German Federal President Johannes Rau Patron to IFLA 2003 Berlin

Germany's Federal President Johannes Rau has agreed to be Patron to the 69th General Conference of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), to be held in 2003 in Berlin.

An important reason for Mr Rau was the promotion of reading, in which he has been engaged in many ways. The President has been connected to the book trade for a long time: from 1949 until 1967 he was active as a bookseller.

Claudia Lux, IFLA Executive Board member, said: "IFLA is proud that Germany's President has honoured us with his patronage for our conference. It demonstrates the importance of the role of libraries in the knowledge age".

IFLA's 69th annual world conference of librarians and other information professionals will be held for the first time in re-united Germany. From 1 - 9 August 2003, approximately 3,500 participants from all parts of the world are expected to gather at the International Conference Centre (ICC) in Berlin.

The decision to have the conference in Berlin, was taken by IFLA's Executive Board after an invitation by Berlin's mayor Eberhard Diepgen and official applications made by the Bundesvereinigung Deutscher Bibliotheksverbände e.V. (BDB), the umbrella organisation for all German library associations.

The conference, which will include a large exhibition, will be organised under the responsibility of the BDB on behalf of IFLA. The organising secretariat is based at the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin - Preussischer Kulturbesitz.

For more information contact:

Barbara Schleihagen, Generalsekretärin