Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister for Humanitarian Policy and Minister of Culture Tetiana Berezhna and Italy’s Minister of Culture Alessandro Giuli agreed to coordinate steps aimed at preventing Russia’s participation in the Venice Biennale.
According to the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine, during an online meeting the parties agreed to coordinate bilateral cooperation in the cultural sphere and international efforts to prevent any form of Russia’s participation in the Venice Biennale in violation of the European Union’s sanctions regime.
Tetiana Berezhna thanked Italy for its consistent support of Ukraine, particularly for financial and expert assistance in restoring cultural heritage in the Odessa Region, and highly appreciated the willingness to take joint action in the cultural sphere during the full-scale war.
The Ukrainian side emphasized the inadmissibility of any Russian participation in international cultural events, even in the form of performances or symbolic presence, in the context of aggression and the destruction of Ukraine’s cultural heritage.
Alessandro Giuli reaffirmed the Italian government’s strong commitment to protecting Ukraine’s cultural identity, which has been under threat due to Russia’s invasion, and stressed both his personal contribution and that of the Italian government to the restoration of Ukraine’s cultural heritage.
He also supported the need to coordinate joint actions among Ukraine, Italy, and European partners to counter attempts to legitimize Russian aggression on cultural platforms.
Tetiana Berezhna invited her Italian counterpart to take part in the second Ukrainian Culture Conference, “Cooperation for Resilience,” which will take place at the end of March in Lviv. The event will continue the international dialogue launched in 2025 in Uzhhorod and will focus on coordinating efforts to preserve and restore Ukrainian culture during wartime.
