General Secretary

The year 2003 is on my mind. The keyword is the Caribbean. The title of the project is "Cuba".

We initiated a local seminar for the Latin Americans in Mexico City last year. As a result of the success of the seminar we were asked to do the same for audiovisual archives situated in the Caribbean. We have talked about the matter for some months and the result is: Yes - let us do it. The final decision was made in London May 24.

The host will be ICAIC Cuban Film Institute. The venue will be Cuba. So far so good. Now the real work is to begin. We will make it a joint LARG and Training Commission project and we copy the model of Mexico City. Talks with IASA and FIAF have to start about the programme. UNESCO has to be involved. The working language will be English this time but we aim at getting in contact with audiovisual archives in French speaking regions, too. The problem is the cost for translators.

Anyway we have a long way to go and we need support from all of you. Please forward me any proposals of interest for the programme. The working group within FIAT/IFTA consists of the General Secretary, Amira Arratia, Branko Bubenik with assistance of Sue Malden who is representing her own company: Sue Malden Associates, and Elizabeth F. Watson from The University of The West Indies, Bridgetown, Barbados. The contact person in Cuba is for the time being Jose Llufrio. Information about the progress of the work will be given to members during the conference in Antalya in October. Make your preparations for 2003 and plan to join me in Cuba next year, dear fellow members.

Tedd Johansen

Tedd Johansen
FIAT/IFTA General Secretary