Italy stands by Myanmar in protecting the country’s cultural heritage. This effort is confirmed by the cooperation project “Sustainable destination plan for the ancient cities of upper Myanmar”, developed by the University of Florence and the Mandalay University in conjunction with the Italian Cooperation Development Agency and the Ministries of Tourism, Planning and Finance and Culture of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar. Italian Ambassador to Myanmar, Pier Giorgio Aliberti, said that sustainable tourism is a priority for Italy, with a view to protecting and valorising Burmese cultural heritage. “The plan developed by the University of Florence”, the Ambassador said, “is an essential starting point in this direction, especially for the development of tourism in the North of the country”.
The project is designed to promote sustainable tourism in the Mandalay area and falls within the context of a larger cooperation project between the two countries, which is aimed at preserving and valorising Burmese cultural heritage. In the course of the mission, Ambassador Aliberti also met with the heads of the local Chamber of Commerce, some representatives of Mandalay’s civil society who are active in politics, environment conservation and in the promotion of women’s participation in public life, as well as the regional governor and the mayor of Mandalay. The meeting with the mayor offered the opportunity to confirm the commercial cooperation between Italy and Myanmar in some priority-sectors such as agro-food and infrastructure, and to discuss future forms of cooperation.
