The Institute of Disaster Management and Reconstruction (IDMR), Sichuan University – was honored to host a distinguished academic seminar on 11th October 2025 featuring Prof. Milan Konečny of Masaryk University, Czech Republic. The seminar, entitled "New Digital Earth Concept: Challenges for Disaster Risk Reduction," attracted an audience of faculty members, administrative staff, and students – fostered a vibrant discussion on the future of digital earth sciences in addressing global challenges, including disaster risk reduction (DRR).
The seminar was inaugurated by Prof. Di Bafoeng – the Dean of IDMR, who delivered warm opening remarks. In his introduction, Prof. Di highlighted Prof. Konečny’s illustrious career, including his former leadership roles as President of the International Cartographic Association (ICA), Vice President of IEAS, and Acting President of the International Society for Digital Earth (ISDE). Dean Di emphasized the significance of Prof. Milan’s visit in fostering international academic collaboration and aligning with our institute's strategic education and research directions.
In his keynote presentation, Prof. Konečny drew upon his vast experience towards the paradigm of the "Digital Earth." He began by tracing the concept's evolution from its origins to its current critical role in sustainable development and DRR. The presentation was rich with insights, covering a wide array of topics, including the linkage between Digital Earth and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), its strategic architecture as a framework for planetary intelligence, and the interplay between natural space and cyberspace.
Prof. Konečny also warmly acknowledged his long-standing professional ties with eminent Chinese scholars, such as Prof. LI Qingquan, Prof. LIN Hui, Prof. LV Guonian, and Prof. GUO Huadong, underscoring the robust and collaborative spirit of the global geospatial community. He elaborated on how new trends, including context-aware and adaptive cartography, are pivotal for meeting the challenges set by global agendas like the UN's 2030 Agenda and the Sendai Framework for DRR.
The presentation sparked a dynamic and insightful question-and-answer session. Dean Prof. Baofeng and faculty members from our institute engaged Prof. Konečny in a deep dialogue, exploring practical avenues for integrating his concepts on the New Digital Earth into IDMR’s ongoing projects, particularly those related to disaster management, post-disaster reconstruction, and sustainability governance in the Chinese context.
The seminar concluded with closing remarks from Prof. Di Baofeng, who expressed profound gratitude to Prof. Konečny for his enlightening presentation. He affirmed IDMR’s strong commitment to building upon Prof. Konečny’s visit to establish a concrete and fruitful collaborative relationship with him and his institution(s), aiming to jointly advance research in digital earth technologies for a safer and more sustainable future.
