Work Program (Strategy 1 - Technical Expertise)

Report on progress for each UNGEGN session to 2029

(if appropriate to be included in the report of the WG GNDM)

Convenor

1. UNGEGN database: Discuss and provide feedback to new developments  
2. UNECA: Contact UNECA (André Nouguierma) to get information on the progress on GeoNyms 
3. Contributions to Training Courses on Toponymy to be assessed and reported  
4. Open Regional Gazetteer for Europe: Report about the progress at each Session  

Proposal to be discussed: Action item to be generalized and/or specified to e.g.
"Promote and give technical advice on the structure and modelling of the World Geographical Names Database of the United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names (WGN-DB) or other UN database/gazetteer initiatives"
(according to the proposed ToR)

Update (as part of the WG report) at each Session

in progress

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Evaluate and assess exchange standards for geographical names information and for web services (gazetteer, feature and mapping) for the provision of geographical names information

(comprising the review of Part II of the UNGEGN Technical Reference Manual)

WG GNDM

other members/countries

Task Team of WG members:

Roman Stani-Fertl, Peder Gammeltoft Teemu Leskinen, Peeter Päll, Convenor

Teemu Leskinen

N.N.

A new caring colleague for this task to be identified  

Some preliminary thoughts for consideration (TL):

1. Compile a structured and annotated list on standards with relevance to GN data exchange, dissemination and integration and provide links to relevant sources on their GN data related properties
   
2. Invite countries, organizations and UNGEGN members to provide thoughts, examples as well as data providers’ and users’ experiences on the application of the standards

(Comments 01.10.2021)

Document completed  

Document has been published on UNGEGN's website

On geographical names data modelling and transfer related standards, manuals, or guidelines – some ideas from the Working Group on Geographical Names Data Management

done

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Present geographical names data management topics at national and international conferences organized in the fields of geospatial information management

Assess annually

Convenor and other WG members

1. Inform the Convenor about contributions / presentations (providing titles, authors) of relevant conference papers 
2. Provide short summaries of the contributions /presentations to be included in a sub-Wiki-page "Representation"
3. use social media to support this action item by circulating upcoming meetings, presentation (notify the WG P&F)
   

in progress

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Promote, agree and disseminate romanization systems for national and global use

Catherine Cheetham

1. WG RS convenors to liaise with Member States to assist donor countries in developing and putting forward for adoption scientific romanization systems, as part of core role of WG.
2. Promote and disseminate adopted romanization systems to all UNGEGN Member states
   

in progress

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Promote and support the establishment of an authoritative international database/gazetteer of geographical names to be disseminated to the public through UNGEGN

Bureau,
WG GNDM,
WG GNCH
WG RS

Task Team of WG members:
Convenor, Susan Birtles, Victoria Reeh, Jasper Hogerwerf, Catherine Cheetham, Peeter Päll, Peder Gammeltoft

1. Gather problem statements and use cases to understand need for an international database/gazetteer.
2. Report on findings, possible high level solutions, and proposed next steps at 2023 session.
3. Subsequent steps TBD following 2023 report.

Outcome - Understanding of requirements for an international database/gazetteer.

Deliverable - Report on findings and proposal for next steps (Report on behalf of WG at 2023 session).

This Action item has been linked to 1-i-2 and tackles all issues related to the WGN DB

in progress

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Examine processes and recommend good practice

1. on how single and multi-jurisdictional Member States record, store, disseminate and manage their geographical names

WG GNDM (for 2 and 3),
WG GNCH (for 1),

Task Team(s) of WG members:

Re 1)

Jasper Hogerwerf, Ingvil Nordland,
Teemu Leskinen, Aju Pudra, Young-Hoon Kim, Convenor

Ingvil Nordland (for 1)

For 1)

1. Crosscheck the tasks with WG GNCH, particularly focus group 2 “Legislation, policies & best practices relating to geographical names” and seek collaboration
2. Define more concrete what’s meant by the terms record, store, disseminate and manage in this context (is it mainly office treatment of names as described in Chapter VII in the Manual or is the scope of the subtask broader?)
3. Getting an overview of practices used by reading country reports and division reports
4. Ask selected countries and/or divisions to elaborate their practices, for instance by inviting to virtual meetings/workshops in smaller groups to share experices
5. Examine and evaluate selected practices more in detail and based on this come up with some recommendations (there is no “one size fit all" in terms of “good” practices, but there are practices that are better than others)

It has to be discussed whether or not these sub-items can be partly be shifted to the WG on Cultural Heritage. To be discussed with the "caring colleagues" and the Convenors of the WG CH.

For 1)

1. Report progress (as part of the WG report) each session
2. Use findings to contribute to an update/revision of the Manual for the national standardization of geographical names
   

Update (as part of the WG report) at each session

delayed

See details

2. for the reuse and validation of volunteered geographic Information, crowd sourced data and Linked Open Data (LOD) as part of national geographical names standardization work

Re 2)

Susan Birtles, Jasper Hogerwerf, Ingvil Nordland, Peder Gammeltoft, Aji Pudra, Young-Hoon Kim, Convenor

Jasper Hogerwerf (for 2 and 3)

1. Make an inventory of VGI and LD use cases in member states' SDIs
2. Report on this in UNGEGN meeting(s)
3. Encourage member states to report on VGI and LD use cases and their experiences
4. Identify good practices based on theory and success stories (use cases and experiences)
5. Prepare recommendations on VGI and LD use

See above under 1)

For 2)

1. Report(s) to UNGEGN meeting on VGI and LD use cases
2. Report(s) and/or resolution(s) with recommendations on VGI and LD use

Update (as part of the WG report) at each session

delayed

3. for the use of standardized geographical names as fundamental data theme in national spatial data infrastructures (SDIs) within the monitoring of the SDG indicator framework in order to analyze and monitor the changes in a country

Re 3)

Chair, Teemu Leskinen, Jasper Hogerwerf, Convenor

Jasper Hogerwerf (for 2 and 3)

For 3)

1. Make an inventory of the position of geographical names as fundamental data theme in SDIs of member states

2. Identify the role of geographical names within the SDG indicator framework

3. Make recommendations on the reporting of the names standardization level of member states within the SDG indicator framework

 See above under 1)

For 3)

1. Report on the position of geographical names within SDIs of member states
2. Report with recommendations on the use of the SDG indicators to report on the level of geographical names standardization of member states

Update (as part of the WG report) at each session

Monitor the availability of free and easily-accessible authorized digital geographical names data as it is seen as a key driver in encouraging the use of nationally-standardized geographical names

No references to other WGs

WG GNDM

Marija Brnot, Convenor

Victoria Fölsing/ Marija Brnot

Mariela Masino

1. Compilation of the existing data sources
2. Check whether the data is free and easily-accessible
3. Review every year
4. Encourage more member states to provide authorized geographical names data
   1. Draft a dissemination and communication plan
      1. Articles in the Bulletin
      2. Presentation at national, regional and international conferences/workshops

• Report (at each session)
• Update of the Website (as part of UNGEGN Website): Overview with all free and easily-accessible authorized digital geographical names data)

in progress

(content ready, but document for publication to be created)

See details

Organize workshops and on innovative, research and/or technical issues/topics like e.g. volunteered geographic information, crowd sourced data, Linked Open Data or speech technology

WG GNDM,
WG GNCH

Convenor, Susan Birtles and others (Eveline Wandl-Vogt, Peder Gammeltoft)

A starting point shall be a workshop about LOD

1. discuss a concept end of 2021
2. organise a first workshop on LOD in 2022 (location to be decided, but somewhere in Europe)

• Overview on the current situation in the Member States
• Explore ontologies and ontology exchange

No webinars have been planned for 2026 yet. Maybe one on GN & AI to be considered.

in progress

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Evaluate and assess innovative methods to be used for Romanization, e.g. machine transliteration

Catherine Cheetham

Active monitoring of global romanization activities, reaching out to WGRS members, other international bodies, e.g. ISO, and academia.

Update (as part of the WG report) at each session

in progress

See details