Since ICAERI originates from the CNR - UNESCO Program on AIDS research and prevention, this section describes the agreements, the activities and the institutions involved.
The National Research Council (CNR) is the governmental agency for scientific research, and co-operates with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for handling the international agreements in all fields of Science. In 1994 the UNESCO and CNR signed an Agreement to increase the cooperation in scientific research and science communication in the field of AIDS, considering the scientific and social impact of this infectious disease on the world and its population. This Agreement was renewed and extended in 1997, with the additional aim to integrate the network of scientific Centres for AIDS Research carried out by the World Foundation for AIDS Research and Prevention, founded by the former Director General of UNESCO Prof. Federico Mayor and by Professor Luc Montagnier. The CNR-UNESCO
Agreement is co-ordinated and administered by a specific Technical - Administrative Committee composed by eight members, four nominated by CNR (V. Colizzi, E.Garaci, G. Ippolito, M. Moroni) and four nominated by UNESCO (A. Forti, V. Kouzminov, L. Montagnier, P. Vagliani).
The main goals of the CNR-UNESCO Program are the following:
- increase of scientific research on AIDS in industrial and developing countries through short- and long-term fellowship, scientific consultants and research grants
- knowledge exchange by organisation of scientific meetings
- information and education by publishing scientific and technical reports and other scientific material
- development of communication tools such as data banks and a scientific communication service concentrated on the prevention of AIDS.
