Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli opened the G7 Culture Summit in Naples on Friday, stressing the importance of defending cultural identities.
The new Culture Minister opened the G7 Culture Summit today.
“Democracy, the rule of law, the respect of the freedom of expression and of pluralism are the most urgent issues on which to find shared responses, starting from the values that unite us,” said Giuli.
He emphasised that the primary focus would be “the defence of our cultural identities.” Giuli added, “Culture is the soul of a nation; it embodies its identity, history, and the values of its community. It is one of the most precious possessions a population has, and it is imperative to protect it from the threats of our times.”
Giuli also highlighted culture as “an antidote against any form of discrimination and extremism.” He condemned “the wicked and criminal aggression of Putin’s Russia,” saying it aimed to “cancel the cultural identity of Ukraine.”
“We cannot allow it,” he said, “we must continue to stand beside the Ukrainian population to defend its sovereignty.”
The G7 Culture Summit will run through Friday and Saturday in Naples. The guests will close the first day of work at the Royal Palace of Naples with a sunset visit to Pompeii.
