Arq. Rivero Borrell

United Nations

Arq. Rivero Borrel — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 23:13:06 +0000

I had been vice-president for the last six years. Since then I have participated in UIA-UN relationship and I had been insisting on the necessity and importance to participate in several programs with the United Nations. In 2005-2008, I made an active presentation at the Vancouver HABITAT meeting, demanding an official place at the future Forums and a more two way relationship, much more has to be done in this issue. In 2008-2011 I have strongly supported Louise Cox Sustainable by Design program regarding the importance of Rural, Urban, City an Architectural design as main tools to control the deterioration of the Earth. I Coordinate the UIA-UN COP 16 meeting held in Cancun, Mexico, and for the first time, thanks to the Mexican Government, we had the doors open at the UN Climate Forum in which Louise Cox and myself went on live at the Forum TV channel. After the Forum I held several meetings with COP 16 authorities and I could make that the UN accepted the UIA as Official Permanent Observer at the future Forums. The UIA representatives to the United Nations at this moment are The President Louise Cox, Albert Dubler and myself. We will be looking forward the next 2011Climate Forum COP 17 to be held in Durban, South Africa next November 28- december 6, in which we had been participating in coordination with Trish Emmett Vice President Region V and the actual President of the South African Association, Fanuel Motsepe.
At this very moment the UN Declaration for the world Habitat Day has been held in the city of Aguascalientes in México that has been jury designated to spearhead the 2011 Global Observance of World Habitat Day on Monday 3 October under the theme Cities and Climate Change.
More information on UIA?s participation at Cop 16
http://www.climate-change.tv/louise-cox-mauriciorivero-
borrell-december-2010 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwT8B2zxdDY. http://www.uiaarchitectes.
org/texte/england/News/2-COP16.html
http://www.unhabitat.org/pmss/listItemDetails.aspx?publicationID=3108

REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
From 2000 to 2004 I was President of Americas Regional organization, the Pan-American Federation of Architects Associations FPAA, I thank the UIA President at that time Mr. Vasillis Sgoutas, for the open and friendly opportunity of participation at the council meetings. That experience makes me a good spokesman of the other regional organizations in the world to keep working together and to try to accumulate experience and efforts on benefit of the architects, the architecture and quality of human life. I here make a humble request to their Presidents and members to tie closer our
relationship. I thank here the FPAA President Mr. Jorge Monti from Argentina.

DISASTERS
Several events took place around the world regarding the natural and man generated disasters. I coordinated some of the UIA actions regarding Haiti after the earthquake, and I also was involved in different situations in Mexico. The powerful earthquake and tsunami in Japan, had a double impact to
the UIA, and we supported at our best the Japan Institute of Architects, through those difficult moments. Despite the critical situation, the UIA Congress went on and the architects of the UIA supported the Japanese decision I was deeply involved in the evaluation of the situation and I
strongly support that this was the best decision. I propose a different approach from the UIA regarding this issues, taking into account more closed
and detailed analysis of their causes and look for the best ways to prevent them and minimize the irremediable consequences.

Competitions & Prizes

Arq. Rivero Borrel — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 23:12:43 +0000

In 2008-2009 I coordinated the CC3 Celebration of Cities Competition. It was a big UIA effort to keep this program going due to budget problems and a low participation of young architects, but it was successful and came to an end with the recognition of the best-presented projects. I think that this
program created by Jaime Lerner, UIA 2002-2005 President, has to be retaken and look for the appropriate system than can make of it a way to bring to the UIA, the young Architects of the world, in a more concrete competition with the support of the local governments in a way to help to solve the elementary problematic of specific sites in the cities. In 2011 I chaired the UIA 2011 Prizes Jury, in a very participating session in Nanjing, China. The result of the selection was unanimous and the Gold Medal will be presented in Tokyo to Mr. Alvaro Siza, from Portugal. For further information you can consult de UIA web page http://www.uiaarchitectes.org/texte/england/PRIZE/UIA2011/2uia2011.html

These Prizes are the highest recognition that the UIA honors to the most distinguished architects and non architects, that through their work they have done important contributions to the world and his society, to the architecture and the architects as well.

Historically the UIA had coordinated important Architecture Competitions, great achievements had been done by the UIA Competitions Commission, the report made by the actual Co- Directors: Tomaz Kancler (Slovenia) and Cui Kai (China) has to be taken into consideration to give to this program a highest reach around the world.

Proposals

Arq. Rivero Borrel — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 23:11:59 +0000

PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE COMMISSION
This important commission had been working with a, now historically efficiency, commitment and productivity. I was involved in it since my beginnings at the UIA, and I am fully aware of the long development done, the difficulties and the goals achieved and yet to be achieved. Big efforts trough the CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CPD program and the new program recently launched by Trish Emmett will make the road to keep the work on the right track. I make here an honest and humble recognition to all those who had been involved present and past, in its successful development: The American Institute of Architects, AIA, The Architectural Society of China (ASC) and The Spanish College of Architects, CSCAE. Specially to the Co-Directors: Douglas Steidl (USA) and Zhuang Weimin (PR of China) and CPD General Program Operator Jordi Ludevid i Anglada and CPD Director Fabian Llisterri.

EDUCATION COMMISSION
I address to this issue in the same terms as to the practice commission, and I recognize the big effort made by Louise Cox, UIA President, since the time I first met her in a joint meeting between UIA and FPAA in Costa Rica. Her efforts must go on and as far as possible she should participate
permanently in this issues. Long way still to be walked but with a lot of patience and involving all the other organizations related to the Architecture Education is needed as well as the UNESCO participation. My recognition and support for the future tasks that need to be addressed to the codirectors: Fernando Ramos (Spain) and Sungjung Chough (Republic of Korea)

GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS
From 1978 to 2000 I had been present at the UIA in different situations and participations, whether as representative of my country or as President of the Mexican Section, in 1996, when I supported the Candidacy of Mrs. Sara Topelson UIA President 1996-1999, who promoted a very important
program for the Conservation of the architecture of the XX Century and that need to get a strong impulse in the next future, and in the PAST ELEVEN YEARS, I have had a passionate and intense participation on the day by day work in the programs, commissions, jury, councils, bureau and congresses of the UIA, I can give an accurate testimony of its achievements as well as of its unaccomplished goals and programs, the general evaluation is much more than positive, but I am sure that there had been better moments of our Institution, this is not a failure of the different council
boards or their Presidents, it has to be seen as the impact of a misadjusted world society, that has not been capable to address its efforts for a better quality of human life, understanding that this is not possible without the balanced development of all and their environment in whatever level we want to see it. Therefore we have to be closer to the civil society, people and NGO?s organisations, and become their spokesmen to the government and worldwide organizations, we need to be in both sides, professionally, and humanistic, since the solution in our field depends of all of us.

We need a strong structure, with representatives of all the countries regardless of their economical situation, we have to understand that globalization, integration, education and professional practice and even the UIA, are just tools and not the goal itself, we indeed need a general Vision and Strategy as the efforts done by Gaetan Siew, the UIA past President, addressed not only as the UIA goals but the society?s goals in the field of their natural environment, the cities. If we are capable of transmitting the reality, that indeed if we have BETTER CITIES, we have BETTER LIFE, not only as a world exposition slogan, but as a goal that can?t be postponed and needs to be achieved in a short time. It is linked to issues as migration, health, education, security, development and general wealth in a measurable level of quality of live.

WE CANT KEEP BEING OBSERVERS OF THE HUMAN SITUATION, WE HAVE TO OFFER OUR BEST PROFESIONAL EFFORT ON BEHALF OF HUMAN KIND….

It is not a presumptuous declaration it is a strong commitment….
….it should be the UIA commitment
to the future.