The journey “Florence – Venice: Peace in Art”, the event organized by the Ars Pace association, with the patronage of the Metropolitan City of Florence, the City of Venice and La Nazione, began with the sound of the flute of Maestro Andrea Ceccomori.
The role of Art as an instrument of Peace is the leitmotif of this journey that from Tuscany will end in the Serenissima on July 7. To re-establish harmony by adopting a true dialogue of peace, conferences, performances and exhibitions are held, making enchanting places accessible such as Palazzo Medici-Riccardi in Florence; Villa Medicea in Artimino; Ca’ Loredan and Ca’ Sagredo in Venice.
The choice of locations is due to the special relationship that exists between Florence and Venice, based over the centuries on multiple historical, social and cultural factors, considering that they are both Ancient Republics and among the most important cities registered among the UNESCO sites.
Yesterday, at Palazzo Medici Riccardi, the inaugural speech was given by the President of Ars Pace Enrique Barón Crespo, followed by speeches by Monica Baldi, vice-president of Ars Pace and author of the project; Stefano Casciu, Regional Director of the National Museums of Tuscany; the artist Elisabetta Rogai; Anna Rüdeberg, president of the Scientific Committee of Ars Pace; Margherita Azzi Visentini, member of the Scientific Committee of the Association of Venetian Villas and Michele Zuin, Councilor for Budget and Participated Companies of the Municipality of Venice. Today at the Villa Medicea di Artimino La Ferdinanda, music and live performance of wine art by Elisabetta Rogai.
“The route features places of extraordinary beauty – said Monica Baldi – which help us reflect on the importance of culture, as a platform for peace and a cornerstone of cultural diplomacy, taking into account its real soft power that allows us to establish long-lasting and structured international relations”. Director Casciu underlined that “over the centuries, for the Medici family and for Tuscany, over which they governed for three hundred years, the system of the Medici Villas has represented a paradigm of good governance that combined the ability to manage the economy and family finances with the quality of cultural and artistic life that took place there in a constant relationship with Nature and the Landscape”.
The itinerary also includes the exhibition by Elisabetta Rogai which opens next Saturday at Ca’ Sagredo in Venice, entitled “Two Lions for Two Republics“, where the famous wine artist pays homage to the two cities and their symbolic animals, with an eye to the future and the conservation of these extraordinary cities, a UNESCO heritage site.
Olga Mugnaini
