President's Message
All eyes are now on China. As I write this, the Olympic Torch is travelling the world in anticipation of the great sporting event. But our focus is later in the year, in September, and our anticipation is for the General Assembly of the International Academy of Ceramics when we will meet fellow members and guests and discover the culture and ceramics, both historical and contemporary, of that vast and densely populated country of China. We have an agenda in China which will be a reciprocal one; it is planned that while we learn from our Chinese colleagues, they will learn about us, our ways, our values and our ceramics. In between visits to exhibitions and historical sites of ceramic relevance we will have talks and discussions from Chinese and international members on traditions and trends. And a major talk will be given by Wayne Higby as a memorial for Mathe Coullery who, as an expert art historian, helped lead the Academy from her position as Secretary General over many years. The General Assembly in September wil also mean that our activities will be reviewed; there will be reports from Georgette Strobino, as Secretary General, and Marianne Brand, treasurer, and new members introduced and council members voted in. Matters for the agenda need to be sent to the office in Geneva one month in advance, as are proxy votes, according to our Articles of Association. I am eagerly awaiting the pleasure of seeing everyone in China in September 2008. Janet Mansfield, May 2008.
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