On 8 March, ICTP Director Miguel Virasoro opened the three-day programme, "Matematica 2000," organised by the University of Trieste's Department of Mathematics. The Director spoke on "The Modelling of Complex Systems. A New Frontier for Mathematics and Theoretical Physics"-exploring their applications in the study of ecosystems and in economics. At the same meeting, Giuliano Francesco Panza, professor of seismology at the University of Trieste and head of the ICTP Structure and Non-Linear Dynamics of the Earth (SAND) programme, talked about "Mid-Term Forecasting of Earthquakes." "Matematica 2000," which seeks to reach young people with its message, focuses on the relationships between mathematics, science and culture.