Massimo Osanna, Director General of Museums at the Ministry of Culture, traveled to Bulgaria at the invitation of the Italian Ambassador to Sofia, Marcello Apicella.

The visit, organized by the embassy in close collaboration with the National Archaeological Museum of Sofia (NAIM), directed by Hristo Popov, allowed Osanna to explore some of Bulgaria’s most evocative archaeological sites and museums.

The visit also provided an opportunity to hold meetings with major national institutions in the cultural sector, with the aim of identifying new areas of collaboration between Italy and Bulgaria.

On June 16, Osanna held a conference at the National Archaeological Museum in Sofia titled “Reimagining Pompeii: Archaeology, Conservation, and Cultural Heritage in the 21st Century.” The lecture, attended by an audience of over 150 people—including representatives of Sistema Italia, officials from the Bulgarian Ministry of Culture, academics, and history enthusiasts, provided an overview of the archaeological studies conducted in ancient Pompeii since its discovery, highlighting the logistical and managerial challenges associated with the sustainable management and promotion of cultural heritage.

On June 17, Director Osanna then met with the Deputy Minister of Culture, Marina Vasileva, and the President of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Evelina Slavcheva. The meetings with Bulgarian institutional and academic authorities facilitated a fruitful and in-depth exchange of experiences and ideas between Italy and Bulgaria, identifying the protection of cultural heritage, student and researcher exchanges, archaeological missions, and the sharing of Italian expertise in the field of restoration as the cornerstones of bilateral cultural cooperation in the years to come.