President’s Preface
May I ask your attention for the euro, the European currency?
Despite the many critics of the euro (life became clearly more expensive!), in a period of holidays you can also see the advantages of having the same currency in so many European countries.
In earlier times we had to travel with so many different currencies. You had to put away the remaining coins anywhere in order to retrieve them (and you never could!) before the next trip abroad!
But now we have the same euro in most of the European countries. That makes some of the financial aspects more easy.
 Involuntarily, I was thinking about the euro-example, and its similarity with the implementation of a new idea by FEES: the European Month of Ergonomics (EME).
This idea of the EME is highly influenced by a similar approach in the USA. The Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES) in the USA has promoted ergonomics already for many years in October, especially at universities and colleges, through competitions, exhibitions, workshops, etc. Their results are very encouraging!
The idea of the EME is to pay particular attention to ergonomics in all European countries in a specific period. During that period – in October – we ask our members to organise all kinds of activities to let ergonomics become better known and understood to the “outside world” , to society where we live.
FEES – through the Communications and Promotions Committee chaired by Kristiina Juvas – will act as coordinator. The C.& Pr. Cee. will support you, if desired, with ideas and suggestions.
A wide variety of actions is imaginable such as presentations on radio or TV, articles in newspapers and magazines, dedicated programs in industry, special attention at schools and universities, meetings, exhibitions, etc., etc.
If such activities take place in the same period all over Europe, our discipline will attract much more attention than separate actions. Ergonomics will become better understood and recognized!
This year 2007 is a kind of a "try-out year". We base these activities on those that already exist in the activity plans of national ergonomics societies. As an example, we can see the list of activities in Finland here on our FEES website.
This is just the beginning. For next year we hope to get more visibility through the activities organised in many – if not all – European countries / Societies.
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I do believe in the power and the influence of such a combined, European-wide approach!
Comparable, yes or no, with the euro………………?
Pieter Rookmaaker
President of FEES
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