Italian Archeologists Rally Against New Oversight Proposal
Italian archaeologists are outraged over a proposal to shift control of ancient sites to a new organization, the New York Times reports.
According to a new policy expected to be ratified by the Italian parliament tomorrow, a newly established civil protection committee will oversee restorations to the Colosseum, the Palatine Hill, and other ancient sites, and would be granted emergency powers, allowing it to avoid the usual bureaucratic obstacles when instituting changes. Many in the Italian archeology and arts community fear that the proposal is a first step toward dismantling the longstanding tradition of state-run conservation.
An online petition against the proposal has been signed by nearly 5,000 people, and archeology professionals have been staging protests at Culture Ministry, which have occasionally led to the temporary closing of ancient sites.
Opponents fear that it will lead to a privatization of Italy’s lucrative tourist sites and that the committee overseeing restorations will choose to forgo needed work in favor of other government projects that could generate more revenue.
Read entire article at Art Info (UK)
According to a new policy expected to be ratified by the Italian parliament tomorrow, a newly established civil protection committee will oversee restorations to the Colosseum, the Palatine Hill, and other ancient sites, and would be granted emergency powers, allowing it to avoid the usual bureaucratic obstacles when instituting changes. Many in the Italian archeology and arts community fear that the proposal is a first step toward dismantling the longstanding tradition of state-run conservation.
An online petition against the proposal has been signed by nearly 5,000 people, and archeology professionals have been staging protests at Culture Ministry, which have occasionally led to the temporary closing of ancient sites.
Opponents fear that it will lead to a privatization of Italy’s lucrative tourist sites and that the committee overseeing restorations will choose to forgo needed work in favor of other government projects that could generate more revenue.