In a powerful step toward cultural preservation and skills development, a new ICCROM Vatican partnership has been launched with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between ICCROM Director-General Aruna Francesca Maria Gujral and His Eminence Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, President of the Fabbrica di San Pietro in the Vatican. This historic agreement is built around shared goals of heritage conservation, artisan training, and long-term international cooperation.
The partnership will support joint initiatives focused on restoration, conservation, and the protection of traditional craftsmanship, with a special focus on empowering local communities. One of its first major outcomes will be a three-year programme to train African artisans in advanced heritage conservation techniques. This initiative is supported by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation through its Directorate General for Development Cooperation.
Through hands-on training at the Fabbrica di San Pietro and capacity-building efforts across Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Kenya, and Tunisia, the programme will blend centuries of Vatican craftsmanship with local heritage knowledge. This approach allows participants to return home and apply what they have learned, strengthening cultural preservation from within their communities.
This agreement directly supports the goals of the Mattei Plan and Italy’s wider international cooperation strategies. It encourages cultural diplomacy, strengthens ties with African nations, and promotes development that respects local traditions and talent.
ICCROM Director-General Aruna Francesca Maria Gujral described the initiative as a merging of traditions, where the Vatican’s centuries of knowledge meet the diverse living heritage of Africa.
“This signing marks the beginning of a meaningful journey, in which two great traditions of knowledge come together: one rooted in the heart of the Vatican City and the other forged by the diversity of the world’s heritage. Culture is a bridge, a source of unity and renewal that keeps us human, evolving and enduring through generations.”
Cardinal Mauro Gambetti emphasized the role of education and service in the partnership, noting the Vatican’s commitment to nurturing the next generation of artisans through its School of Arts and Crafts.
“Sharing the knowledge gained over the centuries and transmitting the craftsmanship excellence that preserves St. Peter’s Basilica represents a commitment to the growth of new generations of professionals in the field of cultural heritage protection.”
At the heart of this ICCROM Vatican partnership is the belief that heritage is not only about what we inherit, but what we pass forward. Through local leadership, traditional knowledge, and world-class conservation techniques, this programme aims to build a future where communities thrive by safeguarding their own cultural legacies.
