published an article by Le Monde of November 13, 2010 (translation from Italy from abroad):
Pompeii collapses, the symbol of an Italy in a state of cultural catastrophe
The House of the Gladiators and its frescoes that completely collapsed, Sunday, November 7, at Pompeii, in the absence of constant maintenance. The red carpet of the Rome Film Festival invaded by hundreds of demonstrators protesting the opening day, against the cuts to culture. The Museum of Modern Art in Naples, which can no longer pay the bills electricity and threatens to reduce the opening hours. The Opera House [of Rome] who had to reduce the contracts for technicians. All these events reveal "the state of cultural catastrophe" that threatens Italy today.
policy of budgetary austerity imposed by the government (29 billion euro in savings in 2011 and 2012) will result in a reduction of 58 million euro for the area of \u200b\u200bpromotion of cultural heritage, and more than 100 million for Fund for the Performing Arts (FUS). The situation is equally difficult for local authorities: they can not spend more than 20% of the money pledged in the past by the state for the organization of cultural events.
"These restrictions are a disaster," complains Umberto Croppi, Department of Culture of the Municipality of Rome. "A show like this year in Rome on Caravaggio, will no longer be possible. Think that has attracted 500,000 visitors, and yielded 30 million, of which EUR 15 million to the state. "But this does not convince the government:" The culture you do not eat "he says Giulio Tremonti, Minister of Economy of a country that has the largest number of sites (45) classified as Unesco.
Heart of Italy to protest against budget cuts, many museums, libraries and archaeological sites had been closed Friday, November 12, others were left open for free. On 22 November, actors, directors, screenwriters and film technicians are also called for a general strike by trade unions. "When a company is in trouble, focuses on the heart of its business and the heart of Italy is the culture," says Councillor for Culture of the Municipality of Genoa, Andrea Ranieri. "Culture is not the icing on the cake is the cake," things worse, the President of the Association of Italian Municipalities.
The cake is badly reduced. Beyond the controversy, the whole management Italian cultural heritage to be involved. Its preservation and the economy resulting from it. "It is not just a house that collapsed in Pompeii" is concerned Guermandi Maria Pia, a member of our management team Italy, but the credibility of the country. We are no longer able to handle this. "
" Lack of money "
art and culture, which should be among the main resources of Italy, receiving little investment, when tourism is the 12% of GDP. By 7 billion euro in 2008, the year of the election of Silvio Berlusconi, the budget of the culture fell to 5 billion in 2010, 0.21% of the budget of the nation.
almost empty province Museums, archaeological sites that receive few visitors per day: Italy suffers from too much wealth and too little money to keep them in good condition and to attract the public. "The exploitation of the exceptional heritage seems far from ideal," concludes a report by the Ambrosetti Foundation, presented Nov. 12 as part of the event in 2010 Florence, dedicated to the heritage.
For its part, Sandro Bondi, minister of culture, struggles between the uncompromising Minister of Economy and cultural environments at its lowest. To express its opposition to budget cuts, has snubbed a Council of Ministers. But defending the spirit of reform, denouncing the "culture of care" that has prevailed until then. His plan? Multiply the public and private foundations to keep in good condition the major sites and museums along the lines of the Egyptian Museum in Turin.
But the collapse of the House of the Gladiators could lead to a fatal blow to the Minister of Culture. After unwisely said the site had collapsed because of lack of money to keep it, he accused the infiltration of water be the cause of this disaster, which is partly correct. "I resign if I am responsible," he repeated, Wednesday, November 10, in Parliament. The opposition should present a motion of no confidence in him who has now earned the nickname "Minister of cultural ills."
( Original article by Philippe Ridet )
0 comments:
Post a Comment