Taipei donates to Venice disaster recovery efforts

HELPING HAND: After accepting the donation of 100,000 euros, Venice’s mayor said he hoped that exchanges with Taiwan would continue to grow

Staff writer, with CNA





The government has donated 100,000 euros (US$110,588) to Venice in Italy to help with recovery efforts after severe flooding in November, which damaged many cultural and heritage sites, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday.

In the worst flooding in Venice in more than 50 years, the 11th-century St Mark’s Basilica and many other historic churches were damaged.

The Querini-Stampalia Foundation, a cultural institution founded in 1869, also suffered a huge blow after many of its collections of historical books and artwork were damaged.

The Italian government has since launched a fundraising campaign for post-disaster recovery efforts in Venice, the ministry said.

On Friday, Taiwanese representative to Italy Lee Sing-ying (李新穎) handed a donation of 100,000 euros to Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro, on behalf of the Taiwan government, the ministry said.

Expressing gratitude to Taiwan, Brugnaro said he hoped that exchanges between the two sides would continue to grow and flourish, the ministry said.

Since the flooding, visits to the tourist city, known for its art and architecture, have dropped.