulting needs and opportunities in the broad area of Asia (including the Southwest Pacific), and this meeting also helped us to generate new initiatives. In 1998, we met jointly with the African Association of Pure and Applied Chemistry to explore ways in which IUPAC, even with its limited resources, could contribute positively to the advancement of chemistry in a continent where a growing number of well-educated chemists are striving to overcome the impediments in seriously underdeveloped economies. Also in 1998, we had the opportunity to make a short presentation at the meeting the Federation of Latin American Chemical Societies (FLAQ), and I hope that IUPAC will be able to have a more substantial joint meeting with FLAQ at their Conference next year in Lima, Peru.

Last year IUPAC convened the first meeting ever of the Regional Chemical Federations from Europe, Asia, North America, Latin America, and Africa, and the second such meeting will take place in Berlin. In addition, here in Berlin, we are joining our hosts, the Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker, in hosting the biennial meeting of Presidents of the world's National Chemical Societies. Meetings of this sort provide for interchange of ideas, development of strategies by which all participants can contribute to the advancement of the chemical sciences, and initiation of specific programs to share our expertise and resources. I am pleased that IUPAC is playing a central role in coordinating these efforts and in providing a central resource for exchange of information and ideas.

IUPAC attaches great importance to the broadening of its geographical base. IUPAC added three new National Adhering Organizations in 1998: the Chemical Society of Pakistan, the Colegio de Quimicos de Puerto Rico, and the Union of Yugoslav Chemical Societies. It is a privilege to congratulate and felicitate our new National Adhering Organizations and wish fruitful future contributions of their chemical communities to International Chemical Sciences.

IUPAC added three new Observer Organizations in 1998-1999: the Pancyprian Union of Chemists, the Sociedad Cubana de Quimica, and the Tanzania Chemical Society. The African Association of Pure and Applied Chemistry became an Associated Organization in 1999. It is a pleasure to extend a warm welcome to our new observer and associated organizations.

IUPAC currently has 43 National Adhering Organizations, which include the vast majority of the world's most developed chemistry economies. Yet, there are a significant number of countries that are major contributors to the chemical sciences and to chemical industry but which do not currently adhere to IUPAC. In all our contacts with international Chemistry Federations and Societies, we are continually exploring ways in which such countries can be brought into the IUPAC family. Indeed, as we broaden the scope of the Union's programs, we must make it clear why these countries will benefit from membership in IUPAC.

Currently there are 18 Observer Countries, some of which clearly are very close economically to being able to participate fully in IUPAC. There are other members of this group that are currently less developed and less able to take on the financial responsibilities of membership in IUPAC. A large number of other countries currently have no formal association with the Union but might benefit from a closer alliance. Later in this meeting, we shall discuss ways in which we might make such formal association more attractive.

Overall, our message to the world's chemists is one of openness. We are restructuring our scientific programs to permit any scientist anywhere in the world to propose projects that will benefit international science. We have made it easier for top-notch scientists in countries that currently do not adhere to IUPAC to participate in the Union's projects and to serve on its scientific bodies. We have made it clear through our Strategic Plan and through our followup actions that IUPAC believes in the service of chemistry to society, worldwide. We are making strenuous efforts to work cooperatively with the chemical and pharmaceutical industries to provide an independent scientific base that will assist them in bringing the benefits of chemistry to mankind. I believe that IUPAC's new and candid approach to the world chemistry community will pay dividends in years ahead, both to the Union and to the science that we serve.



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