The Greek Ministry of Culture and the Italian Ministry of Culture agreed to set up a joint working group of Greek and Italian scientists for the systematic documentation, identification, and conservation of important collections of Attic pottery, mainly from workshops, originating from illegal excavations in both countries.

The initiative to create the Greek-Italian working group is the result of bilateral contacts between Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni and her Italian counterpart Alessandro Giuli in June 2025 in Athens. An important milestone was the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding for the joint management of antiquities held by the liquidators of Robin Symes Ltd.

The Memorandum was signed by the Director General of Antiquities and Cultural Heritage, Olympia Vikatos, and the Head of the Cultural Heritage Protection Department of the Italian Ministry of Culture, Luigi La Rocca. Work began in September 2025 at the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki and has been continuing systematically ever since. The project is progressing in a climate of harmonious cooperation and mutual trust, and the first results are already visible, confirming the effectiveness of the joint effort and further strengthening cultural relations between Greece and Italy.

Lina Mendoni, Alessandro Giuli at the Acropolis Museum

The Minister of Culture, Lina Mendoni, stated: “The cooperation between Greece and Italy for the protection of cultural heritage is tangible proof that our shared historical responsibility can be transformed into meaningful and effective action. The systematic documentation, conservation, and restoration of antiquities originating from illegal excavations is not only a high-level scientific endeavor, but also an act of profound moral and institutional consistency. With mutual trust and respect, Greece and Italy are serving the principles of the 1970 UNESCO Convention, sending a clear message against the illegal trafficking of cultural property and in favor of international cooperation for the preservation of our common cultural heritage.”

Italian Minister of Culture Alessandro Giuli stated: “Combating the illicit trafficking of cultural goods is a shared priority for our governments, and the recovery of stolen works of art is an achievement of which our ministries can be proud. Italy and Greece are committed to strengthening their cooperation through transparent collaboration and the exchange of expertise, from restoration and training to the protection and management of archaeological sites. Our common goal is also to promote a more sustainable approach to cultural tourism, highlighting lesser-known archaeological sites and developing alternative cultural itineraries alongside the main destinations.”

The aim of Greek-Italian cooperation is to restore broken pottery, with the ultimate goal of returning an equal number of restored archaeological finds to both countries, thus contributing to the preservation of cultural heritage and faithfully serving the 1970 UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property. archaeological finds, thus contributing to the preservation of cultural heritage, faithfully serving the 1970 UNESCO Convention on the Illicit Traffic in Cultural Property. The work is being carried out under the coordination and scientific supervision of archaeologists and conservators from the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki, the Italian Ministry of Culture, and the University of Basilicata. In this context, the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki is making a significant contribution to the protection of the country’s cultural heritage.