8 November. At the invitation of the President of the VII Permanent Commission (Culture, Science and Education) of the Chamber of Deputies of the Italian Parliament, Pietro Folena, the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the signature, on 27 April 1957, of the Headquarters Agreement between the Italian Government and UNESCO institutionalising the presence of ICCROM in the Italian territory, was held at the Conference Hall of Palazzo Marini, on Thursday 8 November 2007, under the Patronage of the President of the Chamber of Deputies, Fausto Bertinotti.

The vice Prime Minister and Minister of Cultural Activities and Heritage, Francesco Rutelli, the Assistant Director-General for Culture of UNESCO, Mme Françoise Rivière, as well as representatives from ICCROM's Member States attended.

In introducing the celebration, Pietro Folena, stated: 'Italy has an important part of the world's cultural heritage, and this places upon us a special responsibility. For this reason, our country offered to host ICCROM in Rome. On behalf of the President of Chamber of deputies and all its parliamentarians, I address our greetings to the Assembly that has gathered here to celebrate with our Government, represented today by the Vice Prime Minister, Francesco Rutelli, Minister of Cultural Activities and Heritage, the signature of fifty years ago.'

In responding Mr Blaine Cliver, President of ICCROM Council stated: 'Forty-two years ago, ICCROM was just beginning to be known internationally as a training institution. It has been with the valuable assistance of the Italian government that ICCROM has grown in stature over these many years. For this help we thank you, for without it ICCROM could not have achieved the renown that it has.  As we approach the next fifty years I feel confident that ICCROM will continue to have success, and that much of this success will be because of the continued generosity and assistance of the Italian government. For this we say, grazie mille.'

Present were: Danielle Gattegno Mazzonis, Undersecretary, Ministry of Heritage and Cultural Activities; Giovanni Puglisi, President of the Italian National Commission of UNESCO; Louis Godart, Counsellor of the President of the Republic of Italy for the conservation of cultural heritage; Giuseppe Proietti, Secretary General of the Ministry of Culture of Italy.

updated on: 19 November, 2008