UNESCO, on its platform for Environment and Development in Coastal Regions and in Small Islands (CSI), initiated a process which brings together many different approaches in order to improve the practice of integrated coastal management, primarily at a grassroots level, but in so doing, also at a conceptual level. With a relatively small core staff – relying on the collaboration of colleagues and specialists from various domains and sectors, both within and outside the Organization – more than twenty pilot projects have been launched and are already producing thought-provoking results. In order to discuss and evaluate the initial orientation, philosophy, bases and first steps of these projects, an intersectoral workshop was organized at the Organization’s headquarters in Paris, 30 November to 4 December 1998. Invited were the pilot project leaders, holders of UNESCO Chairs in Sustainable Coastal Management, and other specialists of relevant domains. One of CSI’s major contributions is to seek out, analyse, develop and record – for use by stakeholders and others in Member States – those practices which seem to be the most appropriate or which would yield optimum results for sustainable human development. Thus, following the workshop, a virtual forum on ‘wise coastal practices for sustainable human development’ was set up to continue the work initiated during the workshop. This volume contains the summarized presentations and opinions of the workshop participants (Part A) as well as an overview of the ‘virtual forum’ (Part B). Although the latter part is much smaller than the former, it is nonetheless of equal importance since it documents a major follow-up to the workshop. We trust that this information will indeed be of interest and enhance coastal management activities around the world. (abstracted from the foreword)