ROME – A new €6 million programme to train young artisans across four African countries was officially launched this week through a partnership between Italy and the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM).
The agreement, signed on Thursday by ICCROM Director-General Aruna Francesca Maria Gujral and Italy’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Edmondo Cirielli, is expected to support 540 youth in Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Kenya and Tunisia.
The three-year programme is funded by the Italian Government through the Directorate General for Development Cooperation. It aims to strengthen Africa’s cultural heritage sector by equipping a new generation of artisans with skills in preservation and restoration, while also opening doors to socio-economic opportunities in traditional crafts.
Training will be delivered in partnership with the Fabbrica di San Pietro in the Vatican, one of the oldest institutions in the world known for its expertise in conservation. The programme uses a “training-of-trainers” approach, enabling graduates to pass on their skills and widen the impact across their communities.
Speaking at the signing ceremony in Rome, Deputy Minister Cirielli said the project forms part of Italy’s broader Mattei Plan for Africa, which promotes equal, long-term partnerships with African nations.
Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, President of the Fabbrica di San Pietro, attended the ceremony and delivered a blessing.
Discussion about this post