NEW YORK, OCTOBER 11 – Italy’s commitment to the goal of having culture recognized by the United Nations as an essential public good and a driver of sustainable development, particularly for developing countries, was emphasized by the Minister of Culture, Gennaro Sangiuliano, during a meeting in New York with the Assistant Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, Maria Francesca Spatolisano.
Accompanied by the Italian Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Maurizio Massari, during the meeting Sangiuliano outlined plans to strengthen cultural collaboration with African states, in anticipation of the upcoming Italy-Africa summit convened by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
After taking part in the New York Columbus Day celebrations, Sangiuliano had a busy schedule of institutional engagements. He spoke at the Italian Consulate, alongside Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, at a ceremony for the return to Italy of 19 illegally stolen classical artworks, an accomplishment made possible through the collaboration of the Carabinieri Command for the Protection of Cultural Heritage, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office. He also met with the Director of MoMA, Glenn Lowry, to review the ongoing collaborations between the New York museum and Italian cultural institutions and to present the various programs for promoting contemporary Italian art and creativity launched by the Ministry of Culture, such as the “Italian Capital of Contemporary Art” project. (@OnuItalia)
