New York, 7 January 2020. On the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of the Carabinieri Command for the Protection of Cultural Heritage, the exhibition “Recovered Treasures. The Art of Saving Art” opened yesterday at the United Nations in New York. The event is organized by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Tourism, the Carabinieri Corps and the Carabinieri Command for the Protection of Cultural Heritage. As the first cultural event of the year to be held at the UN Headquarters, the exhibit falls within the framework of the commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of the United Nations to take place in 2020.
Inaugurating the event were Permanent Representative of Italy to the UN, Ambassador Mariangela Zappia, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the President of the General Assembly, Tijjani Muhammad-Bande and General Roberto Riccardi, Chief of the Carabinieri Command for the Protection of Cultural Heritage. The exhibit aims to illustrate the innovative role taken on by the Command in the fight against illegal trafficking and for the protection of cultural heritage in conflict situations. The fifteen works of art on display – among which a stele from Palmira, Greek-Roman amphorae and artifacts, and Renaissance paintings – have been recovered thanks to investigations and the network of international cooperation developed by the Command.
“The protection of cultural heritage is an essential medium of peace and dialogue among different cultures, civilizations, religions and among different generations. With its 50 years at the service of art, the Carabinieri Command represents a true testament to Italy’s commitment to the protection of cultural heritage from trafficking and in conflict situations, as well as to our country’s contribution to the maintenance of international peace and security,” stated Ambassador Zappia.
“It [this exhibition] paints a picture of the power of international cooperation. […] Indeed, we face an array of challenges that imperil efforts to protect our common heritage – from the climate crisis to civil unrest – from armed conflict to terrorism. These threats vary in nature – but there is a common feature integral to the response, and that is international cooperation” highlighted the Secretary-General, thanking Italy for its leadership role. Sharing thanks was also the UN President of the General Assembly who went on to say, “recovering a cultural item is really about future.”
“For 50 years the Carabinieri Command have been the soldiers of Venus, the goddess of beauty. Within this time, we have recovered almost 3 million artifacts. This has been possible thanks to international cooperation that continues to grow,” stated General Riccardi.
Founded in 1969, the TPC Carabinieri Command is the first police unit in the world specialized in the protection of cultural heritage and the first force to subscribe to the UNESCO campaign, “Unite4Heritage,” for the establishment of blue helmets for culture.
The protection of cultural heritage is a priority for Italy’s foreign policy and is an integral part of Italy’s commitment to the maintenance of international peace and security, as a major contributor to peace missions of the UN and other international organizations to which it belongs. Together with France, Italy has promoted the first historic Security Council’s resolution on the protection of cultural heritage in conflict situations and is a founding member, together with Cyprus, of the Group of Friends dedicated to this issue at the UN.
Art Exhibition ‘Recovered Treasures – the Art of Saving Art’ – Delegates’ Entrance, UNHQ (6- 17 gennaio 2020)
