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Prague - A Successful Group Seminar |
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This year the AGS Seminar was held in Prague, Czech Republic, from 20 to 27 January, 2008. In attendance at the seminar were all AGS Group Branch Managers and Sales Executives from Western and Eastern Europe, the French Overseas Territories and Asia. We also had the pleasure of inviting several corporate clients and overseas partners. |
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This occasion was an ideal opportunity for our international partners to meet each of the Branch Managers, especially those from Asia who recently joined the Group.
Our corporate clients received some insight into the size of the Group, and were able to exchange general useful information on how to manage their employees’ mobility.
During the Seminar, some of the newest projects of the Group were communicated, such as the setting-up of new branches in Asia (specifically in Chennai, Seoul and Manila), an introduction to AGS Relocation Services, as well as the evolution of the technology which is dedicated to AGS clients.
After having elected Barcelona for the 2009 seminar, it was time for the attendees to enjoy the magnificent “City of 100 Towers”, by visiting the city, the Library of the Stahov Monastery and the Prague Castle.
Once again, we would like to thank the French Ambassador in Prague and his Economic Attaché, who welcomed us warmly at their magnificent Embassy for cocktails. |
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Kenya Irish Society can Rely on AGS Frasers Kenya |
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AGS Frasers Kenya, who frequently supports the Kenya Irish Society through sponsorships, recently sponsored a golf day which was held at the Karen Country Club.
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This golf tournament began many years ago as a means for the Irish golf players in Nairobi to challenge their non-Irish peers. It is also a way for the Irish community to raise funds for charities.
The tournament has grown in recent years, and this year’s number of entries of 136 golfers was a record, as was the sponsorship generated. The trophy, which is
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played for annually in November, was custom made by Waterford Crystal, and was donated to the society by a member of the Kenya Irish Society.
This year, AGS Frasers Kenya sponsored a hole at the Karen Country Club for 25,000 Kenyan Shillings, as well as golf balls which were given away as prizes. Forty teams consisting of four members each and representing 20 different nationalities participated in the tournament.
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The Kenya Irish Society is a charity organisation which is run solely by volunteers, and it raises funds through several events held throughout the year. The funds are donated to various educational, feeding or HIV/Aids-related projects. Thanks to the generous support of many sponsors including AGS Frasers Kenya, an impressive one million Kenyan Shillings was raised in 2007. This amount was used to sponsor 12 different projects.
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Samuel Barrois, New Managing Director of AGS Kiev
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AGS would like to congratulate Mr. Samuel Barrois on his new role as Managing Director of AGS Kiev. We applaud Samuel not only for his promotion within our group, but also for his outstanding contributions to various local communities in Eastern Europe.
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Samuel, who is an avid humanitarian, has done much for his community over the years, such as founding the Bratislava Charity Ball. Samuel’s compassion for others has taken him on a 6 month sabbatical from the company, where he sailed the Danube River on a boat which he had built himself. During his trip, Samuel helped many local schools by organising charity events to the benefit of the local communities. |
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The idea of this trip came about during the AGS seminar in 2006. Samuel and various other managing directors of the Eastern European branches were discussing how the Danube River was a natural link between their countries, and realised that although it would not be appropriate to ship our clients’ personal effects along this river, it would be interesting to start a project centred on the river to strengthen the link between the various Eastern European branches. |
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By the end of 2006, Samuel had formulated his plan to travel the Danube and turned this trip into a charity project to the benefit of the local communities along the way. Of course, AGS was available to help out at every step of the journey.
This opportunity enabled Samuel to acquire the contact details of the many embassies, schools, and charity |
| associations and, needless to say, guaranteed mooring at the various marinas along the Danube for his boat. |
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The journey began in Bratislava, Slovakia, passed through Budapest and Belgrade, and ended on the coast of the Black Sea, in Romania. Samuel worked with several schools in these countries. All the AGS branches en route provided recycled packing materials, which were used for art projects at the various schools.
At each school, Samuel helped the students in making |
frames, and arranged local auctions where they were sold. All proceeds were donated to schools in need. |
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D-Day Dakota Makes Its Way to Normandy, With the Help of AGS |
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The last few months were exceptional for AGS Sarajevo, as the branch was tasked with the transportation of a remarkable WW2 aircraft from Sarajevo to Normandy, France. |
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The aircraft, a Dakota 43-15073, was a gift from Bosnia to France. It was built in 1944 in Long Beach, California, and began its long career transporting troops to Normandy. The plane was also used in the infamous Sainte-Mère-l’Eglise paratrooper landings in 1944, as depicted in the film ‘The Longest Day’.
After World War II, the plane was sold to a Czechoslovakian airline, which used it for civilian purposes. By 1960, the plane was sold to the French Air Force, which, in 1972, sold it to the Yugoslav Air Force, where it was used once again as a military plane. From there on the plane remained at its military base in Rajlovac, near Sarajevo, where it was transformed into a bar in order to service the European troops, who were sent after the1992 - 1995 Bosnian war.
The major of Merville-Franceville, Olivier Paz, initiated the operation and arrived at Sarajevo with 10 volunteers from the ‘Merville Dakota’ association, from France, to help dismantle the plane, and then it was up to AGS to load the parts onto trucks - the fuselage alone measured 19.60m.
Despite a few obstacles in the transportation of the plane, some were experienced during the authorization process, where authorization was needed to transport the plane across several European borders, destined for Normandy. The AGS Branch manager, Erol Mahmutovic, was able to secure the authorization within a few days (the usual procedure for any military item usually takes 2 to 3 months), and the plane was ready for departure from Bosnia.
Once restoration is complete, the Dakota will be displayed in the Merville-Franceville museum, which is close to the |
| legendary Normandy beaches. A ceremony is scheduled for June 2008 to celebrate this historic moment, which will include many members of the public, politicians, family of the crew and the last surviving crew member.
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AGS Frasers Mozambique Honours the Photo Press |
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The “World Press Photo” is a famous touring photo exhibition, and AGS Frasers Mozambique had the pleasure of assisting the Dutch Embassy with the organisation of this event in Maputo. |
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The World Press Photo was founded in Amsterdam in 1955. It is an independent, non-profit organisation, which is directed at the promotion of professional photographic-journalism in the media, by way of an annual competition, educational programs and a touring exhibition.
This exhibition tours throughout 45 countries across the globe, is shown in approximately 80 cities and is attended by more than 2 million people. The 2007 tour |
| will end in Magdeburg, Germany, on 19 April, 2008, and the 2008 tour will commence on 29 April, 2008, from Amsterdam. |
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Marc Guyonnaud, Branch Manager of AGS Frasers Mozambique, was contacted by the Dutch Embassy who requested our assistance to organise the temporary import of the exhibition pictures, for the Maputo stopover. We have maintained an excellent working relationship with the Dutch Embassy for a number of years. AGS Frasers Mozambique welcomed the challenge, and offered to render the service for free. The opening |
ceremony was attended by approximately 300 people, and the exhibition was a tremendous success.
His Excellency, Frans Beijvoet, Dutch Ambassador in Maputo, warmly thanked AGS Frasers Mozambique for our support and expressed his wish to have us involved in the 2008 tour. |
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