12 December. Organized by the Museum of the Roman Imperial Villa of the Casale and within of the European Project 'Mediterranean Mosaics' a workshop entitled 'Between maintenance and restoration, the state of conservation of the mosaics of Piazza Armerina', was held on 2 December 2006 in Piazza Armerina, Sicily.

Ms Maria Costanza Lentini, Director of the Museum of the Villa of the Casale together with Ms Enza Cilia, Superintendent for Cultural and Environmental Heritage of the Ragusa Province in Sicily and Scientific Director of the Project "Mediterranean Mosaics," introduced the members of the workshop, including Francesco Scoppola (Director of the Cultural Heritage and Landscape of Molise Region), Prof Cesare Fiori (School of Restoration of Ravenna), Carla Maurano (consultant for the management plan of the Villa of the Casale), and Ms Liana Lippi on behalf of the High Commissioner for the Villa, Mr. Vittorio Sgarbi, currently a Member of the Italian Parliament. Before the working session a visit to the site was attended by Regional Council Member, Mr. Nicola Leanza, who then opened the workshop together with to the Mayor of Piazza Armerina, Dr Maurizio Prestifilippo, and the Bishop of Piazza Armerina, H.E. Mons. Michele Pennisi. ICCROM was represented by the Director-General, Mounir Bouchenaki, and Maria Teresa Jaquinta.

The objective of the workshop was to bring to public notice the problems of the conservation of the splendid mosaics of the Roman Imperial Villa, at the start of a programme of recovery and restoration financed by the European Commission (POR 2000-2006. Measure 2.01. Action B). The workshop emphasized the need to take advantage of the UNESCO World Heritage status of the villa, particularly with respect to its conservation and valorization. The villa has potential as a case study for innovative treatments, and for the development of strategies of conservation and restoration that could then be applied to mosaics throughout the Mediterranean region.

updated on: 12 January, 2007