International EMECS Center

Closing ceremony

The MEDCOAST '99/EMECS '99 Joint Con ference, carrying "Land-Ocean Interactions: Managing Coastal
Ecosystems" as its main theme was held in Antalya, Turkey over the four days of November 9-12, 1999, with the International EMECS Center, involved with the preservation of the world's enclosed coastal sea environment, and MEDCOAST (Conference on the Mediterranean Coastal Environment) as its hosts. Despite the major earthquake that occurred in northwest Turkey the same year, the conference received international sponsorship from various groups including the European Community, the United Nations Environmental Plan's Mediterranean Action Plan Coordinating Unit (MAP-UNEP), Turkey's Ministry of Environment, Antalya Municipality and the Japan Environment Corporation's Japan Fund for Global Environment, wide support from the International Ocean Institute, the World Wide Fund for Nature, etc., and the attendance of five hundred participants from fifty countries; thus enabling it to be held as scheduled.

At a Poster Session

The conference was opened with the hosts greeting the participants with their determination to "promote activities aimed at the sustainable development of nature, ecosystems and human society in a harmonious and balanced manner through the participation of organizations and rese archers who are working to preserve enclosed coastal sea environment." Following complimentary addresses by the guests, namely, President of the Environmental Commission of the Turkish Parliament, the Governor of Antalya and the Mayor of the Metropolitan City of Antalya, a commemorative address was given by Dr. Agni Vlavianos-Arvantinis, representative of Bio-Politics International Organization, and speeches on the current state of the preservation of enclosed coastal sea environment in each region were presented by former Secretary of the Maryland Department of Environment, Professor Emeritus of Stockholm University and Director of the Office of Seto Inland Sea Environmental Conservation at the Water Quality Bureau in Japan's Environmental Agency. Over the following three days, fifteen subcommittees and four workshops, in which a total of ninety people (15 from Japan) gave oral presentations, were held. At the poster sessions held on the 10th and 11th, a total of approximately one hundred people (29 from Japan) presented posters. Distinguished researchers, citizens and administrative officers were able to exchange high quality information and foster partnerships for the resolution of environmental issues in enclosed coastal seas and coastal seas. At the closing session, the Antalya Declaration of Coastal Seas, which calls for the participation of citizens, administration and scientists in local environmental programs, was unanimously adopted, and the conference closed in success. Also, upon conclusion, Japan (Kobe) was designated host for the Fifth EMECS Conference to be held in 2001.
A report introducing the contents of this conference and newsletters are disclosed to the public at our center's website (http://www.emecs.or.jp). Those who require a booklet should contact the International EMECS Center at (secret@emecs.or.jp)