In the Spring of 2000 the idea of a consortium of Mediterranean countries support ing the Italian bid to host the 32nd International Geological Congress took off during ageological fieldtrip on the slopes ofMountVesuviushosted byProf. Bruno D'Argenio (University of Naples) with the sponsorship of SMED(the UNESCO-CNR Office for Scientific and Technological Cooperation with Mediterranean Countries). On that st occasion, the head of the Italian delegation to the coming 31 IGCProf. Gian Battista Vaichampionedthe notionthat - had the bid been accepted - such cooperationshould have not only...