From Verduno to Odessa, united against the war and to save a city whose artistic heritage and nineteenth-century architecture should be protected by humanity. A few days ago the Ukrainian mayor Hennadyj Trukhanov asked Unesco to speed up the candidacy of Odessa as a World Heritage Site, in order to protect it from bombing. The mayor of Verduno, Marta Giovannini, immediately accepted the appeal, with an agenda to condemn the conflict and support the entry into Unesco of the splendid maritime city, known for some famous monuments, such as the Opera and Ballet Theater and the Potemkin staircase. “As mayor of a village that is part of the Unesco wine landscapes, I felt the duty to be part of this legitimate request – Giovannini explains -. The Minister of Cultural Heritage Dario Franceschini had expressed himself favorably. Thus, in the City Council, we unanimously approved an agenda to send it to the Chambers, to the Government and to Unesco ».
A simple gesture, but felt by just over 500 inhabitants of Verduno. Whose message has reached as far as the Black Sea. The Italian ambassador to Odessa, Attilio Malliani, also on behalf of the mayor of the Ukrainian city, responded with a letter of thanks to the mayor. «His wishes deeply touched the hearts of all of us – writes the ambassador -. The tragic situation that Ukraine and its wonderful and peaceful people are going through is made lighter by the comfort of feeling your human closeness and solidarity. We all trust and hope for a quick and peaceful diplomatic resolution. The heavy situation due to the threat of an imminent bombing of Odessa makes a peaceful and diplomatic action urgent by the whole institutional and cultural world, to safeguard the heritage of art and culture of the historic center of the city ».
«I was deeply impressed by the message and by the fact that in Odessa they heard about our small gesture and wanted to thank us – says Marta Giovannini -. Ours wanted to be a sign of closeness, hope and peace, with our thoughts also aimed at safeguarding a true World Heritage Site “. –