Olof W. Hedbom
Olof Hedbom has served as Vice-President of ICA, 1972–76, as Secretary-Treasurer, 1976–1984 and as a member of the Publications Committee, 1975–84. In 1956, when Carl Mannerfelt first visited foreign experts for the Esselte Conference, Hedbom was already amongst them, and so influenced the establishment of the ICA from the very beginning. Hedbom was involved, as Secretary-Treasurer in the ICA Conferences in Madrid, Moscow, College Park, Tokyo, Warsaw and Perth. Together with Professor Ormeling, Sr., he visited China in 1979, which led to China’s membership in 1980. Hedbom organised the Swedish funding ($20 000) that partly made possible the ICA Seminar in Nairobi, which started the ICA’s 3rd World strategy. During the extremely difficult period of martial law in Poland in 1981/82, Hedbom visited Warsaw to get acknowledgement from military leaders that ICA conference interests would be safeguarded.
Getting acquainted with the Chinese Association of Geodesy and Cartography. Secretary Hedbom serving Peking duck, Peking, 22 January 1979.
The Executive Committee of the International Cartographic Association, by virtue of the power vested in it by the statutes and by-laws, hereby elects Olof Hedbom as an Honorary Fellow in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the ICA over a period of 40 years from its origins, particularly in the capacities of Vice-President and Secretary-Treasurer.
Further reading: Obituary for Olof Hedbom
