Joining nations 1947-1990

INTERNATIONAL CO .FERENCES

were elected by the Governing Council in Helsinki. The President– Elect was Dr N Eaton; he had been a prominent member of the Canadian delegation for 1 5 years and had served the IIW in various capacities, notably as Treasurer for two terms and as Vice -Chairman of the Study Group Welding Research Strategy and Collaboration. Unlike his predecessors at the General Secretariat, Mr J Hicks, the Secretary-General Elect, had had a distinguished career as an engineer in research and consultancy which he combined with a long experience of the IIW, primarily as British delegate on Commission XV, of which he was Vice-Chairman, but also latterly assisting in the work of the General Secretariat. The Opening Ceremony of the Helsinki Assembly included the presentation of the Edstrom medal to Dr Paul Stular. Dr Stular became Chairman of Commission VI Terminology in 1976 and since then had not only directed the exacting work of his Commission with dedication and skill but had also, as we have seen, taken on the tasks, previously performed by others, of editor and publisher of the sections of the MultilinguaJ Collection ofTenns produced under his chairmanship. Dr Stular's activities exemplified one innovation in respect of the preparation and publication of IIW work. Another was envisaged at the 1989 Assembly where the proposed publication of the work produced jointly by Commissions V, X, XIII and XV was considered and approved. This was the basis of an international standard, to be issued for comment, entitled 'Assessment of the fitness for purpose of welded structures'; it was agreed that it should be published by the IIW itself rather than under a contractual arrangement with a member society. At the following Assembly in Montreal in I 990, it was reported that this document was at press and would be published later in the year, thus achieving an objective which had been under discussion since 1984 and had since then been judged of exceptional importance for industry and thus for the future support of the IIW. Altogether, the matters coming before the Governing Council at Montreal emphasized the Institute's concern to adapt itself to the changing circumstances of the coming years. One change already taking place was the political evolution in Eastern Europe which enabled Rumania, which had been an active member 30 years pre– viously, to resume its membership after a break of several years; there was naturally a correspondingly warm welcome for the Romanian delegate present in Montreal. A further indication of the validity of recent changes in policy was