Naypyidaw, 16 May – (Nova) – The Italian Ambassador in Myanmar, Pier Giorgio Aliberti, attended the inauguration of the “Support to the Social and Economic Development of Rakhine State through the Safeguard, Management and Valorisation of Mrauk U site” project. Ambassador Aliberti declared: “Myanmar is a key country for development cooperation and thanks to its strong experience in the field of cultural heritage valorization, Italy may offer a valuable contribution to the development of the Rakhine State, in line with the recommendations of the Annan Commission ». The Italian government is contributing 1,3 million euros to finance the initiative, which will be implemented by the Italian Cooperation Agency for Sustainable Development and UNESCO’s office in Yangon, in cooperation with the local authorities. It aims at strengthening the capacities of Myanmar’s Ministry for Culture and Religious Affairs and supporting the site’s nomination to the World Heritage List ». Italy’s engagement falls under the auspices of the recommendations by the Rakhine Commission (or Annan Commission) for the sustainable development of the Rakhine state, which aims at improving local communities’ living conditions, regardless of their ethnical or religion background.
