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Annual Conference of
the
Council of Geographic Names Authorities
in the United States
In 1977
the tradition of an annual meeting began under the heading Intermountain
States Geographic Names Conference. The name was changed to the Western States
Geographic Names Conference, 1979 which led to the forming of the Western States
Geographic Names Council (WSGNC), 1982. The WSGNC was reorganized to the
Council of Geographic Names Authorities
(COGNA), 1998 to accommodate the expanding role of the conference and
establish the organization to include all State Geographic Names Authorities
in the United States.
The annual conference of the COGNA is open to anyone with an interest in
geographic names. In attendance at the conference are representatives, deputies,
members and staff of state authorities, the US-BGN, other state and federal
agencies; advisory groups; academia; and representatives from federal or
state/province agencies of other countries.
Through
the conference the COGNA is dedicated to bringing decision makers from federal and state
agencies, academia, and the public together to deliberate place naming
principles, policies, procedures, and issues. Each year the annual conference provides the primary
forum for exchange of common-interest information with respect to the
official designation of names for relevant geographic features and cultural entities within geographical areas over
which the US-BGN and state authorities have responsibility. The Domestic
Names Committee, US-BGN conducts a forum to provide
information to the state authorities and to seek information from them. State
authorities, through their representatives and/or deputies, use the
conference forum to seek information and/or advice from the US-BGN and
associated federal agencies. The forum provides the opportunity for COGNA to make recommendations to the US-BGN and/or
associated federal and state agencies. Academia
and interested citizens
are invited to
present research papers and conduct workshops
to diffuse geographic names knowledge.
The following items are
included in each COGNA conference providing information for anyone with an
interest in geographic names.
1.
A meeting of the DNC,
US-BGN
2. The State/Federal Round Table Discussion
3. A meeting of the hosting state’s geographic
names authority
4. The annual business meeting of the Council
5. Toponymic workshops
6. Academic papers
7. Toponymic Tour
FUNDING
The expenses of the COGNA and its annual conference are covered by income
from conference fees, contributions, gifts, royalties, and/or grants from
interested individuals or organizations. It is our goal to have a representative
from each State Geographic Names Authority attend the annual conference.
Unfortunately many of the States are unable to send representatives to
the conference due to budgetary
restraints. In our efforts to meet the COGNA's goals, we seek help from grantors
and contributors to assist in providing funds, thus enabling representatives who
need assistance to attend. The COGNA has no paid
employees; all funds are used for meeting our goals.
See
information for Grantors and Contributors
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