With the aim of strengthening its protection and risk management strategies, the International Italo-Latin American Organisation-IILA and the Fondazione Scuola dei beni e delle attività culturali organised this programme gathering Latin American and Italian professionals for promoting synergies and sharing strategies among those involved in cultural heritage management
This training was held on line from 14 to 18 November and realised with the contribution of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (DGCS/MAECI), in collaboration with the International Center for the Study of Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage- ICCROM, the General Directorate for Cultural Heritage Security of the Ministry of Culture, and the Carabinieri Command-Cultural Heritage Protection Unit.
This this five-days seminar, held in Italian, Spanish, Portuguese and English on the platform made available by Fondazione Scuola dei beni e delle attività culturali concentrated in issues related to shared emergencies at international level and was aimed at fostering the construction of a community of professionals prepared to support intervention protocols and synchronise the actions necessary, in case of emergency, for the protection of cultural heritage in Latin American countries-LAC. The widespread interest in the topic is confirmed by the more than 140 applications received, from 18 countries that are members of IILA: from Argentina to Bolivia, from Costa Rica to Mexico, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. Participating in the programme are 115 professionals selected from officials of cultural policy institutions, museum directors, academics and law enforcement agencies, restoration and conservation experts.
This Programme was opened by the speeches of Antonella Cavallari, Secretary General of IILA, and Alessandra Vittorini, Director of the Fondazione Scuola dei beni e delle attività culturali. Afterwards the floor was dedicated the Italian experience in this field: Eng. Caterina Rubino, from the Italian Ministry of Culture, presented the organization of the Italian Ministry for facing emergencies affecting cultural heritage, and Ms Veronica Piacentini, cultural heritage expert of the Italian Civil Protection Department working on PROCULTHER-NET, offered an overview of the national system of emergency management including the actors involved in the safeguard of cultural heritage in emergency.
The following days focused on the experiences on managing temporary deposits and lessons learnt on safety and reconstruction interventions during seismic events: the case studies of the Basilica of Santa Maria di Collemaggio (L’Aquila), the church of San Salvatore in Campi and San Benedetto in Norcia. Regarding best practices in international interventions, the “Blue Helmets of Culture” shared their experience in Mexico; and finally, an in-depth was devoted to the programme “Gestion del patrimonio en America Latina y el Caribe (LAC)” with particular reference to risk management and building of synergies, recalling the case of the earthquake in Nepal in 2015.
This programme confirms the commitment of IILA and the Fondazione Scuola dei beni e delle attività culturali in promoting a permanent dialogue and knowledge sharing among heritage professionals and to promote future twinning policies between Italy and LAC.
