During the 23rd Annual Meeting of ANCI, National Association of Italian Municipality, (Perugia October 25-28, 2006), the project “Adopt a researcher”, promoted by USMA (Umbria Scientific Meeting Association) and supported by ANCI e ANCI Services, has been presented to the press. USMA is a no profit Association whose primary aim is to organize the XXIV IUGG (International Union of Geodesy and Geophisycs) General Assembly, which will take place in Perugia from the 2^nd to the 13^th of July 2007. The project “Adopt a researcher” will be illustrated by Catiuscia Marini, President of ANCI Umbria; this project was submitted to Italian Municipality in order to support with grants young scientists coming from third world countries  to give them the chance to help, with their knowledge, the world scientific research progress.

Each Municipality will arrange a sort of “Cultural Twinship” with the young researchers that will be appointively joined to the Municipality/Sponsor: during the General Assembly Opening Ceremony grants will be given by the Mayor who would like to participate. The complete list of the grantee with their supporters will be issued on the IUGG 2007 Official Site. Not only municipalities but also whoever whishes to participate can join the project “Adopt a researcher”, by doing a bank transfer on the USMA current account (Banca di Mantignana, Credito Cooperativo Umbro, c/c 610554, ABI 08630 CAB 03000 CIN A titled to International Umbria Meeting 2007) for a minimum amount of 1000,00 euro. At the IUGG General Assembly past edition, the flow of young researchers coming from third world countries was very low (about 30 of 4150 researchers).  Screenings for the next edition are much more comforting: more than 400 researchers are expected to come to the XXIV IUGG General Assembly.