Ray Bondin`s monitoring mission for UNESCO

Ray Bondin, the executive co-ordinator of the Rehabilitation Projects Office within the Ministry for Resources and Infrastructure, has undertaken an important monitoring mission at Tbilisi, Georgia, to assess the state of the historic area of the capital following a recent earthquake. He was asked to report on matters dealing with the management of the city.

Mr Bondin carried out this assignment on behalf of the two organisations (ICCROM and ICOMOS) that act as consultants to the World Heritage Centre of UNESCO.

Mr Bondin met, among others, the Georgian deputy state minister, the deputy foreign minister and the ministers of culture and urbanisation. He also met the chairman of the Heritage Committee of Parliament and the head of the department responsible for cultural heritage, among others.

Mr Bondin has now presented his report to the director-general of ICCROM (International Centre for the Study and Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property) and this will now be presented to UNESCO. The report concentrated on problems relating to the management and organisation of the historic part of Tbilisi and on proposals for improvement.

Mr Bondin is a council member of ICCROM and a member of the international executive of ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites). He was recently appointed president of CIVVIH, the International Committee for Historic Towns and Villages. CIVVIH is one of the most prestigious international scientific committees in the field of restoration and conservation.