A Symposium was held in Rome at the seat of Unidroit on Wednesday 30 November to address the latest developments regarding the Luxembourg Rail Protocol and the benefits of becoming a party thereto. The symposium was open to appointed government officials of all UNIDROIT member States and States parties to the Cape Town Convention, and garnered the participation of over 50 delegates representing these States and Industry Stakeholders. The Secretary-General of UNIDROIT, Mr José Angelo Estrella Faria and the Secretary-General of OTIF, Mr Francois Davenne, opened the event, which featured panels focussing on the Emerging Opportunities of the Luxembourg Rail Protocol, Updates from the Ratification Task Force, and a Roundtable on the benefits of the Protocol for the financing in the rail sector. The audience heard perspectives on these topics from panellists Mr Howard Rosen (Chairman of the Rail Working Group), Ms Elizabeth Hirst (Registrar Designate of the International Registry), Mr Peter Bloch and Ms Mervi Kaikkonen (Co-Chairs of the Preparatory Commission and Ratification Task Force). The Panels were followed by a Roundtable on the benefits of the Protocol for the financing in the rail sector with Mr Olivier Desfontaines, Head of Railway Finance at Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank and Ms Roberta Odoardi, Director of Pricewaterhouse Coopers, chaired by Mr Howard Rosen. The Symposium also benefitted from a statement provided by the Ambassador of Mozambique, H.E. Maria Manuela Lucas, reiterating the importance of Mozambique’s recent signature and its intention to proceed to ratification.