Speeches: John DEFTERIOS, TV Anchor

John DEFTERIOS TV Anchor

closing Ceremony

Good morning. I hope our friends from the far corner of the dining room were able this morning to shake off any potential ill effects from the late night folk songs and the clear drink, whether it was vodka or sake at the end of the night. I for one was highly entertained by our secretary general and the lead singers from Ukraine and the Russian Federation.

We have see in these last three days that the issue of transport and technology of tomorrow impacts our every day professional and private lives in many ways and it will continue to do so.

I am currently working with one of the leading technology companies on a program, which behind the scenes is very excited about what we are about to witness over the next few years - so much so they are measuring the comparison to the advent of the telephone line and the television. It will be the ability to have technology 'always on' as we heard from internet visionary John Patrick. 

That however is just scratching the surface. I look forward to the day at an IRU World Congress, if not the next in Dubai, clearly the one to follow in 2008, where the forces of logistics, in cab technology, wireless broadband and the arteries for commerce themselves, the roads networks of the world are joined together in communication. This industry, through public and private partnership, is on to 'something' big.

I can say this with confidence, not only due to the forces at work in the global economy, but also because this organization, its member association and government partners do take action.

I want to pick up briefly on a comment which was made towards the end of our interactive session yesterday from former IRU President David Green. In sum, he put into context that instead of being fast followers in global commerce, waiting for someone else to take the initiative on any crucial issue, the IRU and its members are out addressing the issues, setting standards, which others follow.

As you all know by now this is my 5th World Congress and as I recollect what has transpired since 1996, from a coherent ground breaking policy for sustainable development to what are widely seen as the template for best practices in road safety internationally, this is a forward thinking industry, a forward thinking organization, which as you all know, is only as good as its membership.

And to use a worn out cliché', the best is yet to come for the IRU - not only because of the technological advances which are at your doorstep, but the new ground that will blazed in the most exciting of emerging markets around the world.