Dear AIA IR Members,
It is a great honor for me to provide you with an update on our growing AIA International Region. The board has a lot of initiatives underway including the preparations for the AIA International Region Conference that will be held in Singapore from November 2nd to November 4th. The Conference’s theme is “Convergence” which will examine three threads of convergence over three days, namely “Tradition and Innovation”, “Resilience and Sustainability” and “Wellness and Place-making”. In parallel we will be holding our International Design Awards which I encourage all of you to enter. We also hope that you will join is in amazing Singapore for what promises to be a spectacular conference. More details on the conference and design awards will be sent to you shortly via email and will also be posted on the IR website with a links to the conference website.
Our region has grown to include 2,387 members and now includes seven chapters, with the recent addition of the AIA Canada chapter. The Canadian chapter is currently the IR’s largest chapter with some 400 members.
We also just held elections for the 2019-2020 AIA IR Secretary and are pleased to confirm that Greg Yager, AIA was elected to this position. Greg is a founder and former President of the AIA Shanghai Chapter and will officially join the IR board in January 2019.
We continue to develop the AIA International Region with initiatives started by my predecessor James Wright, FAIA and new initiatives that I’ve set out in my annual report which can be downloaded by clicking on this link. Over the past 12 months, we have completed the following major initiatives:
Launched a new AIA IR Website with new features
AIA National Board Approval for the Guideline Formation of AIA International Chapters
New Canadian Chapter
Continuing Education Requirements for AIA International Associates
Updated Sponsorship Prospectus
By-Law change allowing American Born Architects who live and work primarily overseas to apply for Honorary Fellowship (Hon. FAIA)
Joint IR and Continental Europe Chapter Conference in Prague
We have many exciting new initiatives underway to better serve you and trust that you will see the benefits of this work over the next few months and years.
The AIA International Region’s board continues in earnest with its efforts to engage with architectural organizations globally with the intent of enhancing exchange in all areas of architectural practice whilst continuing to focus on servicing our members.
We need to have more of our members involved in the IR, I ask that you get involved in the IR in respect to voting, running for office and volunteering to work on initiatives that you deem to be important for architecture and the AIA, this is critical to keeping the organization vibrant and current. The AIA IR board is eager to hear back from you in respect to initiatives that will better serve the membership.
Finally, I hope that you will join us in Singapore for the AIA International Region 2018 Conference this coming November. I also encourage you to enter the AIA IR Design Awards which is a wonderful way to promote your projects on a global stage.
Sincerely,
Thierry A Paret, FAIA
President
AIA International Region
