30 January. At the invitation of the Agency of Cultural Affairs of Japan and the Asia/Pacific Cultural Centre for UNESCO (ACCU) the Director General visited Japan from 18-22 January.

On 18 January, he attended the 'Second International Conference on Risk Management' held in Nara, Japan where he met with Mr Yasushi Nishimura, Director of the Cultural Heritage Protection Cooperation Office, ACCU.

On 19 January, the Director-General met the President of ICOMOS Japan, Mr Maeno Masaru and participated in the meeting at the International Tokyo House for Cooperation.

He also visited the Tokyo National Museum, where he met the Executive Director, Teiichi Sato (Former Ambassador and Permanent Delegate of Japan to UNESCO, Former Vice Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology), and colleagues.

Within the framework of the ACCU International Partnership Programme for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, the Director-General participated in the opening session of the 'Course for Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage'. Also present: Ms Tamae Onishi, Mr Norio Suzuki and Mr Kunio Sato.

The Director-General also attended meetings at the Agency of Cultural Affairs of Japan, with the Commissioner, Mr Aoki Tamotsu and Ms Tamae Onishi, Director General, Cultural Properties Department.

17 January. On 15 January, the Director-General attended a Seminar and Presentation, Rome on ‘The Actors of the New International Challenges of Peace and Development’. The event was part of a Masters programme developed by the University of Sarajevo, the Università degli Studi di Roma ‘La Sapienza’, and the Pontificia Università della Santa Croce, in collaboration with the Italian Ministry of Defence/CPI and the Peace Forces in Sarajevo.

The Director-General gave a speech on the ‘Role of international organizations for the safeguard of cultural and natural heritage in areas of conflict as a contribution to peace’.

The Vice Rettore Accademico, Rev Prof Bernardo Estrada chaired the opening session. Present were: Prof Eugenio Gaudio, Università degli Studi di Roma ‘La Sapienza’; Prof Giovanni Somogyi, Università degli Studi di Roma ‘La Sapienza’; Colonel Francesco Grimaldi, Comando Operativo di vertice Interforze (COI)  / Italian Ministry of Defence; and Prof. Manuel Castello, Università degli Studi di Roma ‘La Sapienza’.

There were also presentations on the main aspects of the Master programme by its coordinators: Prof Manuel Castello, Director of the Master and Coordinator of the Module on Public Health; Prof Massimo Caneva, Secretary General of the Master and Coordinator of the Module of University Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs; Prof Robert Gahl, Coordinator of the Module of Anthropology and Ethics of Cooperation; and Prof Antonio Macchia, Coordinator of the Module of Geopolitics and Diplomacy.

Also present: Maria Teresa Jaquinta, Italian Government Development Cooperation Coordinator and Valérie Magar, Conservation Specialist.

Catania, Italy

11 January. On 10 January, the Director-General gave a lecture at Catania University, Sicily on 'UNESCO and ICCROM: action for the protection of cultural heritage'. The lecture was organized by Mr Ray Bondin, Member of ICCROM Council, in the context of the MA programme of the Faculty of Political
Sciences and ICOMOS. on the 'Management of World Heritage Sites'.

The Director-General also met with On. Raffaaele Lombardo, President of the Province of Cantania; Mr Ray Bondin, Member of ICCROM Council; and Mr Francesco La Rocca, Coordinator of the Masters Programme and President of
Etnos.

In the media

• Europe Direct Catania