The Association of Friends of the Hermitage Museum Italy, like the other international Hermitage Friends organizations, has as its primary objective the provision of concrete support for the protection, enhancement, and promotion of the extraordinary artistic heritage of the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg.
To pursue this goal, the Association develops numerous activities, including fundraising for the restoration of the museum's works, with a particular focus on those by Italian painters, sculptors, and artists, organizing exhibitions, managing new donations, and publishing. It also promotes initiatives aimed at bringing the Italian and Russian public closer to understanding the profound interrelations that have always linked Italy and Russia.
It does so by designing and implementing cultural outreach initiatives such as conferences, meetings with prominent figures, concerts, seminars, lectures, classes, and trips to Italy and Russia, all united by the desire to foster greater mutual understanding. Moreover, the Hermitage itself is one of the finest examples of the rich dialogue that has always characterized the two countries.
Recognizing that culture, in addition to being a vehicle for knowledge and identity—inalienable elements of civilization—is also an important mediator in building relationships, the Friends of the Hermitage Museum Italy Association presents itself as a qualified partner for the development of exchange opportunities between Italy and Russia, including economic and commercial ones. Its primary areas of activity in this area are cultural and food and wine tourism, research and new technologies applied to the protection and enhancement of cultural heritage, crafts, and publishing. In the near future, the Association plans to create an institutional space dedicated to exhibitions, concerts, film screenings, debates, and educational activities, instrumental to achieving its goals.
Finally, the Friends of the Hermitage Museum Italy Association is open to contributions from all interested parties: art professionals, collectors, patrons, supporters, entrepreneurs, and businesses interested in learning about Russia. In short, all art lovers and those drawn to the Russian world are equally welcome to seize the extraordinary opportunities offered by our Association. Any form of collaboration aimed at enriching our project will be carefully evaluated and considered a valuable contribution to the Association's growth.