An Open Letter to President of the Italian Republic
Giorgio Napolitano

Mr President,

A recent decree passed by the Council of Ministers foresees the possible abolition of the Istituto Italiano per l’Africa e l’Oriente (IsIAO). The international scientific community is extremely worried about this risk, announcing the possible interruption of the extraordinary tradition of Oriental and African studies represented by IsIAO, the successor to the Istituto Italiano per il Medio ed Estremo Oriente (IsMEO) and the Istituto Italo-Africano (IIA).

How can Italian culture afford to relinquish such a prestigious legacy, continued and revived by the current mission of IsIAO in all the fields in which it has been active for over 100 years – ranging from archaeology to the restoration and conservation of cultural heritage (Afghanistan, China, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Jordan, Indonesia, Iraq, Iran, Kazakhstan, Mali, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Sudan, Tadjikistan, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen), and from a broad spectrum of scientific research on the history, languages and civilizations of Asia and Africa, to a rich and flourishing publishing activity (East and West, Africa, «Serie Orientale Roma», «Reports and Memoirs», «Restorations» etc)?

We now turn to you, Mr President, to whom the Italian Constitution assigns the role of guarantor of the independence of the institutions of high culture, to ask your intervention in favor of IsIAO, so that it may continue to fulfill its role of ambassador of Italian culture and know-how in the different areas of Asia and Africa. 

Sign the Letter: www.giuseppetucci.isiao.it