This book is an up-to-date review of the basic elements directly conne cted to the evolution of galaxies. Owing to recent advances in observa tional astronomy and astrophysics, data has recently become available about remote galaxies, which are consequently in the first stages of t heir evolution. It is therefore essential to link these data to the ob servation of very old populations in our own Galaxy, which are the rem nants of the populations which existed in the first stages of galactic evolution. In this meeting, the relationship between these two differ ent points of view is emphasized in the texts presented by well-known specialists as well as by young researchers active in the field. The d ifficulties of the problem and the remaining uncertainties are discuss ed.