Fringe show for Unesco official

It is Koichiro Matsuura's first trip to Scotland

Unesco's director-general is to make a guest appearance at an Edinburgh Fringe show during a visit to celebrate Scotland's cultural heritage.

Koichiro Matsuura will meet Scottish Dance Theatre's dancers before their performance of Liv Lorent's Tenderhook and Hofesh Shechter's Dog.

He is taking part in Scotland's Intangible Cultural Heritage report, of which the Fringe is an example.

He will see the show on Tuesday during his first trip to Scotland.

Mr Matsuura, of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, will attend the performance at Zoo Southside.

Scottish Dance Theatre's 2008 Fringe double-bill has had a string of sell-outs during the first week of its run, and is the showpiece event in Zoo Venues' international dance and physical theatre programme.

"Naturally we're extremely honoured that Mr Matsuura has chosen one of our venues for his first visit to an Edinburgh Festival Fringe production," said Zoo Venues manager James Mackenzie.

"Given that he is in Scotland to celebrate the nation's vibrant cultural heritage, it is also entirely appropriate that he will be attending a performance by Scotland's national contemporary dance company, whose eagerly-awaited shows at Zoo Southside are the undisputed highlight of the Festival Fringe for many dance and arts aficionados."

Scottish Dance Theatre's Fringe double bill runs at Zoo Southside at 1830 BST every day until Sunday 24 August.

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