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This 39th congress was one of the most successful congresses with the most extensive congress programme and the accompanying exhibition of equipment and accomplishments so far.
This is the congress with the highest number of HVAC&R officials from four continents and the highest number of domestic manufacturers and traders, but, unfortunately, without proper attention and interest of the domestic state officials and media, and even engineering associations.
This convention in the Belgrade SAVA Centre started on 3rd December 2008 with the welcome cocktail organized by GRAPPA Carrier Toshiba from Belgrade. The number of people present and the crowded exhibition area indicated what would be happening in the SAVA Centre in the following three days.
The congress was opened by Professor Branko Todorović, with special reference to important jubilees and anniversaries this congress was marking: 100 years of refrigeration engineering and the centenary of the International Institute of Refrigeration and 140th anniversary of the establishment of engineering organizations in Serbia.
Then, the congress participants were greeted by Mr. Slobodan Pejković, President of the Congress General Patron FILTER FRIGO from Belgrade, Mr. Coulomb, Director of the International Institute of Refrigeration from Paris, Mr. William Harrison, ASHRAE President, Mr. Yuri Tabunshikov, AVOK President from Russia, the french cultural attache, Mr. Petrović, Secretary of the Association of Energy and Energy Mining of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce, and the representative of the exhibition patron, the company RHOSS, Italy.
The President of AVOK, the Russian Association for Ventilation, Heating and Air-Conditioning, awarded Prof. Branko Todorović the prize named after the famous Russian physicist Bogoslavski, on the 20th anniversary of this professional organization, for Prof. Todorović’s merits and contributions to the establishment and promotion of this association.
The congress opening ceremony was concluded with a speech given by Mr. Didier Coulomb on history and development of refrigeration science and engineering worldwide.
The congress activities were continued with introductory presentations of the world biggest experts on the current topics in the field of heating, refrigeration and air-conditioning and a round table in the afternoon on water chillers, heat pumps and refrigerants.
The second day’s schedule was full and the exhibition area was crowded with numerous visitors. The congress began and ended with the presentations of main sponsors, and in the meantime, the congress topics included highly efficient and hyper-efficient refrigeration, air-conditioning and ventilation, and heating plants and district heating. The adjacent hall hosted “The Programme for Young Professionals” – undergraduate and graduate students, young engineers and technicians from all Serbian university centres, after which students and their professors visited the exhibition and had a lunch, hosted by Professor Bojić from Kragujevac.
In the evening, the banquette was attended by almost 500 guests and the highest recognitions were awarded in a formal atmosphere: “KGH Plaques”, “KGH Medals”, letters of gratitude for sponsors and patrons who had supported the congress for many years, and special diplomas for exhibitors at the exhibition of HVAC&R equipment and accomplishments.
The third day also began with the presentations of main sponsors and continued with the topics including buildings and energy, energy efficiency programmes and the meeting of the ASHRAE Danube Chapter, where the participants were addressed by Mr. Bill Harrison, ASHRAE President.
Mr. Francis Allard, REHVA President, who managed to come to Belgrade, but only for one day, gave a speech at the final and brief closing ceremony, after which Professor Branko Todorović, the Chairman of the Organizing Committee presented his view of the congress and scheduled the following, jubilee 40th international HVAC&R congress to be held in Belgrade in the period from 2nd to 4th December 2009.
Finally, at the farewell lunch, impressions were summarized in a relaxed atmosphere and with an extraordinary menu of various delicacies in the SAVA centre restaurant.
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