Francesco Rutelli, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Culture of Italy, will discuss “Italian Culture: Our Pride and Responsibility” on Wednesday, November 29, 6 p.m., at New York University’s Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò, 24 W. 12th Street (between Fifth and Sixth Avenues). Joining him will be Maurizio Molinari from La Stampa and NYU Professor Antonio Monda.
Rutelli, the former Mayor of Rome and president of the centrist liberal party “Margherita,” recently expressed his dismay that the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles would return only 26 of the 52 ancient artifacts in its collection that Italy says were illegally excavated from its soil. Marion True, the former curator of antiquities at the Getty, is now on trial in Rome on charges of conspiring to deal in looted antiquities.
Earlier this year the Italian government reached an accord with the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston; both museums relinquished several contested works of art in exchange for long-term loans from Italy.
Reporters wishing to cover this event must contact Barbara Jester at 212.998.6844 or email barbara.jester@nyu.edu.