Massimo Osanna proposes employing immigrants in cultural sector

Massimo Osanna, the Superintendent of Pompeii, has proposed to Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi that immigrants hosted in Italy be employed in the cultural sector, arguing that the state already pays for their upkeep. The proposal has sparked controversy, with critics pointing to high youth unemployment among Italian art and archaeology graduates, differences in educational standards between Italian universities and those outside the EU, and the fact that state funds go to bureaucratic apparatus rather than directly to immigrants. The article questions whether Osanna undervalues Italian university training or whether this is a provocative statement, and warns that if taken seriously, the future of cultural professions in Italy is at risk.