Anthony Mongalo, South Africa's ambassador to Italy, toured Trieste's international scientific institutions during a two-day visit in early June. On 6 June, he met with Erio Tosatti, ICTP's acting director, and Mohamed Hassan, executive director of the Third World Academy of Sciences (TWAS). The ambassador spoke of his desire to strengthen the already strong ties between the South African and Italian scientific communities. South Africa will serve as host for the upcoming World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) scheduled to take place between 26 August and 4 September. Some 65,000 people from around the world are expected to attend this UN-sponsored event.