General Session Keynote Speaker
BERTRAND PICCARD 
Bertrand Piccard was born on March 1st 1958 in Switzerland into a family of explorers and scientists. He seemed to be predestined to perpetuate one of the greatest family adventures of the 20th century. Betrand is a scientist-adventurer, psychiatrist and aeronaut, and combines science and adventure to explore the human soul.
After a classical education, he studied medicine, became a senior consultant in a psychiatric hospital, and specialised jointly in psychiatry and psychotherapy for adults and children. His doctoral thesis entitled "La Pédagogie de l'Epreuve" was awarded a prize by the Faculty of Medicine at Lausanne in 1996. An expert in hypnotherapy, he is lecturer and supervisor for the Swiss Medical Hypnosis Society.
Always interested in the study of human behaviour in extreme situations, he was one of the pioneers of hang gliding and microlight flying in the 1970s and became European champion in hang-glider aerobatics in 1985.
After qualifying as a balloon pilot, he won, with Wim Verstraeten, the first transatlantic balloon race (Chrysler Challenge, 1992) and then initiated the "Breitling Orbiter" project. Captain of the three attempts, he succeeded with the Englishman, Brian Jones, the first (and as of today the only....) non-stop round-the-world balloon flight, achieving the longest flight in terms of both duration and distance in the history of aviation: 45,755 kilometres in 19 days, 21 hours and 47 minutes (capturing a total of 7 world records).
After this circumnavigation, considered the last great adventure of the 20th century, Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones were decorated with the the Olympic Order and the gold medal of the French Ministry of Youth and Sport and received among others the highest distinctions of the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale, the National Geographic Society, the Explorer's Club, and numerous aeronautical , scientific and sporting associations in Europe and the United States of America.
Honorary Doctor of Science, Bertrand Piccard also received the Grand Prix of the Académie des Sciences Morales et Politiques de l'Institut de France and was named as a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Population Fund.
His two books "Une Trace dans le ciel", and "The Greatest Adventure" (written with Brian Jones, translated into 9 languages, best seller in France (Robert Laffont) and Germany (Piper Verlag) have contributed to Bertrand becoming know as "Le Savanturier", someone who is endeavouring to combine the scientific background inherited from his family with his desire to explore the great adventure of human life. He deals with his ballooning experience from the point of view of motivation and adventurous spirit, the psychology of communication and team-working, management of stress and the unknown.
Tuesday, 20 March 17:00 - 19:00
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| The OAUG Exhibit Hall has been a valuable experience at past OAUG conferences, offering delegates a technology showcase of many current products and services that complement Oracle Applications.
The hand-on demo area features stations where delegates participate in hands-on demonstrations of Oracle Applications. This is one of the highest-rated features according to conference surveys.
If your company is interested in exhibiting at the OAUG Europe Conference, you may print the Exhibition Application and Contract from our Web site at www.oaug.org/europe 2001/e-exhib_info.html, complete the application, and return via fax or mail with payment, as indicated on the form. Space is still available. Exhibit space is assigned based on a merit point system.
If you have any questions, please contact Cheryl Gattis by phone at +1 404.240.0999, ext. 253. or via email at cgattis@meetingexpectations.com.
The OAUG Exhibit Hall and Hand-on Demos will be located in Exhibit Hall 1 at the Palexpo Exhibition & Conference Centre and will be open during the following hours:
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Tuesday, 20 March
14:00 - 17:00
19:00 - 21:00 |
Wednesday, 21 March
10:30 - 16:30 |
Thursday, 22 March
10:30 - 16:30 |
Friday, 23 March
10:30 - 13:30 |
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In 1995 one man's dream came true with the creation of Geneva's International Car Museum. The setting is, truly, something special. Spend your evening amidst the cars of some of the world's most famous people. Walk past General Patton's Jeep, Winston Churchill's car (where the smell of his cigar still lingers), Sophia Loren's automobile, and Stalin's very own limo. If only those cars could speak, they could tell you legendary stories.
