American nonprofit Save Venice partners with Italian Embassy to restore flooded city
Although it’s been two weeks since Venice was devastated by the highest tide the city has ever seen in the past 50 years. Unfortunately, much of Venice is still submerged, a number of restaurants, churches, museums, and public buildings are still flooded. In addition, this is forcing locals to wade through thigh-high water. With the frequency of highly destructive floods becoming more and more common, the city faces difficulties ensuring their cultural and artistic artifacts are not damaged by the corrosive salt water.
On November 20, the Italian Embassy in Washington D.C. declared they were partnering with Save Venice to start an Immediate Response Fund for the city. Save Venice is an American non-profit dedicated to the preservation of Venice’s artistic and cultural heritage. The goal is to promote international awareness of the disaster and to raise money for the city’s restoration.
“Venice has deep historical roots and is a modern and vibrant city, innovative and open to the future with a strong entrepreneurial and industrial background,” said the Ambassador of Italy, Armando Varricchio in a press release. “Venice and Venetians are resilient. They will rise to this challenge. The legacy of the past [and] the energy and dynamism of nowadays Venice are the solid foundations on which to build a bright future for the city.”
Until February 2020, Save Venice announced they will match every donation made to the fund, dollar for dollar, up to $100,000. According to Save Venice Chairman Frederick Ilchman, the money will allow art conservationists to “move quickly” and repair damaged paintings, stonework, wooden furnishings and books, as well as take preventative measures to minimize any damage that could from future floods.
“Last week’s events were a poignant reminder of the fragility of Venice and its artistic patrimony [as well as] an ever-present reminder of the relevance and importance of our work,” wrote Save Venice on its website. “Thank you for continuing to be an advocate and supporter for this remarkable city.”
Although an American company, Save Venice’s mission is centered on the idea that the world has a shared responsibility to look after Italian cultural heritage.
“If it is not forthcoming, we will all see the treasures of our heritage fade. If they are gone, we will remember them as they were, but our children and theirs will only see them in books,” warned Randolph H. Guthrie, the Chairman Emeritus of Save Venice.
Save Venice is based in New York City with an office in Venice and two chapters in Boston and California. The organization was founded in response to the severe flooding of Venice in November 1966.
–Becca Most
