Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano
on Tuesday ruled out the hypothesis of Israel being excluded
from the next Venice Art Biennale, scheduled to take place from
20 April to 24 November, after thousands of artists, cultural
institutions and organisations called for a ban over its alleged
"genocide" in Gaza.
"The diktat of those who think they are the holders of the truth
and, with arrogance and hatred, think they can threaten the
freedom of thought and of creative expression in a democratic,
free nation like Italy is unacceptable and shameful," said
Sangiuliano.
"Israel not only has the right to express its art, but it has
the duty to bear witness of its people precisely at a time like
this when it has been attacked in cold blood by merciless
terrorists.
"The Biennale will always be a space of freedom, encounter and
dialogue, not a space of censorship and intolerance".
The request for a ban is contained in a letter addressed to the
Biennale Foundation that has already collected over 8,000
signatures.
"While the art world prepares to visit the diorama of the
nation-state at the (Biennale) Giardini," the appeal reads, "we
affirm that it is unacceptable to host a state engaged in the
ongoing atrocities against the Palestinians in Gaza.
"No to the Genocide Pavilion at the Biennale".
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