Just seven months have passed since the fatal night of September 25 1997, when central Italy was shaken by tremors and, at a stroke, peoples' lives and the natural and artistic beauty of the region were changed. The images of the earthquake - pictures of the dead and live shots of the destruction of the Cimabue frescos - were shown all round the world. The destiny of Umbria now seems inexorably linked to those events: the collapse of the basilica in Assisi and the damage to artistic monuments throughout the region. Nevertheless, throughout the areas affected by the quakes the painstaking and expert task of reconstruction has already begun. It is the intention of RAI International to document the return to normality, the restoration work and the solidarity of people all over the world with the people of Umbria, so as to present to the outside world a positive picture which will do justice to the region and its people. Umbria anno zero is the name of the programme. It was written by Giulia Fossà. It is a journey, in four thirty-minute segments, through the affected region of Umbria. These four separate stories outline the environmental, economic and social recovery of central Italy, and highlight the solidarity and collaboration of the people as they react with dignity and strength to the unexpected tragedy of the earthquake. A thread running through the four programmes is provided by the children, whose faces reflect both the fears and the hopes of the entire people. The television programme Umbria anno zero, a journey through the earthquake zone in four parts by Giulia Fossà will be transmitted on Tuesdays, beginning on May 5, 1998 at 7 p.m. NYT by RAI International in North and South America and in Australia.