The first Meeting of the Presidents of the International Union of Architects -UIA RII- was organized and hosted digitally on Wednesday, March 10, 2021, at the headquarters of the Greek Engineers and Public Works Contractors Fund (TMEDE), in Athens.

The scientific subject of the meeting was “Recovering and Supporting Funds for Architects and Engineers” and was the first digital meeting of Region II before the UIA World Congress in Rio, in July 2021.

Specifically, the financial instruments that would support the development and recovery for the Architects after the pandemic were put on the table of the meeting, as well as the future actions of the UIA.

The successful event was attended by all the Vice-Presidents of all UIA Regions, the Presidents of Regional organizations, important scientists and members of the Technical World, as well as former Presidents of the Union.

Greetings were sent among others by Thomas Vonier, President of the International Union of Architects and by Wassim Naghi, President of the UMAR Executive Bureau and by Oleg Hamman on behalf of V4.

The Vice President of UIA RII, Greek architect Nikos Fintikakis, pointed out the contribution of the Presidents of the two most important Organizations of the Technical World in Greece, TCG (TEE) and TMEDE Mr. George Stasinos and Konstantinos Makedos respectively, for the organization of the meeting which was held by the initiative of the President of the UIA Greek Section, Professor of Architecture, Mrs. Fani Vavili Tsinika.  Mr Fintikakis expressed the hope that the next Meeting will be held in person, offering the opportunity to the participants to experience the atmosphere of classical antiquity of Athens.

The president of TCG Mr. George Stasinos talked about the consequences of the pandemic and the ways in which the Technical World should adapt to the design of buildings, the spatial design, but also the future of architecture itself. “We have the tools to make our buildings safer and to contribute to the well-being of the residents,” he said, noting the need to create an important tool that will trigger a “Wave of Renovation”, as he said. For his part, the president of TMEDE, Konstantinos Makedos, referred to the measures to alleviate small and medium-sized enterprises and the self-employed, proposed by the TCG to the Greek government, in cooperation with TMEDE, immediately after the outbreak of the pandemic. Mr. Makedos focused on the measures that the Fund took during the pandemic to strengthen its members, but also on those that are directly foreseen for the dynamic restart of the economy. And added: “Freelancers, small and medium-sized Architects and Engineers offices, need maximum support in all possible ways with fair competition in order to grow”.

The next online event will take place on Wednesday, May 12, almost two months before the scheduled World Congress in Rio.

Attached is the fully recorded zoom meeting, the written presentations sent by the Region II Presidents and the relevant greetings, speeches and presentations of the attendants and the video of the digital meeting.