Organization

The conservation and valorisation of the world’s cultural and artistic heritage are an essential basis for the affirmation and enrichment of the cultural and civil identity of all people.

The safeguard, the conservation and the restoration of the Cultural Heritage, which constitutes the memory of human creativity, is of global importance and requires collective efforts to achieve such an end.

The national realities require an increasing integration of experiences and requirements, technical solutions and policies.
Within the international scenario, Italy has always been a protagonist in the research and creation of methods and techniques concerning the conservation and restoration of cultural heritage. This due to its own patrimony, its research tradition, its experience and the qualified work of researchers, restorers and art historians as well as its prestigious research and educational institutes.

The possible areas of action are so numerous that an increasingly close co-operation between public and private structures has become necessary in order to safeguard cultural and artistic heritage and to spread and promote the culture of conservation and restoration.

In this context the Associazione Giovanni Secco Suardo was founded, entitled to Giovanni Secco Suardo (1798-1873), whose work have had a remarkable influence on restoration’s history in Italy and abroad.

The Associazione Giovanni Secco Suardo operates, since 1991, in coordination with leading public institutions, both national and international, to stimulate and widen cultural-historic and technical-scientific researches, and confrontation on conservation problems of different cultural realities fostering constant updating and the debate on advanced topics and methodologies.

In order to achieve these goals, the Associazione Giovanni Secco Suardo promotes projects and initiatives such as conferences and seminars, the setting up of archives and data bases, the promotion of cultural and scientific exchanges in Italy and abroad, the participation in projects carried out in developing countries and publishing activities. These activities are carried out through co-operation with major public (Ministries, Universities, Government Offices, Museums and recognised education institutions, etc.) and private (Foundations, Museums, Associations in the sector, etc.) institutions in the field.

The Association also owns a Library, a Video Library and an Archive, relating to the Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage, open to public consultation, as well as all the materials of the National Historical Archive of Italian Restorers.

In 2016 the Association received the Ranucci Bianchi Bandinelli Award “La tutela come impegno civile” for the activities of theNational Historical Archives and Data Bank of Italian Restorers.

The Association has, by statute, the following association bodies:

President:
Lanfranco Secco Suardo

He is the legal representative of the association: elected by the assembly, he presides over the activities of the Governing Council. The President remains in office for four years and can be re-elected.

Vice President:
Giuseppina Cinzia Gimondi

He is elected by the assembly from among the members of the Governing Council. He can be freely re-elected and, in case of absence or impediment, it is up to the Vice President to replace the President.

Board of Directors:
Silva Cecchini
Paola Centurini
Giuseppina Cinzia Gimondi
Marco Palmini
Lanfranco Secco Suardo
Federica Zanchi

It is made up of a minimum of three to a maximum of nine members, elected by a majority by the Shareholders’ Meeting.. The members, elected by the assembly, are responsible for the strategic direction of the association and for supervising its activities. The Council is entrusted with the main ordinary and extraordinary administration functions of the Association. The Board of Directors remains in office for four years and can be re-elected.

College of Founding Members
The Board of Founding Members is made up of all the members who participated in the establishment of the Association as resulting from the deed of incorporation.
The Board meets twice a year and resolves exclusively and by simple majority on the admission, suspension and exclusion of ordinary members.

Honorary Committee
The Honorary Committee is made up of a variable number of members designated by the Board of Directors chosen from individuals whodo nothold the status of member.
It meets whenever it deems it appropriate and is coordinated by a member of the Board of Directors.
The Honorary Committee has the function of consulting on the scientific activity of the Association, with particular regard to the identification of the issues towards which to define the interventions.

Shareholders’ Meeting
The Assembly of Members meets ordinarily at least once every year by 30 April to deliberate on the general situation of the Association, to approve the annual report and for the possible renewal of the corporate offices, as well as to present the budget of the ‘current year.
Furthermore, the Assembly is convened when the Board of Directors deems it appropriate or when a request has been received by at least one third of the members with the right to vote.
Founding Members and Ordinary Members have the right to participate and vote in the assembly.