Christina Rau, wife of former German president, Johannes Rau, has accepted a request from Chancellor Gerhard Schröder to coordinate the country's partnership initiative for the region devastated by last month's tsunami. Rau is to be the person that all groups, but particularly local governments and schools, can contact to participate in relief projects for countries in southeast Asia affected by the tidal wave. The Chancellor's Office has promised to support the initiative which Schröder created after the tsunami which struck on December 26, claiming the lives of close to 300,000 people.