IFPRA 20th World Congress - Hamamutsu Japan 2005

By Mr John P Brandenburg
IFPRA Asia Pacific Secretary

International Federation of Park and Recreation Administration (IFPRA) World Congress and Study Tour held in Hamamatsu, Japan with 700 participants, attending from 28 countries and regions, with 12 delegates from Australia. There were 2 Post Congress Tours - one going south, the other to the north. My tour north back to Tokyo had 17 members from 8 countries.

Hamamatsu was affected by a typhoon and 2 major earthquakes and after shocks during the Congress. The quakes of 6.9 followed by 7.3 magnitude and the following tremors for 5 hours and tsunami overturned boats, damaged some properties and injured 38 people. Exciting for delegates, a regular occurrence for locals.