a springboard for launching a scientific project focused on the Mediterranean region and whose re­ sults had to be presented at the congress. st During the 31 IGCin Riode Janeiro,after the designation of Florence bythe lUGS nd Council as the venue for the 32 IGC,the Mediterranean Consortium was set up. In its full configuration, the Consortium was an association of thirty-one Mediterra­ nean and nearbycountries. Alongwith Italy,they are: Albania, Algeria, Austria, Bosnia­ Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Greece, Hungary, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Macedonia, Malta, Morocco, Palestine, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Syria, Tunisia, and Turkey. Each member country nominated a National Representative who served as a liai­ son between his/her national geological community and the IGCOrganizing Commit­ tee.