More than 300 international and regional delegates will be attending the Pacific Islands GIS and Remote Sensing (PG&RS) User Conference 2025, scheduled to begin in Suva today at the University of the South Pacific’s Japan Pacific ICT Hall.
The PG&RS User Conference is recognised as one of the largest GIS and remote sensing conference to be attended by Pacific islanders where they will network with the large continent of invited international researchers, professionals, academics, NGOs, private sector partners and government officials.
Pacific GIS and Remote Sensing Council (PGRSC) board chairperson Bradley Eichelberger said the conference was a platform for people from the Pacific already using GIS and remote sensing systems to address many of their questions and learn from the 70 presentations anticipated during the program.
This year, International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS) president Prof Lena Halounova will travel from Prague, Czech Republic to meet Pacific Island GIS and RS users.
“Personal meetings are irreplaceable, allowing people to discuss in person issues in their regions, in their projects, institutions or universities. This is the most valuable, informal, knowledge exchange between people and is completely different from Zoom presentations,” Ms Halounova said in a statement.
ISPRS, a scientific society with support from industry, tries to analyse and propose solutions in many spheres of photogrammetry, remote sensing and GIS all over the world.
She said she would like to strengthen relations between local experts and ISPRS experts.
“One of my targets in attending this conference is to understand what participants expect from ISPRS and how I can help them.”
PGRSC is an associate member of ISPRS in a very interesting area of small islands with the strong influence of the Pacific Ocean, with rich, both natural and cultivated vegetation, with interesting geological conditions and histories, she said.
“It is a unique part of the world. Therefore, ISPRS members and users mainly of remote sensing and GIS will profit from closer contacts with experts from this part of the world, and I believe that it will also work vice versa.”
Mr Eichelberger said this was the first time that an incumbent ISPRS president was attending the conference in person in the 20-year history linking their organisations.
He added the annual conference would be an exceptional platform and opportunity for building partnerships between the participants and experts.
The conference is themed ‘Building and Enhancing Geospatial Networks in the Pacific, will be held from November 24-27.
Minister for Rural, Maritime and Disaster Management Sakiasi Ditoka will officiate at the four-day event.
