Respect and protection of the environment have become priority challenges. The latest tragedy that took place yesterday on the Marmolada glacier confirms it. And culture does not want to be out of alignment with the urgencies of the moment. Citizens are increasingly attentive to issues related to the climate and the upheavals of nature. For 7 out of 10 museum visitors, even through art and culture it is possible to convey a more effective message in favor of sustainability. 62% of respondents argue that museums should communicate their initiatives aimed at environmental sustainability more externally.
Revealing these interesting data is the XIII Civita Report which investigates the issue of sustainability in the cultural sphere. The document was presented this morning in Rome in the presence of the President Gianni Letta, the Minister of Culture Dario Franceschini and the Secretary General Simonetta Giordani
The Civita Association collected the opinions of the public through an online questionnaire in which it was asked which concrete solutions museums should adopt in order to be more sustainable from an environmental point of view. Well, 69% report that energy efficiency is a priority; 42% reflect on raising public awareness on sustainability issues.
And then the use of recyclable materials and plastic-free solutions (41%); separate waste collection (35%); the use of LED lighting systems (22%); the adoption of circular economy strategies (20%); the introduction of drinking water dispensers (20%) and the use of traceable raw materials (4%).
Investing in sustainability pays off: compared to the criteria used by companies to evaluate the effectiveness of initiatives relating to sustainability, the emerging trend is quite clear: the improvement in image in terms of reputation stands out (67%).
«That in culture is a great economic investment for a sustainable growth of the country. And the projects put in place by the Government with the PNRR go exactly in this direction – said Dario Franceschini, Minister of Culture -: just think of the plan for the energy efficiency of museums, theaters and cinemas ».
«The issue of sustainability in the cultural sphere is now an integral part of the strategy of those companies that seek harmony between profit and the generation of shared value – stated the president of Civita Gianni Letta -. The Association has always operated as a laboratory of ideas and projects that connect the world of business, culture and institutions ».
The Civita Report also offers an overview of the entrances to museums and other places of culture during the years of the pandemic.
In 2019, admissions to places of culture open to the public reached a record 129.9 million in Italy (1.3 million more than in 2018). However, the share of Italian residents who include at least one visit to the museum among their cultural experiences over a 12-month period remained in the minority despite gaining 4 percentage points, from 27.7% in 2006 to 31.8% in 2019. he year of the pandemic, however, has gone back 13 years: 27.3% of residents visited a museum at least once in 12 months.