14 November 2012, Geneva, Switzerland  - GIS, or Geographic Information Systems, is each year a less mysterious term also thanks to initiatives like GIS-Day. This idea, first launched in 1999, has developed into a global event with participating organizations from around the globe and supporters as important as the US Library of Congress, the National Geographic Society, Esri, and many others.   Normally GIS Day is held in the third week of November each year, on the Wednesday during Geography Awareness Week.

Among the various events that marked the Day in Switzerland, UNITAR hosted a workshop for the international community, co-organised with Esri Switzerland and held at the International Environment House in Geneva. The event was also a networking opportunity for GIS experts working in international organizations in Geneva. The UNOSAT Team presented their advancements on the on-line mapping front.

The 2012 GIS Day was the largest ever, with over 900 separate events organised worldwide, a sign that awareness of the benefits and advantages of GIS continues to grow as technology allows wider access to geospatial information.

Photo: UNITAR