Brussels, 22/04/2009 (Agence Europe) - Opening its plenary session on Tuesday 21 April in Brussels, the Committee of the Regions (CoR) observed a one minute silence for the victims of the earthquake that shook central Italy on 6 April. Addressing Abruzzo President Giovanni Chiodi, who attended the plenary meeting, the president of the Committee of the Regions (CoR) expressed the Committee's deep solidarity towards the inhabitants of the region and the families who have lost loved ones. Luc Van den Brande welcomed the European Commission's willingness to use the European Solidarity Fund in such circumstances. Speaking to the press, Mr Van den Brande called especially on local communities to “make a real contribution to help the regions hit by such disasters”. “One must also think in terms of cultural heritage”, he went on to say, stressing the importance of “multi-level solidarity”. (G.B./transl.jl)