Meeting in Luang Prabang
Mr. Denis Ricard, Chief Executive Officer of the Sommet de la Francophonie 2008, was asked to represent the OWHC on a work mission in the city of Luang Prabang, Laos. The Vice Governor of the Province of Luang Prabang, Dr. Khampheng Saysompheng, discussed various topics with Mr. Ricard, in particular the forthcoming meeting of the Board of Directors, which will be held in Bergen, Norway at the end of January 2008.

Meeting with the France-UNESCO Convention in Paris
A working meeting was held in Paris between the Secretary General of the France-UNESCO Convention, Ms. Isabelle Longuet, Ms. Marie-Nöel Tournoux (coordination France-UNESCO/World Heritage Centre), Mr. Bruno Delas, of the city of Lyon, and Mr. Juan Manuel Martínez, Programs Director of the OWHC. Future possible cooperation in order to prepare a publication on the management of world heritage cities was discussed at the meeting.

Meeting for the World Congress of the OWHC in Quito
On November 17, 18 and 19, 2007, the Mayor of the city of Quito, Dr. Paco Moncayo, the Interim Secretary General of the OWHC, Mrs. Lee Minaidis, the representative of the Getty Conservation Institute, Ms. Françoise Descamps, and the members of the organizing committee of the 10th World Congress of the OWHC met in the city of Quito in Ecuador. During the meeting, the issues discussed were the various aspects related to the organization of this world event.

“Journalism and World Heritage” Symposium-Workshop in Luxembourg
The Symposium-Workshop “Journalism and World Heritage” was held in Luxembourg from November 10 to 17. Thanks to the invitation of the Mayor of Luxembourg, Mr. Paul Helminger, an in collaboration with the University of Luxembourg and the UNESCO Chair in Cultural Heritage of University Laval, more than sixty participants attended this second symposium-workshop organized for journalists.

Regional meeting of the OWHC in Olinda
As part of the festivities for the 25th anniversary of the inscription of the city of Olinda on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, the Mayor of the city, Ms. Luciana Santos, organized the meeting of the Regional Secretariat of Latin American and the Caribbean, which took place from November 12 to 14. This meeting was held at the same time as the UNESCO Conference on Historic urban landscapes of World Heritage Cities. Mrs. Lee Minaidis, Interim Secretary General of the OWHC, attended both meetings.

Meeting with the Council of Europe in Strasbourg
In order to discuss common projects, a meeting was held in the offices of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg on November 10, between Mr. Mikhael DeThyse, of the Culture and Cultural and Natural Heritage Division and Mr. Juan Manuel Martinez, Programs Director of the OWHC. In the afternoon, Mr. Martinez had other meetings at the City of Strasbourg and with the Strasbourg urban community, in particular with Ms. Dominique Cassaz, architect of the programming and urban design division.

General Assembly of the AIMF in Hue
Under the theme “Heritage Cities and Development”, the members of the Association internationale des maires francophones (AIMF) (International Association of Francophone Mayors) met in the city of Hue, in Vietnam, from October 24 to 27. Mr. Serge Viau, assistant general manager of the city of Québec, was mandated to represent the OWHC at that important meeting.