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<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2 face=Arial> A message from the Chair of TDWG:</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2 face=Arial>Dear TDWG Members and Friends</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2 face=Arial>I know that I've been slack over the last few months. There has been a lot happening on the ALA and TDWG fronts that have been keeping me exceptionally busy, and time has run away.</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2 face=Arial>The TDWG 2009 Program and the TDWG 2009 Local Organizing Committees have been doing an excellent job in structuring the meeting. My thanks to both groups for the work they are going to ensure that this is the best TDWG meeting ever: an Olympian effort.</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2 face=Arial>Please note that <STRONG>Early Registration closes September 14</STRONG> and <STRONG>abstract submission closes October 1</STRONG>. Abstracts are required for all oral presentations, posters and computer demonstrations. We will also accept 'Contributed Abstracts' as we did for the first time for TDWG 2008. If you haven't already done so, please register for TDWG 2009 at <A href="https://www.regonline.com/TDWG2009" target=_blank>https://www.regonline.com/TDWG2009</A>.</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2 face=Arial>The conference web site (<A href="http://www.tdwg.org/conference2009/" target=_blank>http://www.tdwg.org/conference2009/</A>) contains details about the meeting, travel, accommodation, Montpellier information including restaurants, history, excursions and our sponsors. If you have been approved for a presentation during a conference session, or wish to submit a 'Contributed Abstract', please follow the instructions at <A href="http://www.tdwg.org/conference2009/abstracts/" target=_blank>http://www.tdwg.org/conference2009/abstracts/</A>.</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2 face=Arial>If you are not already a member of TDWG, please consider joining and supporting us (and being a member will also give you a discount on registration for TDWG 2009!). We really do need your support.</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2 face=Arial>There has been a range of happenings this year that are significant for TDWG. We are getting close to the ratification of NCD, Darwin Core, TAPIR and the LSID Applicability Statement. I’d like to see all of these as standards by TDWG 2009. The work of Neil Thomson, Wouter Addink, John Wieczorek, Gail Kampmeier, Renato De Giovanni, Piers Higgs, Kevin Richards and Ben Richardson to get us to this point has been exceptional. My thanks to each of you.</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2 face=Arial>Another significant event was e-Biosphere 2009 in London. This meeting provided a broad perspective on biodiversity informatics and identified TDWG as playing a significant role. Components of TDWG 2009 will attempt to progress issues raised in the e-Biosphere report.</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2 face=Arial>So, if you want to learn about biodiversity informatics in Agriculture, be a part of helping to share biodiversity data; learn about vocabularies, ontologies and LSIDs; listen to some wild (and not so wild) ideas; ask crazy (and not so crazy) questions of the gurus; figure out how to connect your data to the world; enjoy some exceptional food and wine, and of course, enjoy some excellent company and fascinating discussions, then join us in Montpellier.</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2 face=Arial>Donald Hobern <BR>TDWG Chairman<BR></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>