Special Thanks to Professor Jean Boyazoglu
Number 45
Back to Contents			Next

Special thanks to Professor Jean Boyazoglu

Statement by the President of EAAP, Professor Aimé Aumaitre,
to the General Assembly of EAAP on 3 September 2002
at their meetings in Cairo, Egypt.

Jean Boyazoglu, a polyglot and efficient Chief Executive Officer of the European Association for Animal Production, will complete a second non-consecutive six years term in the service of the Association at the end of 2002 at which time he will celebrate his 65th birthday.  I do not want to recall the major milestones of his international career of which most of you are aware. I would only like to underline some special traits of his recent success, his character and his personality which make him so attractive and charming though sometimes provocative, but so successful at the service of EAAP.

Many of us know you, Professor Boyazoglu, as a tireless and efficient organiser of many meetings, working venues, seminars and committees. You have always faced difficulties with courage, responsibility, and tenacity and with the sense of listening, interacting and helping your colleagues ... work indeed well done!

You have been active as a geneticist and research worker but also as a teacher, adviser, as a diplomat at the request of several nations, as well as an ombudsman for several international organisations and associations.  In particular, under your second term of management, you have engaged our Association on a road of definitive and marked changes, currently in progress such as:

• Opening the Association to new members and providing initial support in the East and the South.
• Extending co-operation with sister organisations.
• Increasing the numbers of Commissions, and Joint Sessions.
• Diversifying the Working Groups and attracting new and much younger leaders to them.
• Launching studying groups on "hot" topics in collaboration with FAO, EU, OIE, CIHEAM and others
• Strengthening the ties with the EU Commissions of Research and Agriculture.
• Monitoring and advising on important or occasional international events.
• Accepting and encouraging innovations, such as the Round-Table.
• Searching for finances, extending Scholarships for Young Scientists and opening doors for many interactions.

You are also still handling the difficult task of Editor-in-Chief of "Livestock Production Science", and sustaining personally the newly launched EAAP Technical Series.

Jean, your international dimension acquired at your birth and since then fully developed, is not only well-known and recognised but also well appreciated in various contexts and many countries of the world.  You have been honoured by several National Academies, all directly or indirectly in the service of agriculture.  You have been a recipient of several international awards, distinctions and decorations. You have also impressed and interacted with Ministers, diplomatic and political authorities; acting at the service of the livestock sector and Animal Science, never for personal gain but always at the service of the scientific and the professional communities. The astonishing development of ICAR is your doing.

Jean, you know perfectly well that to lead EAAP needs diplomacy, but also requires strong determination, accurate, quick and sometimes unpopular decisions; action and tireless personal implication, in many cases at the expense of one's private life and interests.  Everyone will recognise you with his or her own personal appropriate description. Within EAAP I speak for the past, present and future of the association with my thanks and admiration.  May I also sincerely extend our appreciation to your patient wife, Martie, for sustaining you and your home during your frequent absences.

Dr. Andrea Rosati

And now to Dr. Andrea Rosati. Your future work, Andrea, is not easy!  You have been chosen not only to follow but also to lead. You will be faced with a permanent challenge, but you have been put on the rails with your ICAR experience.  Be prepared to continue and extend the activities and to serve EAAP with your best, reinforcing the excellent contacts with other Associations.  Your ability in contacts is one of your major qualities as you start. You are also familiar to many of us; everyday we will be on your side to help you if needed.

Then, what about the near future for Jean, a sixth career!  May I translate an expression used in my own village of Auvergne:  "se reposer c'est changer d'ouvrage" which could be translated as "taking a rest only means changing your occupation"!  We are sure that you will enjoy your new work, in another capital city!  You are well prepared for it and you are almost entirely already in it. We have no doubt that you will never forget EAAP. Also we know that you will help us and Andrea Rosati in particular when he needs you; I am sure you will never hesitate to contribute to EAAP's  consolidation and future.

Aimé Aumaitre
President, EAAP
3 September 2002

Next:  EAAP Notices

Back to Contents