[CPProt.net] SAFE launches "Say YES to Italy'" to support renewal of bilateral agreement with the U.S.

[Cindy Ho]

On September 8 the U.S. Cultural Property Advisory Committee (CPAC) will
meet to consider Italy's request to renew the bilateral
agreement that restricts the importation of antiquities into the U.S.

"Say YES to Italy" is the latest campaign launched by SAFE | Saving
Antiquities For Everyone (www.savingantiquities.org) in support of this
renewal. We ask all those concerned about the devastation of Italy's
cultural heritage by the illicit antiquities trade to visit our website and
sign our online appeal:

http://www.savingantiquities.org/i-safe-mouitaly.php

SAFE will present signatures to CPAC, so sign NOW and tell
everyone--colleagues, friends, family, everyone--you know to do the same.
SAFE urges all scholars, especially those who work in Italy, to submit
written statements to CPAC. Your personal knowledge of looting in
Italy and anything you can recount about whether and how the
2001 bilateral US-Italy agreement has helped to mitigate the situation will
be critically important. For details, please visit our website.


SAFE | Saving Antiquities for Everyone creates educational programs and
media campaigns to raise public awareness about the importance of preserving
cultural heritage worldwide. SAFE is a coalition of professionals in
communications, media, and advertising working alongside experts in the
academic, legal and law enforcement communities. SAFE has no political
affiliations and is sponsored by the New York Foundation for the Arts
(NYFA), a 501(c)(3) corporation. "Say YES to Italy" follows SAFE's campaign
to support China's request for a bilateral agreement in February 2005.