An International cooperation agreement on cultural assets between universities, institutions, and local administrations in Italy, Serbia and Albania is due to be signed in Urbino today.

The agreement is the first significant outcome of the conference being held until tomorrow at the Faculty of Economics at Urbino University on the development and protection of cultural heritage and international cooperation.

The rector Stefano Pivato opened the meeting, reading a message from the minister Andrea Ronchi. The secretary general of the Iniziativa Adriatico Ionica, Alessandro Grafini, also took part, and praised the university's initiative to give out 100 study grants for students from Balkan countries, and recalled how collaboration between countries in the area began 10 years ago (the anniversary will be celebrated in Ancona next month), involving a number of sectors: small and medium-sized enterprises, maritime tourism, rural development and underwater archaeology.

The commander of police working for the protection of artistic heritage, Giovanni Mistri, underlined the importance of international cooperation in the protection of cultural assets, with a lucrative internationalisation of data banks and diplomatic efforts having been successful in returning cultural assets to their country of origin.

The initiativés guests, among others, include Serbiàs Deputy Education Minister, Vesna Fila and Eugenio Campo, plenipotentiary minister for the General Management of European Countries. (ANSAmed).
2010-04-15 16:59