Sir

Your article “Urgent thinking required about development” refers to the World Conference on Science to be organized next year in Budapest by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization ( Nature 395, 527; 1998 ). In fact this conference is jointly sponsored by UNESCO and the International Council for Science (ICSU).

This is the first time that UNESCO, a governmental organization, has joined with a non-governmental organization to co-sponsor such an international event.

The conference will be held from 26 June to 1 July, not in May as stated in your article, and will deal with such topics as sustainable development, science and development, science and industry, and knowledge as a public good.