Why does the standardization of geographical names matter in a changing world?
The webinar will take place from 08:30 to 09:30 New York time and is organized within the framework of the UN Global Network of Data Officers and Statisticians.
Geographical names are much more than labels on maps. They are part of the infrastructure through which societies organize space, communicate location and manage information. Emergency services, transport and logistics, navigation systems, public administration, census and statistical work, humanitarian operations and digital mapping all rely on clear and consistent geographical names.
When place names are inconsistent, duplicated, mistranscribed or poorly standardized, the consequences can range from administrative confusion to serious problems in emergency response.
At the same time, geographical names cannot be treated simply as technical data. They also preserve history, language, identity and cultural memory. Many toponyms are part of the intangible heritage of the communities that created and continue to use them. Standardization must therefore find a careful balance between practical efficiency and respect for linguistic diversity, minority traditions and indigenous naming systems.
From traditional maps to AI and big data
The webinar will introduce the foundations of geographical name standardization while also examining some of the challenges that are becoming increasingly important.
Among them are the recognition of indigenous and minority place names, the effects of climate change on landscapes and traditional toponymy, the need for strong legal and institutional structures supporting national naming policies, and the rapid transformation of geographical information through digital technologies, artificial intelligence and big data.
These developments make name standardization an increasingly interdisciplinary field. Toponymy now intersects not only with linguistics, geography and history, but also with geospatial technologies, humanitarian mapping, data governance and artificial intelligence.
International speakers
The webinar brings together specialists representing several different dimensions of geographical names standardization.
Carlos Lopes, Professor at the Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance at the University of Cape Town, will contribute a broader governance and development perspective.
Majdi Al-Harbi, from Saudi Arabia and UNGEGN Rapporteur, will represent the work of the United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names.
Sallie Payne Snell, Head of EuroGeographics, will bring the perspective of European national mapping, cadastral and geospatial authorities.
Rafe Benli, from Australia and Interim Chair of the Pacific South-West Division of UNGEGN, will contribute experience from a region characterized by extensive linguistic, cultural and geographical diversity.
Céline Jacquin, representing the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team, will highlight the growing importance of reliable place-name data for humanitarian and open mapping activities.
The session will be opened by Pierre Jaillard, Chair of UNGEGN, while Mark Iliffe of the UNGEGN Secretariat will deliver the closing remarks.
A first step toward a permanent UNGEGN knowledge library
This webinar is particularly significant because it is not intended as a stand-alone event. It will open a series of webinars on specialized aspects of geographical-name standardization.
The session will also become the first module of a permanent UNGEGN knowledge library devoted to name standardization.
This makes the event relevant not only for current practitioners, but also for students, researchers and educators who may later use the material as an introduction to the field.
The intended audience includes national naming authorities, mapping and statistical agencies, data officers, researchers, educators and anyone working with geographical names, geospatial information or location data.
For onomasticians and toponymists, the webinar is especially timely. It illustrates how geographical-name research is increasingly connected with issues of data quality, digital infrastructure, cultural heritage, multilingualism, humanitarian action and environmental change.
In a world where maps are updated in real time, landscapes are changing, and digital systems increasingly depend on standardized location data, the question is no longer simply what is this place called?
The more difficult question is:
How can geographical names remain accurate, usable and standardized while still preserving the linguistic and cultural histories they carry?
That tension between standardization and diversity will be at the heart of the discussion on 27 October.
Event: Why standardization of geographical names matters in a changing world
Date: 27 October 2026
Time: 08:30–09:30 New York time
Organizers: UN Global Network of Data Officers and Statisticians & UNGEGN
Registration: https://lnkd.in/gwq6mTpm
Global Network: https://lnkd.in/eNPzZpzT
No comments:
Post a Comment