The conference on Geomorphology and the Changing Environment in Europe was held at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest and VeszprΓ©m. The number of participants was approximately 130, half of whom were from Hungary and the rest from 22 other countries, mainly in central and eastern Europe. The Pannonian or Carpathian Basin, crossed by the Danube, formed the scenic backdrop of the meeting which started in good weather and ended in snow in mid-April.
On the first day, the delegates were welcomed by Erno Meszaros from the Department of Geosciences of the Academy, and Olav Slaymaker from the IAG. The keynote lectures were delivered by Marton Pecsi ('Evolution of surfaces of planation controlled by tectonic and erosion/accumulation cycles') and V. R. Baker ('Geomorphology and global habitability'). A delicious buffet lunch which included local specialities was served on a Danube boat and the standard of the food stayed high throughout the conference. A tour on the geomorphology of the city of Budapest was led by Marton Pecsi on the afternoon of the first day.
Next morning, the participants travelled to VeszprΓ©m, 100 km southwest of Budapest. Eighty papers and 30 posters were presented in the afternoon and also on the fourth day of the conference, the venue for which at VeszprΓ©m was an old castle. The sessions included fluvial geomorphology, long-term geomorphic evolution, nature conservation and environmental protection, Quaternary landscape evolution, recent geomorphic processes, geomorphological hazards, karst geomorphology, volcanic landforms, basin evolution, geomorphology and development, soil erosion, human impact on rivers, climate change, and geomorphological and geoecological mapping.
A fascinating full-day excusion to the Bakony Mountains and the surroundings of Lake Balaton took care of the third day. A farewell party in the restaurant 'Under the Bridge' was a memorable way of concluding the conference. A post-conference excursion to the Great Hungarian Plain was led by Z. Borsy, A. Kerenyi, G. Mezosi and J. Szabo. The kind donation of $10 000 to the conference by the Suzuki Corporation at the behest of Professor Takasuke Suzuki should be recognized.