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EMERGING NATIONS
The activities of this group were to progress further by building a firm base from
which it could be launched. With the enthusiasm for new initiatives that he was well-
known for, Smallbone fought strongly for regional activities to be included in the aims
of the strategic planning process, and he volunteered to be the ‘champion’.
11
Later, the
term ‘champion’ became an integral part of IIW’s vocabulary in describing those willing to
undertake a lead role in the strategic planning objectives of IIW.
12
What were these objectives as far as WG-RA was concerned? The Business Plan on
Regional Activities, approved by the Board of Directors in September 1996, stated that the
objectives were to:
◗
complete the formation of an IIW Regional Structure;
◗
develop IIW services and implement them into the countries in each
region;
◗
have industry in each region utilising the IIW international qualification
programmes;
◗
harmonise IIW’s efforts with other organisations’ efforts in each region.
13
The ultimate success of the WeldCare programme would come from
hard work in building relationships to provide a positive base on which the
concept of regional development could grow. Regional activities, therefore,
became more and more a core IIW tenet, particularly with the interest that
was starting to develop in the IIW qualification scheme. In this respect Prof.
Dr-Ing. Detlef von Hofe (Germany) was to report that DVS, the German
Welding Society, had made contact with Cuba, Venezuela and Peru but these
countries had little money for participation in IIW. In keeping interest alive in
South America, IIW co-sponsored an international welding conference with
DVS at the University of Lima in Peru.
14
Mr Germán Hernandez (Spain),
who became Chair of IIW’s IAB, was also to contribute strongly to IIW’s
relationships in this region, particularly on matters associated with IIW’s
qualification and certification schemes. This, no doubt, was eventually to
lead to Peru becoming more closely involved in IIW activities and joined as
a member in 2011.
It was in South-East Asia, though, that most interest was developing. Singapore, a
potential member of IIW, was prominent in the early activities and although enthusiastic,
declined the possibility of holding the Asia-Pacific International Congress in 2000 in favour
of Australia since it was felt that it was beyond the resources of their recently formed
welding society. Singapore, still yet to become a member of IIW, was similarly discouraged
from joining IIW, like several other nations in SE Asia, due to what they considered to be
high membership fees. The Congress, held in Melbourne from 29 October to 2 November