8 May. From 25 to 29 April, the Director General visited Luxor and Cairo, Egypt. During the visit, he met with the Founders and Co-Presidents of the Maria Nobrega Foundation, Lord Michael Carrington and Mrs Elizabeth Nobrega de Araujo Tsakiroglou. He also visited the Cairo Museum with Mrs Marcelle Takla, ICCROM Council Member.

24 April. From 15 to 17 April, representatives of the ICCROM council and the Director General held a meeting at the Vietri sul Mare, Salerno.

The event was hosted by the President of the Provincia di Salerno, Mr Angelo Villani, and the Director of the Borsa Mediterranea del Turismo Archeologico di Paestum, Mr Ugo Picarelli.

During the closing session, the participants thanked Mr Ciro Castaldo, the Counselor for Tourism of the Provincia di Salerno (who was representing Mr Villani) and Mr Picarelli for their generosity and continued support for ICCROM.

7 April. On 8 April, the Director General attended the Giornata Omaggio a Cesare Brandi, held at the Vatican Museum. The event marked the end of the celebrations and initiatives for the 100th anniversary of the birth of this important scholar, art critic, art historian, and author of the ‘Theory of Restoration’.

During the Conference the Director General was called upon to address a welcome speech immediately after the hosts of the Holy See, His Eminence Cardinal Giovanni Lajolo, President of the Pontifical Commission for the Vatican City State and President of the Governatorate of the Vatican City State, and Prof Antonio Paolucci, Director of Vatican Museum. The Director General underlined the role of Cesare Brandi in the creation of ICCROM and the impact of Brandi’s ‘Theory of Restoration’ at international level. 

Present were: Mrs Geneviève Gallot, Director of the Institut National du Patrimoine in Paris; Prof. Maurizio Marabelli, former Director of the Laboratory of ICR and lecturer at the Università della Tuscia; Ms Giulia Artizzu, former ICCROM SPC88 participant and currently in charge of the Analytical Laboratory of Vatican Museum; Mr Roberto Cassio, in charge of the Mosaics Laboratory. Maria Teresa Jaquinta, ICCROM Liaison Officer (Co-operation with Italy) also attended the event.

Special thanks to the Archivi Guttuso Association and Associazione Amici Cesare Brandi for allowing us to reproduce the drawing by Renato Guttuso of Cesare Brandi.

7 April. On 4 April 2008, the Director General met with the President of CNI-UNESCO, Prof. Giovanni Puglisi, and Ms Angela Trezza, Officer in Charge of Culture. Also present: Maria Teresa Iaquinta, Liaison Officer (Co-operation with Italy).