Press Release
Eastern Townships Research Centre

COLLOQUIUM:
BEAUTIFUL WATERS / LES EAUX DOUCES DES CANTONS DE L'EST
Bandeen Hall, ETRC, Bishop's University
November 1, 2003

The United Nations General Assembly has proclaimed 2003 the "International Year of Freshwater." The year offers a platform for promoting water-related research, making 2003 a year of opportunity - a year for us to focus our attention on protecting and respecting our water resources as individuals, communities, countries, and as a global family of concerned citizens.

To mark this special year the Eastern Townships Research Centre (Bishop's University), in collaboration with the Observatoire de l'environnement et du développement durable (Université de Sherbrooke), will hold a bilingual colloquium on Saturday, November 1, 2003 entitled Beautiful Waters: Les eaux douces des Cantons de l'Est. This colloquium will provide us with the opportunity to raise awareness and to participate in a forum highlighting the current state of knowledge on lakes, rivers and wetlands in the Eastern Townships. Noted researcher and professor Chandra A. Madramootoo, P. Eng, Director of the Brace Centre for Water Resources Management, McGill University, will present the keynote address, "Today's Water Crisis - A Global Vision." Other speakers will include Ferdinand Bonn and Colette Ansseau of the Université de Sherbrooke, Alain Bourque of the Canadian Climate Impacts and Adaptation Research Network (Quebec Region), as well as Darren Bardati and Jeanne L. Manore of Bishop's University.

A forum moderated by Olivier Thomas, the new Director of the Observatoire de l'environnement et du développement durable, will follow the morning's plenary session. Furthermore, there will be a display of local environmental organizations and associations. Finally, a special edition of the Journal of Eastern Townships Studies, containing the day's proceeding, will be launched.

This promises to be a day of truly stimulating exchanges. We sincerely hope you can join us in celebrating the International Year of Freshwater 2003. For information about fees, location, speakers, and scheduled speakers, call Marie Thibault at (819) 822-9600, ext. 2647.