This year's theme for the Symposia – Progress and Transition – has two goals that focus on agencies' sustainability accomplishments of the past year and on additional sustainability initiatives and directions that should be evident in the first few months of the new Administration.  The call for presentation abstracts opens on January 7 and can be accessed by visiting:  http://www.fedcenter.gov/symposia2009-cfp.

The Symposia drew over 750 participants in 2008, who overwhelmingly gave thumbs up to both events for content, speaker quality, facilities, and opportunities to meet and interact with colleagues and leaders from other agencies.  The Symposia are fast becoming the professional events of choice for the Federal sustainability community that deals with the myriad of elements and requirements in Executive Order 13423, among others.

We invite and encourage all members of the Federal sustainability community to submit their abstracts by the February 13th deadline.  And, importantly, we encourage all prospective attendees to save the dates on their calendars and to monitor this FedCenter page regularly for the registration link that will be posted sometime in the mid-March timeframe.

We look forward to your participation in the Symposia.  Whether in Bethesda or Grand Mound, we are sure you will find a worthwhile investment - and fun!

Sincerely,
Joe Cascio
Federal Environmental Executive