2012 Transit of Venus Forum, Gisborne, New Zealand

On the 5-8 June 2012 Gisborne will host this unique event to mark the meeting of cultures which took place 250 years ago on New Zealand's East Coast. This was in 1769 shortly after James Cook completed his scientific mission in Tahiti: the measurement of the Transit of Venus.  Goods were exchanged at Uawa, Tolaga Bay, as gestures of goodwill, but also out of necessity, so it was the beginning of overseas trade. The association between the forum and the rare occurrence of the Transit of Venus is symbolic, but it is underlined by  the sub-title of the Forum: Lifting our Horizon.

Professor Sir Paul Callaghan and partners are staging a forum in Gisborne to inspire thinking about New Zealand’s future prospects, based on a realistic, science-based appraisal of our current situation.  Sir Paul Callaghan has brought together a very significant  group of New Zealanders for this event.  Exporters and those involved in international trade will be especially interested to see that Sir Ray Avery (entrepreneur and exporter), Dr Rick Boven (Director of the NZ Institute thinktank), and Peter Chrisp (CEO of New Zealand Trade & Enterprise) are all on the programme which can be found at:  http://www.royalsociety.org.nz/events/2012-transit-of-venus-forum-lifting-our-horizon/speakersprogramme/
The website itself is well worth looking at with video clips outlining Sir Paul's vision. Watch the website and this blog for more information.