Abstract
The WFCC-MIRCEN World Data Centre for Microorganisms (WDCM) was set up more than 30 years ago as a data center of the World Federation for Culture Collections (WFCC). It published the World Directory of Collections of Cultures of Microorganisms when it was established and now provides a portal site for microbial resource centers and their customers by fully utilizing Internet technology. This paper introduces international initiatives on biological resources centers together with the activities of WDCM.