ICCROM and the Libera Università Maria Ss. Assunta (LUMSA) have formalized a three-year partnership through a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at advancing heritage conservation through education, research and transformative capacity building. The agreement, signed by ICCROM Director-General Aruna Francesca Maria Gujral and LUMSA Rector Francesco Bonino, unites the complementary strengths of both institutions to empower the next generation and expand international shared learning.
The MoU establishes a framework for cooperation focused on knowledge exchange, capacity-building, and the creation of new academic and professional opportunities. This shared vision reflects ICCROM’s ‘CARE’ mission – to Conserve, Activate and Recognize cultural heritage as a catalyst for socio-economic development, social cohesion and youth empowerment through skills development.
Ambassador Pietro Sebastiani, Director of the LUMSA University Africa Center, and Rita Mannella, Minister Plenipotentiary and Project Manager, attended the signing ceremony.
Under the new partnership, ICCROM and LUMSA will collaborate across several key areas. This includes fostering professional development by offering students and emerging professionals hands-on learning experiences. In addition, the partnership will promote joint research and knowledge-sharing activities, contributing to advancing mutual priorities in the global agenda. Outreach and advocacy initiatives will further raise awareness of the value of protecting cultural heritage and underscore the importance of our respective mandates to enhance international cooperation in the multilateral context.
“This partnership with a leading University strengthens our shared commitment to international cooperation and sustainable development. Investing in capacity building means investing in people’s lives — it represents the most strategic long-term investment we can make for the present and future generations.”
— Aruna Francesca Maria Gujral, ICCROM Director-General
“The focus on the real, individual person of each student, combined with its global outlook, fully reflects LUMSA’s identity and mission. Together with ICCROM, it positions itself within one of the key fields of development: culture as a living history and a driving force for the future.”
— Prof. Francesco Bonini, Rector of LUMSA University.
Both institutions commit to promoting interdisciplinary learning, widening access to knowledge and resources, and strengthening global awareness of heritage as a resource for dialogue, education and sustainable development. The agreement represents the foundations for future initiatives, enabling ICCROM and LUMSA to respond flexibly to emerging needs and shared priorities.
