Foreign minister Luigi Di Maio is mobilising Italy's global diplomatic network to raise funds for the northeast lagoon city of Venice, which suffered hundreds of millions of euros of damage when floodwaters reached their second-highest level in more than 50 years this week.
“What happens in Venice is a concern for the government. As the Minister of Foreign Affairs, I intend to activate initiatives to support Venice in all our embassies and consulates around the world,” Di Maio said.
Venice’s historic Saint Mark’s Basilica will need millions of euros of restoration work after the floods left its delicate marble mosaics and crypt exposed to corrosive salt water. One of the most ancient churches of Venice, the Church of Santa Maria Assuntaa Byzantine basilica is also among the 60 churches damaged in the exceptional flooding and no help will be forthcoming from insurers, which refuse to provide flood coverage in the flood-prone city.
The foreign ministry's solidarity campaign for Venice will kick off at Italian Cuisine Week in the World being organised by the foreign ministry from 18 to 24 November in 110 countries, the ministry said.
Italy's embassies, consulates and cultural institutes around the world will give "utmost visibility" to donations to the Municipality of Venice's 'Contribution for the water emergency' fundraiser, the ministry noted.
The foreign ministry statement listed the following bank accounts through which donors can contribute the solidarity campaign:
Bank Account holder: Comune di Venezia - Emergenza acqua alta
Description of payment: contribution for the water emergency
For bank transfers from Italy: IBAN: IT 24 T 03069 02117 100000 018767
For bank transfers from abroad:
IBAN: IT 24 T 03069 02117 100000 018767 – SWIFT/BIC code: BCITITMM
