#AMERICALOVESVENICE
Washington, November 20, 2019. From the 12th to the 17th of November, Venice was devastated by severe weather. Flooding in the city reached an unprecedented level. The people of Venice, its artistic and cultural heritage and its businesses have been severely affected. The Government of Italy has declared a state of emergency and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has launched a campaign in support of Venice to raise international awareness on the emergency that has struck the city and to promote fund-raising activities
The Embassy of Italy in Washington DC and Save Venice, the leading American nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the artistic heritage of Venice are partnering with the goal of raising funds to restore Venice to its splendor.
“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. Venice and Venetians are resilient. They will rise to this challenge”, said the Ambassador of Italy, Armando Varricchio, adding that “the legacy of the past, the energy and dynamism of nowadays Venice are the solid foundations on which to build a bright future for the city”.
According to Save Venice Chairman Frederick Ilchman, “Save Venice was born in response to the terrible floods of November 1966, and the November 2019 floods underscore the urgency of our mission. The Immediate Response Fund will allow Save Venice to be nimble and move quickly to mitigate the effects of corrosive saltwater and deposits in flooded churches, museums, and comparable public buildings, to support emergency conservation treatment for paintings, stonework, floors, wooden furnishings, and books and archival documents, as well as to undertake preventive conservation to minimize damage from future floods. We will continue to do what our track record proves we do best—protect Venice’s irreplaceable artistic heritage. We are honored to partner with the Embassy of Italy on this important initiative to raise funds for Venice, and we express our gratitude to Ambassador Varricchio.”
Save Venice has activated an Immediate Response Fund for the artistic patrimony of Venice. You can donate at www.savevenice.org/donate by selecting the Immediate Response Fund.
The Italian Embassy in DC and Save Venice would also like to thank the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) and other organizations across the USA for their endeavors in support of Venice.