15 June. From 29 May to 3 June, the Director-General visited Cambodia and the site of Angkor as a member of the Ad Hoc group of experts who participated in the International Technical Coordination Committee meeting for the safeguard and development of Angkor.

Present in Angkor also were: Prof Valter Maria Santoro, Rome University, Head of the Italian technical mission for stone consolidation in Angkor Vat; Giorgio Croci, professor at the Università La Sapienza; and Mr Azedine Beschaouch, former Director General of the Institut National du Patrimoine of Tunisia.

Some sites visited were:

• the French restoration project in company of Mr Pascal Royère, architect in charge of the Baphuon restoration project. Rebuilding Baphuon Temple in Angkor, Cambodia;

• the Chinese Safeguarding Angkor (CSA) project for the restoration the Ta Keo Temple;

• the Indian project for the restoration of the Ta Promh Temple;

• the Japanese restoration project for the Bayon Temple of Angkor Tham, in company of Prof Takeschi Nakagawa, Leader of Japanese Government Team. The Japanese project is funded by UNESCO/Japanese Funds-in-Trust for the Preservation of World Cultural Heritage. Preservation and restoration of the Bayon temple.

The Director-General also attended the official opening of the Bayon Information Centre. The opening was organized by Prof Takeschi Nakagawa, and was honoured with the presence of H.E. Deputy Prime Minister Mr Sok An.

The Director-General, together with Katriina Similä, Project Manager, Collections Unit and Simon Warrack, ICCROM Consultant, participated in meetings on conservation training projects with Cambodian authorities.

The mission concluded with the signature of a Letter of Agreement between ICCROM and the National Authority for Preah Vihear (NAPV). The document was signed by the Director-General of ICCROM, Mounir Bouchenaki and the Director-General of NAPV, H.E. Hang Soth.

2 June. On 29 May, the Director-General gave a lectio magistralis on 'Cultural Heritage in the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern Region: cultural factors in the Euro-Mediterranean relationship'. The event was organized as part of the Anna Lindh Chair of Euro-Mediterranean Studies, School of Political Sciences, Università degli Studi di Salerno, Italy.

As the Director-General was in Siem Reap, Cambodia, this interactive lecture was transmitted through Skype, enabling direct discussion between the Director-General and the course participants.

2 June. On 22 May, the Director-General gave a lecture on 'Cultural Heritage and United Nations in Crisis Areas' at the Seminar on 'The Impact of War on Cultural Heritage', Università degli Studi di Roma 'La Sapienza'.

The lecture was followed by an interview with Prof Massimo Caneva and the Director-General.

2 June. On 21 May, the Director-General participated in the UNESCO World
Day for Cultural Diversity, for Dialogue and Development celebration in Rome. The event was held at the Italian Ministry of Culture in the presence of H.E. Sandro Bondi, Minister of Culture.

2 June. On 18 May, the Director-General participated to the extraordinary meeting of the Comité Scientifique du Centre National de la Recherche Archéologique in Algiers.

2 June. From 13 to 16 May, at the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Commission to Preserve National Monuments of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Director-General participated in an experts meeting to analyze the report on the impact of new buildings in the City of Mostar.

Present were: Jukka Jokilehto, mission leader, Advisor to the Director General of ICCROM; Mrs Amra Hadzimuhamedović, Commission to Protect National Monuments of Bosnia and Herzegovina; Laura Baratin, Urbino University; and Carlo Cesari, President, ICCARHE (International Centre for the Conservation of Architectural Heritage), Ferrara.