In a statement issued late on Thursday, foreign minister Angelino Alfano hailed Italy as "a real superpower of culture and beauty".
In comments referring to a TV programme aired by Italian public broadcaster Rai,' Marvels, the Treasure Peninsula', Alfano said: "I am happy that Rai public service TV dedicated its attention to the wealth of Italy’s cultural heritage that is included in the list of the UNESCO sites, with a programme of excellent quality and great impact for the image of our country."
"The programme highlights the qualities that we are acknowledged to have by the whole the world and that must make us proud to belong to an extraordinary Nation, a real superpower of culture and beauty.”
Alfano also lauded Italy's contribution to the United Nations culture organisation notably the so-called Blue Helmets of culture' a specialised specialised unit of the Italian paramilitary Carabinieri police intended to protect cultural treasures in war zones.
Italy also managed to have the Venetian Works of Defence (Bergamo, Palmanova and Peschiera del Garda) and the Primeval Beech Forests included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites and the art of Neapolitan pizza makers listed as Intangible Cultural Heritage, the minister noted.
