Italian cultural heritage management debate after Torre dei Conti collapse

The collapse of the Torre dei Conti in Rome has sparked a reflection on Italy's cultural heritage management. The incident caused the death of a man safeguarding collective memory. The author argues that public attention is temporary and calls for a serious, programmatic debate on heritage preservation. Italy faces a perpetual state of urgency due to the vast number of at-risk sites, which is unsustainable long-term. The piece challenges the assumption that cultural heritage is exclusively a public responsibility, urging private sector involvement through partnerships like ArtBonus. It questions whether Italians truly value their heritage as much as they claim, noting that different societies have historically assigned different values to material traces of the past. The author proposes two paths: either accept that not everything can be preserved, leading to selective conservation, or collectively commit to preserving all heritage as invaluable, requiring active cooperation from citizens, volunteers, and private organizations. The article emphasizes that change requires active participation and overcoming prejudices that divide society into those who can and cannot care for heritage.