(ANSA) - ROME, MAR 28 - There are "many pretenders" bidding to welcome the life-sized 3D re-production of Michelangelo's David that has graced the Italian pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, Italy's Expo Commissioner Paolo Glisenti said ahead of the end of the universal exposition on Thursday when the pavilion is set to be dismantled after the six-month world's fair.
    The statue's fate is up to the Italian culture ministry, he said.
    "Among the latest pretenders are the United Arab Emirates which are going to ask us to keep it here in the Expo district." Glisenti also revealed that the mayor of the southern Italian city of Matera, famous for its Sassi ancient cave dwellings, had asked the foreign ministry for permission to host the David for two years.
    "There are various hypotheses, but the culture ministry will decide in line with the original accord," said Glisenti. (ANSA).