On 9 March 2026, at Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington, a ceremony was held for the public unveiling of a marble head, depicting a Roman woman from the Antonine period (II sec.), preserved in the collection of the University’s Classics Museum.
The artifact, which had been illegally exported from Italy, was acquired by the University in good faith in 2003. Subsequent investigations carried out by the Italian authorities established that the artifact originated from an illicit excavation and formed part of a broader international phenomenon involving the illegal trafficking of archaeological materials.
In light of these findings, the Italian Ministry of Culture and Victoria University of Wellington, both strongly committed to the protection and preservation of historical heritage, also on the basis of Italy’s and New Zealand’s shared adherence to the 1970 UNESCO Convention, signed a Cultural Cooperation Agreement. The agreement provides for the return of the property of the artifact to Italy, while allowing it to remain on loan to Victoria University for a period of four years, with the possibility of renewal. This arrangement ensures the continuity of academic and research activities while respecting cultural rights and Italy’s ownership of the artifact.
The event was attended by a large audience of academics, scholars, and supporters of the Classics Department, as well as several institutional representatives from both Italy and New Zealand, including the Vice-Chancellor of Victoria University, Nic Smith; the curator of the Classics Museum, Professor Diana Burton; the Director General for European and International Affairs of the Italian Ministry of Culture, Mariassunta Peci, and the Ambassador of Italy to Wellington, Cristiano Maggipinto.
The ceremony represented an important moment of engagement between institutions, an opportunity to reflect on the role of international cooperation in the protection and safeguarding of cultural heritage, and to further strengthen the ongoing collaboration between the Embassy and Victoria University.
The initiative, in the framework of Executive Programme for the Implementation of the Cultural Agreement between Italy and New Zealand signed in June 2025 by Minister Antonio Tajani and New Zealand’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters, confirms the excellent level of cultural cooperation between the two countries and lays the foundations for future joint activities in research, study, and public outreach.
