GEOGRAPHY Awareness Week will begin from November 14-20 and the Geographical Information Systems (GIS) Day will be held on November 17. The theme of the event is ‘Seeing the S in GIS, which stands for Sharing, Solving, Sustaining’.

According to the National Spatial Data Management Division of the Office of the Prime Minister, sharing geographic information is essential to correlate, predict and develop models that will lead to better emergency responses and planning decisions.

The launch will begin with a church service at the Church of the Transfiguration, Meadowbrook Main on Sunday, November 14 starting at 9:00 am, and as a forerunner, there will be a GIS Business Executive Forum on November 10 at the Altamont Court Hotel.

Guest speaker Maurice Bolt from Globe Insurance will also be attending, and there will be a panel discussion on the topic chaired by GIS Lecturer at the University of Technology, Dr Earle Edwards, and featuring Marsha Henry Martin of the National Spatial Plan Project of the Office of the Prime Minister; GIS manager of the National Works Agency, Alicia Gayle; and Director of Geo TechVision Enterprise Ltd, Valerie Grant Harry.

The forum will also feature an exhibition as the Geographic Information Systems Day Exposition will be held for the ninth consecutive year at the Assembly Hall of the University of the West Indies on Wednesday 17, from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm; Vice-Principal of the Wolmers’ Trust High School for Girls, Arlene Morgan, will deliver the keynote address.

The day will be youth-focused and will feature several dynamic competitions inclusive of the GIS Bee, Treasure Hunt GIS Fashion Show and an awards ceremony. On Friday November 19, Geography students for the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) will participate in a workshop towards preparing them for their coursework and examinations next year.