Board of Directors Press Release
about new Science Centre

The Board of Directors of Fondazione Idis-Città della Scienza  acquired  the “Interinstitutional Agreement Italian Government, Campania Region, Municipality of Naples – Environmental Cleansing Program and Urban Regeneration – National Interest Bagnoli – Coroglio“, signed on July 19th, 2017.

On the one hand, it expresses full appreciation for seeing a new  way back of institutional relations between the various levels of government of the territory – the only way possible to try to fight the socio-economic crisis of the city of Naples and to create in Bagnoli a Special Economic Zone, an important tool of new industrialization against the drama of deindustrialization and hence of unemployment and lack of work that afflicts the city – on the other hand, expresses a protest for the solution offered to Città della Scienza

Fondazione Idis’ Board of Directors denounces that, in spite of the current Regulatory Plan, the Framework Program Agreement signed on August 14th , 2014 by the same Mayor De Magistris, the President Renzi and the President Caldoro, and despite the huge technical  work in the last years and the signing of the Agreement of February 18th,  2017 between Invitalia and Città della Scienza, with the Interinstitutional Agreement, “on a non-negotiable request of the Municipality of Naples, a proposal has been developed for the acquisition to the waterfront all the areas of sediments of the burnt volumes leaving the ruins of the old glasswork along the seafront. As an alternative to the agreement reached between Invitalia and Città della Scienza, it was therefore prepared to build the NSC behind existing volumes in the former Italsider area, today Invitalia (with the condition that its exchange of ownership of the areas and the valorisation of the sea areas by the same Invitalia) “.

Idis’  Board denounces that with this decision the municipality of Naples erases the reconstruction of the burned Science Center that was scheduled for March 4th, 2020, and that Fondazione Idis  will never accept the deportation of the Museum. Beyond the good words, all the work done in the aftermath of the fire attack goes into smoke: the technical and design work that had led to the signing of the Framework Program Agreement of August 14th, 2014, the award Of the New Design Center’s international design contest, the Campania Region’s launch of the Service Conference, the Invitalia Agreement for a further retreat to make regeneration projects even more compatible.

The BoD reminds Mayor De Magistris that the Foundation in 2013 could have made a simple DIA and rebuild the burned Museum, but that it had accepted its  request and the municipal administration to reconstruct it where it was but with a retreat of 18 meters over the Its historic location, to make the new museum compatible with the walk and the artificial beach, and that the August 14th , 2014 agreement was the result of timely technical work with municipal offices.

Reading the document and looking at the plants, it’s clear that there is no technical reason in the decision to drive the museum out of his home. It should be clarified that the relocation of the Museum, insistently proposed by the Municipality of Naples before the signing of the Agreement of  August 14th, 2014, served to “make” the coast empty from artifacts, because on those same areas, in front of the ruins of the current museum, is now proposing to build commercial volumes.

Even the project for the realization of the large public beach – fully compatible with the presence of the Science Centre, against which Città della Scienza would be an important garrison, attraction and animator, not only in the summer months – must be brought to the truth: the desired proposal From the Commune is not a “reconstruction” of the coastline, because instead of the natural coastline, consisting mainly of tuffed and lava rocks, a Dubai-style artificial beach will be built, which never existed in the area, From dubious environmental tenure, and which represents yet another act of man’s force on nature.

This request – the only “non-negotiable” in a 102-page document- is not explained with the exact will of the municipal administration to strike a piece of Neapolitan scientific community, that collected Città della Scienza always shown free and independent, while constantly maintaining a collaborative and constructive approach with the institutions in general and with the same De Magistris team. Again, we reiterate that the autonomy of our institution is not touched, and that independence from politics is what has allowed the Città della Scienza to represent for more than thirty years, nationally and internationally, a point of reference Cultural, scientific and economic, ambitious and credible, to reborn as the Phoenician Arabic from the criminal fire, and this is an essential condition for helping to innovate and transform our city and our region.

The proposal with the ‘Interinstitutional Agreement to block the reconstruction of the Museum to reconstruct it in the distant future, in areas not owned by Città della Scienza, certainly not of the same value, which should first be acquired by Invitalia, then dealt with by the judiciary, then still be subject to reclamation, is yet another humiliation that could be spared in the city of Naples.

Moreover, the principle of the relocation of the new museum to “empty” the coast line is quite incomprehensible, leaving, however, where the whole burnt artifact is, opting for a land occupation with a “dead” structure, And renouncing forever to revive it in the name of science and law with a futuristic project designed by young people for young people.

Once again we point out to the City of Naples and to the Mayor De Magistris that we move a museum built in 160 years old building, an integral part of the General Regulatory Plan, with the motivation that most of the buildings were burned by criminal hands, An opportunity is good to eliminate it is in fact giving reason to those same criminal forces that burned the Scientific Museum of the city of Naples,

The Board of Directors appeals to the Mayor, the Administration and the City Council, the Campania Region and the Government to correct this decision and allow it not to interrupt the reconstruction of the Science Center “where, as it was, Even more beautiful, “as required by the hundreds of thousands of citizens who have been mobilizing for the rebuilding of the Città della Scienza these years.

The CdA asks to give the facts a firm answer to the hand and to the criminal minds that have ignited the Museum and not to support the thesis of those who see in the fire an effective tool for redesigning the territory. If this choice is not corrected, Fondazione Idis’ reserves the right to seek compensation in the appropriate venues for the material and moral damages it may incur.

The proposal of the municipal administration that “plans to capture all the areas of sedimentation of the voluminous volcanoes by letting the ruins of the old glasswork along the seafront”, as well as playing as a mockery, is a negative message to young people of Naples and the whole country, proof of the inability of a ruling class to look to the future and invest in culture, science and innovation to build a just, solid and inclusive city.

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