Saturday 6 April was the occasion to introduce the candidacy to the Minister of Cultural Heritage and Tourism Alberto Bonisoli who met a delegation from the Management Team that is working on the Biella candidacy project to join the UNESCO Creative Cities Network: the vice-secretary of the Cassa di Risparmio di Biella Foundation Andrea Quaregna, the director of Pistoletto Foundation Paolo Naldini and the Councilor for Urban Planning of the City of Biella Valeria Varnero.
In public the Minister praised the artist Michelangelo Pistoletto and the teamwork that Biella is doing to obtain the recognition of the Unesco Creative City in Crafts & Folk Art. The Minister, former director of the Naba, New Academy of Fine Arts of Milan has made no secret of his knowledge of Pistoletto and Cittadellarte and of the textile qualities of Biella and has listened to the motivations that led Biella to apply.
“He said – confides Mr. Quaregna – to be interested in the project, asked what was the role of the Cassa di Risparmio di Biella Foundation, which is to make all the territorial forces dialogue around a common goal, and asked for precise information on territorial qualities, roots and potential. The role of the Ministry is also very important because the Mibac appoints members of the Unesco Italian Committee which will decide. Obviously we could not fail to ask him for government support, even though we knew we could not have an answer. For now, all we need is the attention“.
“In this phase of the candidacy” adds Valeria Varnero “we have the punctual task of covering all possible ways to tell the potential of our territory and to seek support. The passage of the Minister to Biella was an important occasion to let him know our programs“.
[Photo credits: Il Biellese]
