Skip to main content

World Meeting Outreach Committee Chair makes the case for a wide engagement in the buildup to the 17th IRF World Meeting

Held every four years since 1952, IRF World Meetings have always offered the international road community a rare opportunity to present what they do best and discuss what they could do better. As he prepares to take on the role of chairman of the Outreach Committee, Jean-Claude Roffé, a senior manager at Colas, notes “there isn’t a single recipe for successful World Meetings, but collective experience gained over the last half-century provides guidance in at least three areas:” Local support, global succes
June 18, 2012 Read time: 3 mins
RSS

Held every four years since 1952, IRF World Meetings have always offered the international road community a rare opportunity to present what they do best and discuss what they could do better.

As he prepares to take on the role of chairman of the Outreach Committee, Jean-Claude Roffé, a senior manager at 184 Colas, notes “there isn’t a single recipe for successful World Meetings, but collective experience gained over the last half-century provides guidance in at least three areas:”

Local support, global success

“Since the first edition in Washington DC, World Meetings have invariably borne the stamp of their host country. Madrid, in 1993, took place in the early stages of an unprecedented Spanish construction boom. Lisbon, in 2010, witnessed an extraordinary involvement of local industry actors against a gloomy economic backdrop.

It has also been my experience that the attention to cultural touches brought by the host country, such as the beautiful Fado performance that graced the opening ceremony in Lisbon, produces enduring memories which World Meeting delegates take home with them.”

“With Riyadh, we can count on the unwavering support of Deputy Transport Ministry Abdullah Al-Mogbel. Saudi Arabia is a particularly appropriate choice, a wonderful hub at the crossroads of Europe, Africa and Asia and a strategic export market for all major road contractors.”

Striving for technical excellence

“Establishing a compelling scientific program is an ambitious endeavor which requires a continuous effort to identify innovative practices, emerging trends, as well as issues of specific interest to the Gulf region. 2462 IRF World Meetings have an impressive track record of attracting many top-quality papers from academia, practitioners and government officials, a performance due in large part to the dedication of the road professionals who volunteer their time on the Scientific & Technical Committee.”

“Nor should World Meeting outputs be left to gather dust. They contain valuable knowledge and guidelines which, properly used, will help pave the industry’s future.”

Engaging the road community

“As chairman of the Outreach Committee, my ambition is to ensure all the ingredients are in place for a successful, relevant and inclusive World Meeting. I will gather dedicated professionals of every stripe who agree to act as World Meeting ‘Champions’ over the next 18 months. But I will also strive to extend the reach of our message beyond the International Road Federation to a number of stakeholders we do not always hear from. Our work must also resonate with them.”

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • IRF deploys eLearning solutions to promote best practices
    May 4, 2020
    The International Road Federation was founded in 1948 with a mission to promote the exchange of best practices and the transfer of technologies from those who have it to those who need it. Seven decades later, this mission remains just as relevant, and at a time when many transportation professionals are unable to travel, IRF is redoubling efforts to develop eLearning programs which allow professionals to access a pool of knowledge resources without the need to travel.
  • IRU secretary general awarded IRF Professional of the Year 2015
    August 17, 2015
    The secretary general of the International Road Transport Union, Umberto de Pretto, has been awarded the International Road Federation's highest and most prestigious individual distinction Established in 1951, the Professional of the Year Award recognises eminent public, private and education sector professionals with an outstanding track record of leadership and commitment to the road transport industry. Throughout the years, the award has recognised some of the world's most influential transport leader
  • The 2016 Global Road Achievement Awards have been announced
    January 27, 2017
    The International Road Federation recently announced the winners of the 2016 IRF Global Road Achievement Awards at a ceremony held during the 2nd IRF Asia Regional Congress & Exhibition. This year, the IRF honours 12 projects from around the world, each leading the way in innovation across major road & highway disciplines. The selection was made by an international panel of senior road development specialists.
  • IRF World Congress 2024: Christian U. Haas of Umovity interview ahead of the Congress
    October 1, 2024
    With its combination of software, hardware and services, Umovity accelerates end-to-end traffic planning and management globally. Christian U. Haas, chief executive of Umovity, recently spoke to the IRF ahead of the IRF World Congress to be held this month in Istanbul, on the challenges and opportunities facing the mobility sector.