Time to knoweach other.

Dear Friends of the World Federation of Friends of Museums,

it´s is a great honor for me to invite you to Mantova and Verona, Italy, May 17-21, 2017 for the XVIth World Congress of the World Federation of Friends of Museums, which will be held together with the meetings of the Council and General Assembly of the World Federation of Friends of Museums.

One can say that there is no place in the world that could compare with the "genius loci" of Italy to experience and discuss the beauty, meaning and fragility of cultural heritage. For a meeting in the fair cities of Verona and Mantova this may be even more so.

Thus this congress will remind us of the enormous treasure that museums are to us. We will have challenging discussions and a beautiful program arranged by the Federazione Italiana delle Associazioni “Amici dei Musei“. I want to express my warmest thanks to its president Italo Scaietta and his friends for their enormous effort in making this happen.

Most of all the Congresses of the World Federation of Friends of Museums are always about getting to know people from all over the world who treasure individual engagement for culture as much as personal friendship.

I am excited about your input and ideas and very much looking forward to seeing you this May in Mantova and Verona!

With best regards,

Ekkehard Nümann,
President WFFM

Dear friends all over the world,
first of all, on behalf of the Italian Federation of Friends of Museums-FIDAM, of which I'm honoured to be President since 2015, I want to express how pleased we are for the privilege to host the 16th Congress of the World Federation of Friends of Museums-WFFM.

It's important to underline that our meetings and events will take place in two ancient cities, both members of the Unesco World Heritage List thanks to their characteristic urban structure and artistic value, two city-museums which have played an important role in western civilisation that we would like you to get to know and love.
This is why together with work sessions in English, Spanish and Italian we have organised a wide range of cultural activities which should captivate the participants with moments of extraordinary beauty and significance.
Mantua and Verona will be especially connected by shuttle buses to create a unique and extraordinary urban site.
This unusual choice of a double base is also to demonstrate the positive cooperation among different Associations who belong to the Italian Federation of Friends of Museums, under the motto: unity is strength.

Ideas, examples and stimulating experiences will, certainly and above all, come from yourselves. You will be engaged in discussing current and topical issues with the purpose of making the Friends of Museums actions more effective and incisive. In the Mantua session we will be debating 'Media and Communication', and also 'Legislation and Taxation' in favour of cultural heritage. In Verona we will be dealing the subject 'how Friends of Museums are seen by Museums' and about 'Patronage'.

You can find our detailed program on the website which we hope will demonstrate to you all of the great enthusiasm we had thinking, planning and organising it. I wish you a warm and full of expectations 'arrivederci' and hope to see you in Mantua and Verona from the 18th of May.

Italo Scaietta

Italian Federation Friends of Museums (FIDAM) President
Association Friends of Palazzo Te and Mantua Museums President

Dear Friends,

It is a great honor and a pleasure for the Association of the Friends of the Art Museums of Verona, and personally so for me as its President, to be able to host the XVI Congress of the World Federation of Friends of Museums in partnership with the Friends of Palazzo Te and of the Museums of Mantova.
The geographical an historical closeness of the two cities has allowed us to create a unique event, as well as an extraordinary cultural offering that is truly one of a kind. Mantova and Verona will offer two complementary venues against which a rich and diverse program of events will take place.
In the beautiful Sala Maffeiana in Verona we will focus on themes which go to the essence of the functioning of the Associations of Friends of Museums and we shall reflect upon the fundamental importance of the commissioning and of the supporting of the arts.
It will be an exceptional occasion to promote dialogue among all the parties involved, while offering the opportunity to visit sights of unrivaled cultural, historical and artistic value and relevance.

We look forward to receiving you in our two marvelous cities.

Sincerely Yours,

Isabella Gaetani di Canossa
President Amici dei Civici Musei d’Arte di Verona

Dear Guests,

it is my greatest pleasure to welcome you all in our splendid city of Mantova. I am deeply honoured that the World Federation of Friends of Museums has chosen our city to celebrate its 16th Congress.

Since 2008 our lovely city of Mantova, together with the precious gem of Sabbioneta, has been listed UNESCO World Heritage. Significantly, not just one museum or palazzo was identified as relevant, but the whole city of Mantova. That is because beauty, literature and art can be found at every corner in town, under the majestic roof of its grand palaces, as well as in some hidden corners of the Rio, or in the delicious countryside appendix of Sabbioneta.

Often Mantova has been the centre of arts, culture and innovation, declined in their various facets, both in the past and present history. For Mantova, 2017 is the year of its rich gastronomical culture, being European Region of Gastronomy jointly with the Eastern Lombardy District. 2016 was the year that saw Mantova being awarded the prestigious title of Italian Capital of Culture. An enormous success, that not only marked the breaking of all the statistic in terms of tourists income and set the ground for innovative projects that will unfold in this and the next years, but that, most importantly, re-enhanced in the citizens of Mantova a growing affection to our city, the will of taking care of our cultural heritage. Ultimately, it gave back to the people of Mantova the pride of being part of our extraordinary community.

I am delighted that today, just like in 1530 when Palazzo Te hosted the most important political actors of Renaissance Europe, Mantova can open itself and share its richness and experience to the world. I believe that especially in this time, when cultural identities are brandished more like the unique true interpretation of the spirit of the time, rather than sources that can contribute to enrich the world’s plurality, it is more than ever crucial to share, mingle and learn from each other. I am sure these days would represent a brilliant occasion for such purpose.

Before closing and wish you some fruitful days of work, please allow me to thank Italo Scaietta and his partners for their precious and invaluable work in organising such an impeccable event. I am sure that in the next days you too will appreciate their competence and total dedication.

Thank you!

Mattia Palazzi
Mayor of Mantua