The Director-General thanked Mr Ogi for all his energetic and valuable work in support of the International Year.

It was noted that the International Year figured prominently in the deliberations of the Fourth International Conference of Ministers and Senior Officials responsible for Physical Education and Sport (MINEPS IV), held in Athens on 6-8 December 2004. Mention was made of the recent international conference on sport and health that was held in Hammamet, Tunisia, on 22-24 March 2005. Forthcoming international meetings include a conference on sport and peace, to be held in Moscow on 1-3 June 2005, and a conference on sport and education to be held in Bangkok, Thailand, in the second half of this year (date to be announced). The final event in this series of meetings to mark the International Year will be the second conference on sport and development to be held in Macolin, Switzerland, in early December 2005, to which UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has been invited.

Mr Ogi, who is in Paris to address the 30th ministerial session of the conference of ministers of youth and sports of Francophone countries, congratulated the Director-General on the rapid progress that has been made on the International Convention Against Doping in Sport. Mr Matsuura explained that the draft convention would be presented to the General Conference of UNESCO next October and that a process of ratification would then ensue; the convention would come into force when 30 countries ratify it. Both agreed that the adoption of the International Convention Against Doping in Sport would be a fine way to celebrate the International Year.

Mr Ogi and the Director-General agreed to keep in regular touch regarding the International Year, which is attracting considerable interest and support around the world.