22 May 2007


New directorate at the Organization of World Heritage Cities

Denis Ricard leaves temporarily his position as Secretary general of the Organization of World Heritage Cities


Denis Ricard

Mr. Ricard is seconded to the OWHC by the Quebec (Canada) government. He has been recalled to assume a temporary mandate for the Governments of Canada and the Province of Quebec which will last until the end of 2008. The mandate will soon be officially announced by the highest Canadian and Quebec authorities. A similar situation occurred in 2000-2001.


Marcelo Cabrera

While regretting the temporary absence of the Secretary General, the President of the OWHC, Mr. Marcelo Cabrera Palacios, Mayor of Cuenca, Ecuador, stated that he understands the importance of the mandate given to Mr. Ricard and looks forward to welcoming him back as Secretary General at the end of 2008.

From now until the end of 2008, as was the case in 2000-2001, Mr. Ricard will attend the World Congress as well as the Board meetings in order to follow the progress of the OWHC activities .

Mrs. Lee Minaidis appointed Interim Secretary General of the OWHC.


Lee Minaidis

Since 2001, Mrs. Lee Minaidis has attended all the meetings of the Board of Directors of the OWHC in her capacity as Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the 7th World Congress of the OWHC held in Rhodes, Greece in 2003. Moreover, since 2003, she has been the assistant of the President of the OWHC as well as Coordinator for Development and European Projects of the OWHC. Given her experience and the special circumstances and thanks to the support of the Mayor of Rhodes, Greece, and Member of the Board, Mr. Hatzis Hatziefthimiou, the President of the OWHC, Mr. Marcelo Cabrera Palacios, has appointed Mrs. Minaidis Interim Secretary General until the return of Mr. Denis Ricard at the end of 2008. In 2000-2001, Dr. Siri Myrvoll of Bergen, Norway, played a similar role during the absence of Mr. Ricard.

Mr. Juan Manuel Martinez to liaise with the Interim Secretary General


Juan Manuel Martinez

Each staff member in Quebec City will keep his own responsibilities. In the absence of Mr. Ricard, the President of the OWHC, Mr. Marcelo Cabrera Palacios, has asked Mr. Juan Manuel Martinez, presently Director of Programs of the OWHC, to liaise with Mrs. Minaidis who will assume her responsibilities from Rhodes while commuting regularly to Quebec City. Having been a staff member of the OWHC since 1995, Mr. Juan Manuel Martinez has a long experience and will certainly meet the expectations.