Italian Ambassador to Lebanon, Massimo Marotti, and his wife held an honoring ceremony at the Italian Villa in Naccache, on Saturday. The event was held to award the Director General and President of the National Council of Museums in Lebanon, Anne-Marie Affeish, a high-ranking Italian citation in recognition of her dedication and efforts to preserve the Lebanese cultural heritage.
In his delivered speech on the occasion, Marotti lauded Affeish's valuable contribution as "an expert in the field of archeology and museum science, and an ideal and dedicated person who works with high ethics."
"Italy believes that the protection of cultural heritage is a cornerstone of civilizations and supports all efforts in the world to highlight the value of cultural heritage, and therefore appreciates Anne Marie's role in this field," said Marotti.
He praised Affeish's "commitment to combating the smuggling of antiques, which is a threat to countries such as Lebanon and Italy that have a very large cultural and archaeological heritage," noting that she has filed a lawsuit at the international level with the assistance of the American Ambassador to restore some of the pieces owned by Lebanon.
"We are delighted that the Italian cooperation with Lebanon has contributed to the success of the cultural project in the National Museum, which is the cradle of civilizations in the Levant and throughout the Middle East," said Marotti.
Affeish, in turn, thanked the Italian Ambassador and the Italian State for the honorable citation and ceremony, expressing appreciation for "the valuable contributions that Italy gave to the National Museum, which had a distinctive impression especially in the restoration of the Tyre cemetery and the Museum basement." She stressed "the importance of cooperation between Italy and the Directorate of Archeology," pointing to the special relationship they have shared since 2010.
Affeish also highlighted "the mutual respect and friendship that binds the Lebanese-Italian team, which includes united specialists in all fields."
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