UK: Olympics ‘Signage Slots’ Face Huge Demand LOCOG issues guidelines for sustainable packaging and printing CBS, an outdoor advertising company in UK claims that more than half of its ‘near vicinity’ Olympic venues have been sold to non-sponsors of the Game. As per the local media reports, the venues were taken up mostly by arts and tourism boards. The report further states that sponsors have invested in premium sites and that the amount spent by sponsors on outdoor advertising is estimated to be more than £250 million. Earlier, only official sponsors of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games were allowed to advertise on outdoor media close to the Olympic part, but now this has been expanded to include some other sectors. Meanwhile, LOCOG (London Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games) had released a report on how it
intends to create a sustainable and environmentally friendly 2012 games. The report includes policies on paper usage, printing, signage and packaging. LOGOC is ensuring that all of its timber products are FSC – certified and everything including copier paper, paper stationery, merchandise packaging and licensed products such as posters are all FSC-certified. The committee has also set up guidelines for packaging. The packaging guidelines specify that no waste should be sent directly to landfills. That all products and packaging should be, wherever applicable, reused, recycled or recovered. Compostable products and packaging should only be used where it’s not possible to reuse or recycle such items easily. Oxo-degradable products and
packaging should only be used where it’s not possible to reuse or recycle such items easily. Suppliers must retain appropriate documentation in respect to any compostable products and packaging. In its report, LOCOG mentions that it will prefer sustainable solutions for signage.
KSA: King Fahd Complex to Hold International Symposium on Printing The Holy Quran Symposium will discuss the best possible methods to print the Holy Quran King Fahd Complex for the Printing of Holy Quran will hold an international symposium on Printing during October this year. The symposium titled, ‘Printing the Holy Quran – Reality and Expectations’ will be attended by specialists from the printing field, related institutions and other official bodies from around the world. The symposium will present research and studies on Quran, and share experience of printers. Prof. Dr. Mohammed Salem Aufi, the Secretary General of the Preparatory Committee of the seminar said that there will be a series of meetings held during the event that will discuss various topics related to the printing of Quran. The seminar will discuss how to build databases, define benchmarks, and draft regulations,
while printing the Holy Quran, and will arrange meetings between consultants and specialists working in this field. The event will talk about the latest printing technologies and how they can be used to ensure optimum quality, while printing Quran. Participants at the seminar will discuss about five major topics. The first topic will be about the history of printing the Holy Quran in Europe, in Levant, Africa, India, and in Asia. The second topic will be about the scientific aspects that are related with Quran. The third topic will look into the various stages in printing, starting from the preparation of the text till binding and the best possible ways that can be adopted to do these jobs. It will look into the aesthetic aspects such as design, decoration, and materials used etc. and will discuss about print-
ing Quran in Braille script and for people with special needs. The fourth topic will discuss about the impact of digital media over printing. The fifth topic will discuss about the role of King Fahd Complex in printing Quran, which will address issues like quality control measures, electronic technologies in production control, technical specifications etc. that are adopted by the Complex.