Posted on 22 September 2016
The Rotary Club Firenze Brunelleschi visited the Historical Archives of the European Union (HAEU) and Villa Salviati on Monday 12 September. The group was welcomed by the HAEU Director Dieter Schlenker who talked about the history of the HAEU and its mission of preserving the historical documents of EU Institutions and thus the European memory, and making it accessible for the research community and the broad public.
Relevance was given to the 40th Anniversary of the creation of the European University Institute (EUI) and original archival documents and images related to its genesis were presented in the HAEU reading room. Archival materials were also shown regarding Italian personalities, such as Alcide De Gasperi and Altiero Spinelli, who have significantly contributed to the common European project and left their archival heritage as deposit in Florence. The group was also shown the vaults where the archival fonds are physically kept.
The group was the first to visit the newly restored Villa Salviati, which was recently opened to the academic community of the EUI, hosting its Department of Law and its Department of History and Civilization. The visit to the Villa, its Grottoes and gardens was carried out by an art historian. Regular visits to Villa Salviati will be organized for the broad public in the near future.
The President of the Rotary Club Firenze Brunelleschi, Dr. Rosanna Camagni, expressed her appreciation for the EUI and HAEU, and recognized the great historical, artistic and cultural value of Villa Salviati.
The Rotary Club is an international organization that brings together business and professional leaders to provide humanitarian services, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and to advance goodwill and peace around the world.
More information on the Rotary Club Florence.