Assistance in emergency and disaster situations has a long tradition in the Amateur Radio Service. In recent years, the importance of this activity has increased further and has in fact also become a major argument in the defence of the Amateur Radio bands and in the protection of this valuable resource against potential interference by new technologies.

In some countries, the role of the amateur radio service in case of emergencies and disasters is well established and organized or even institutionalised. In a large number of countries, however, hams can perform this important public service only in an improvised manner if and when a disaster occurs. This seriously affects the efficiency of what we can contribute, and it is thus essential to review existing mechanisms and to allow all national amateur radio societies to benefit from existing experiences.

To allow such an exchange is the purpose of GAREC-2005, and the organizers and Suomen Radioamatööriliito ry (SRAL) are pleased to invite fellow hams from all countries to gather in Finland in June 2005. Dr. Pekka Tarjanne, the former Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), has kindly accepted the patronage of GAREC-2005.

The event will take place in Tampere, a town with a long tradition in emergency telecommunications and known throughout the world through the Tampere Convention, the first international treaty on the provision of telecommunications in support of disaster relief. The conference is open to everyone with an interest in its topic; we expect in particular representatives from amateur radio societies, but also from national and international humanitarian institutions and governmental and non-governmental organizations, national telecommunication administrations, as well as the private and academic sector.

The Conference is also expected to prepare and adopt a statement to another event in 2005: The seconds phase of the World Summit of the Information Society (WSIS), scheduled to take place in Tunis, Tunisia, in November of the same year. This summit will be a unique opportunity, to give visibility to the contributions the Amateur Radio Service can provide through its networks as well as through its skilled operators.

Details of the agenda and of the program of the Conference will be published as they develop. The organizers are open to suggestions and welcome in particular presentations on the situation and on experiences in different countries.

For further information please contact::

GAREC-2005 Secretariat
Seppo Sisatto, OH1VR, Chairman, Finnish GAREC-2005 Organizing Committee,
Ojakatu 3 A 18, FI-33100 Tampere, Finland
Phone: +358 50 360-2600, e-mail: seppo.sisatto@uta.fi Skype: sepposisatto
Web sites: www.sral.fi and www.iaru.org