Dear colleges and friends,
It is a pleasure for us to welcome you as our guest to the biggest IFSA event for the year. Here you will find the information and circumstances which you will need to attend the IFSS. We promise to do our best in order to make your participation unforgettable and amazing adventure remaining for all your life.
Solving the global problems of nature preservation and particularly of forests requires the future specialists – today’s students – to possess knowledge and view of life far above the boundaries of their motherland. That is why the youth initiatives of such a character are a precious wealth, needed for saving the balance between the increasing requirements of the humanity and the natural resources for future. A forum like this one is a challenge for every host country, to be saved and accustomed the spirit of partnership, the lack of racial discrimination, the scientific professionalism and the aspiration for perfection of the young people.
The 36-th International Forestry Students Symposium is under the Patronage of Bulgarian President - Georgi Purvanov and will take place form 3-th - 17-th of August.
With the increasing requirements of the human kind we more and more pay attention to the preservation and the right managing of the renewable nature resources such as forests. The world places where the forests are still unspoiled and with a great biodiversity decrease every year. Only the right look toward the future and the rational use of the resources are able to save us from the problems of the humanity – the progress of the desert, starvation, diseases and poverty. Thus, giving a proper education to the new generation to preserve and respect the Nature, we can really help to solve this problems obeying to the rule – "Don’t forget that we have borrowed the Nature from our children". That is why the exactly chosen topic "Forest For the Future" makes us all interested in a sustainable management of the forest resources, to remain forest for the next generations. No forest, no future!
The programme is really with great variety. You will be from the sea level up to 3 000 m. high, will sleep on tents; stay mainly in the forest and far from the big cities. You will have the chance to visit the most beautiful places and the smallest town in Europe. Visit also the famous “Seven Rila lakes” in the highest mountains on the Balkans. Nice trekking and wonderful scenery in our 3 National Parks. You will feel the magic of the bagpipes, amazing fire dancing and many, many other adventures and surprises for you, dear friends.
During the Symposium takes also place the General Assembly – the highest decision body of IFSA. The purpose of the GA is to establish the main work of IFSA for the year ahead and to approve the work of the year ending. Tasks include approval of the IFSA Annual Report and election of the new IFSA Direction and Officials for the year ahead. The GA also fixes membership fees, decides on the location of the upcoming IFSS and discus topics relevant to the development of IFSA.
Discuss with your colleges, make your plans and you can start already to register online from the web site. You can do it also when firstly download the registration form and then send it to registration@ifssbulgaria.com. Once you have done with that you will receive a confirmation letter and your name will appear on the web site as registered. Only 2 people per LC (Local Committee) can participate in the IFSS, we don’t forget also the Alumni - there are places for them too. So have in your mind and don’t forget the leading Principle - First registered - First come. You have almost 4 months to do it, so please don’t wait for the last moment.
Don’t forget that the Symposium starts on 3rd of August (Sunday), this is the day of your arrival and welcoming, and on 4th of August (Monday) is the official open ceremony of the meeting. If you haven’t planned to stay after the Symposium and to travel, its official closure is on 16th of August (Saturday) and you can leave from Bulgaria the next day – on August 17 (Sunday). We recommend you to make a reservation for your trip from 3rd to 17th of August including. Remember – the Symposium starts and ends in Sofia. Regardless of the way you’ve chosen to trip to Bulgaria, we ask you in the shortest term after you have made a reservation to send us the form - AFC (Accommodation and Flight Confirmation). It will be sent to you in the beginning of March and the final date to send it back is 1st of July. Only with AFC form, sent by you we can officially include you as participants in the Symposium even if you have already made a registration.
Please write your presentation / paper topic in the registration form. Each LC has to write also an article regarding with the chosen topic. The presentation which you will have to make from your LC will present the resume of the article. More details about presentation duration, article frame and requirements you will find around February. Remember we need you to send us the article not the presentation. The deadline is 1-st of June.
We will give you more information about the participant fee around May.
If you have some questions, remarks and need more information, regarding with the up coming event, please don’t hesitate to write us on office@ifssbulgaria.com. If you have some personal asking about some organizing issue as transport, food, lectures and etc., you can contact with each of us, responsible for it on the e-mails shown.
Please check the web site often, you will find some news and information about the changes in the programme, which is coming, accurate information for your transport to Bulgaria, requirements for your article, what you need for your trip and etc.
We will be really happy to see you all here in Bulgaria,
Organizing Committee of
36-trh International Forestry Students’ Symposium
Dear IFSA Members,
The biggest IFSA event of the year: the International Forestry Students Symposium (IFSS) will be hosted in 2008 in the beautiful Bulgaria from the 3rd to the 17th August. This year the theme is “Forest for the future”, a very nice topic which must touch the young foresters we are! During two full weeks, forestry students from all over the world will gather to exchange, discuss, learn about new cultures, discover a new country, enhance forestry knowledge and have fun together!
The IFSS is also the time of the highest decision making body of IFSA: The General Assembly (GA) consisting of all IFSA Ordinary Members. The main purposes of the GA are to plan the work of the association for the upcoming IFSA year, approve the work of the year ending and elect the new IFSA officials.
This short introduction is for me the first opportunity to invite you to take part to this wonderful event. Only each of you can build the IFSA network by your individual action in your own country, by organising international events and by taking part to IFSA events like IFSS. Thus, IFSA is not only an association managed by an international team of officials but also by all of you. Only your participation can make IFSA a world association for forestry student and maintain the IFSA spirit which is above all a network of friends.
On behalf of the IFSA officials and the Bulgarian Organising Committee I thank you sincerely for your motivation and your interest to attend the next IFSS and follow the wonderful programme concocted by our Bulgarian friends!
Sylvain Dupire
IFSA President 2007-2008