IAH-SA – 1st quarter newsletter (2022)
We trust you are well and feeling the upswing in busyness as some degree of normality returns (yet still COVID flare-ups continue and world peace it being de-stabilised). As I write to you from Thembe Elephant Reserve, up close to the Mozambique border, its pouring with rain and we were right in the midst of the hectic KZN floods, going this-way-and-that dodging flooded and washed away roads, en- route here from Cape Town. Yes there is a lot going which is not trivial, but let us focus on IAH matters in this newsletter.
It’s been a good and busy quarter from an IAH-SA perspective. For a number of reasons as explained below chronologically:
1. IAH-SA webinar (13 to 15 September 2022) “Current and recent groundwater research in Southern Africa”
Every two years (in between the Groundwater Division Biennial Conference), IAH-SA hosts a much smaller event. This year we are planning a webinar on “Current and recent groundwater research in Southern Africa”. Yes I fully appreciate that everyone is quite max’d out on “screen-time” and that social interaction is so crucial, however taking many factors into account it will be best to host a webinar. To date we have 28 presenters (MSc; PhD and post-doctoral presenters from South Africa and neighbouring countries) and I am still waiting for some academics to respond. The researchers will be receiving guidelines to ensure they present the work they have completed so far (and not just talk about what they plan to do). It will be a very professionally run webinar with layers of redundancy; multiple input sources and maximum exposure for sponsors (whose support will be very much required and appreciated). We will be including a number of fun events during the webinar as well. The programme is still to be finalised but will likely be a 3 day webinar commencing on 13 September 2022. Please note the presentations will be available to those who have registered for 3 months after the event in case you cant make the presentation or would like to review them in your own time. More to follow shortly on this event.
2. IAH Congress 2023 (18 to 24 September 2023)
Yes less than 2 years to go for this global event (the 50th IAH Congress) to be hosted here at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. The Local Organising Committee is meeting regularly now and critical tasks are being addressed. One of the issues that is being addressed is that the South African Tourism Board is very supportive of our event , however there is a lot that needs to be addressed in order for their funds to be released. IAH-SA has been registered as a Non-Profit Company; it has SARS clearance now, is accredited with CIPC and is being registered on the Central Supplier Database right now. In addition the constitution has had to be updated (the 2 pager written by Reinie Meyer in 1997 is no longer acceptable) and we now have a 43 page Memorandum of Incorporation. Bank accounts have had to be streamlined and auditors put in place. So a lot of work has happened behind the scenes ,and we are track to host a fantastic event. The pressure of course is to make this event break-even, financially. The budget is large so we are critically dependent on sponsors; exhibitors and a good turnout of delegates. The sponsorship is a crucial source of income and we are busy compiling the sponsorship portfolio – which will be distributed soon. Our website is up and “crawling” and to be added to significantly, however it has a nice marketing video – check it out and distribute widely please (https://iah2023.org.za ).
3. ISMAR: The International Symposium of Managed Aquifer Recharge
ISMAR is the flagship event of the MAR group within the IAH. Very successful symposiums have been hosted every 3 years in:
- ISMAR9: 20-24 June 2016, Mexico City, Mexico
- ISMAR10: 20-24 May 2019 in Madrid, Spain.
- ISMAR11: 11-15 April 2022 at Long Beach, California, USA)
- ISMAR12: 28 April – 2 May 2025 to be hosted by IAH-SA in Cape Town, South Africa! We
decided a few months to submit a proposal to host this event and I have just received a WhatsApp from Kes Murray (who attended ISMAR11) that our application was successful! Brilliant news! More to follow in due course.
So in closing, please do consider joining the IAH (if you are not a member already). Please sign up at www.iah.org . It will be hugely appreciated if you join as 10% of your membership fee comes back to IAH-SA and we must generate income now for the IAH2023 Congress, as the cash flow curve is not ideal – a lot of expenditure is being required now (securing the event; down-payments to organisers; the AV company etc) and registration fees only come in much later. So please do sign up now!
Also if you have ideas about these events; or would like to get more involved please do come forward. It will be greatly appreciated.
Thank you. Be safe.
Yours sincerely
Julian Conrad
IAH-SA – Secretary
