  The about 100 kg highly radiopure NaI(Tl) set-up of the DAMA project
(DAMA/NaI) took data over seven annual cycles up to July 2002 and has achieved
results on various rare processes. Its main aim has actually been the
exploitation of the model independent WIMP annual modulation signature. After
this conference the total exposure, collected during the seven annual cycles,
was released. This cumulative exposure (107731 kg day) has given a model
independent evidence for the presence of a Dark Matter particle component in
the galactic halo at 6.3 sigma C.L.; this main result is summarised here. Some
of the many possible corollary model dependent quests for the candidate
particle are mentioned. At present, after about five years of new developments,
a second generation low background set-up (DAMA/LIBRA with a mass of about 250
kg NaI(Tl)) was built and is taking data since March 2003. New R&D efforts
toward a possible NaI(Tl) ton set-up, we proposed in 1996, have been funded and
started in 2003.
