"It is cause for alarm throughout the world-wide academic community when it is suggested that a major European research institute may be closed for any reason. It has been my priviledge during the past 50 years to study the research activities of my colleagues in IsIAO and to confer with them in the field in Afghanistan and Pakistan and to benefit from discussions with them during International conferences in Europe and in Asia. The long history of important scientific research carried out by various scholars in IsIAO is well documented in hundreds of valuable publications which are a lasting legacy of Italian research of international importance to scholars both noiw and in the future. Colleagues all over the world join me in urging you, Mr. President to intervene and to save this institution.".

Dr. Schuyler Jones CBE - Professor Emeritus, Linacre College, Oxford University

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"Mr. President, how can Italians in this century of globalization afford to ignore the history and cultures of so many nations except at their own peril? [...] The imprudent action of your council of ministers, sir, may lead to a myopic vision of world cultures by generations of Italians that could be as tragic. I am a scholar of Indian (a country where an Italian woman now is an important political figure) origins and a great admirer of the pre-eminent Tibetologist of the 20th century, Professor Giuseppe Tucci, the founder of IsMEO. I urge you, Mr. President, to ponder carefully before abolishing so valuable a programme that seems so shortsighted in today’s globalized world.".

Pratapaditya Pal - General Editor, Marg Publications, Los Angeles CA

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"Si resta sbalorditi ed indignati di come l'Italia possa privarsi di un Istituto, come quello di Giuseppe Tucci, che tanto prestigio ha dato alla cultura internazionale, e la cui opera è stata così tanto importante per il mio Paese.".

India d'Afghanistan - Ambasciatore per la Cultura dell'Afghanistan in Europa

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"Scandalizzato per la mancanza di sensibilità culturale nel voler sopprimere un istituto culturale tanto illustre mentre altri rami secchi parassitariamente sopravvivono sotto gli occhi del Ministro per la Riforma della P.A., mi associo all’appello corale affinché una simile corbelleria non venga perpetrata.".

Maurizio Del Maschio - Presidente dell’Unione Cattolica Stampa Italiana, Venezia

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"Apprendiamo oggi con stupore e immenso rammarico della proposta del Consiglio dei Ministri italiano di chiudere l’IsIAO dopo oltre cent’anni di attività.".
Read more (in Italian)

Prof. Dr. Roderich Ptak, Prof. Dr. Thomas O. Höllmann, Prof. Dr. Hans van Ess - Institut für Sinologie, München, Germany

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"I am shocked by the news that the Italian government is proposing to close down your world famous Institute. This is an act of short-sighted vandalism worthy of the Taliban, and it does not even have the excuse that it is motivated by religious faith. Italy used to have the reputation of being the principal guardian in the contemporary world of the western tradition of civilisation and due respect for the humanistic traditions of mankind. It is a puzzle to Italy's friends why it should be intent on destroying that reputation".

Richard Gombrich - Academic Director, Oxford Centre for Buddhist Studies, Boden Professor of Sanskrit Emeritus, University of Oxford

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"An old and illustrious institution, on which a big part of Italian renown in Asia and in the scientific circles of the world is based, should be closed to save an amount of money that is only a minimal fraction of the yearly statal contribution to a "private" college or of the yearly expenses of the smallest of the many useless Italian provincial administrations? Ridicolous and shameful!".

Prof. Giovanni M. D'Erme - Università degli Studi di Napoli "L'Orientale"

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"I first came across the work of ISMEO at Ctesiphon in Iraq in 1968. The scale, professionalism, expertise and effectiveness not only at an academic but also at a political and diplomatic level was envied by my British colleagues. To abandon the relatively inexpensive cultural ace in your country's hand is tantamount to renouncing Italian influence in what are the most important parts of the world. Unbelievable parsimonious short-sighted folly!".

Hugo Blake - Department of History, Royal Holloway, University of London, GB

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"To contemplate even to force the closure or severe reduction of the Istituto Italiano per l'Africa e l'Oriente would seem to be an act of philistine barbarism unworthy of the government of so civilized country as Italy. IaIAO has a long and highly respected tradition of scholarship and publication and is one of the most prestigious and respected of Italian institutions and brings renown to the reputation of the country in many countries of the Middle, Far East and Southeast Asia. I strongly implore the relevant persons or committee of the Italian Government not to pursue this route, or the Italian Government will go down in history as 'Vandals'".

Dr Ian C. Glover - Emeritus Reader in Southeast Asian Archaeology, Institute of Archaeology, University College London, GB

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"The decision of authorities to close down the great institution has shocked me. It is giving me the same jolt that I got after learning of the demolition of the Bamian Buddhas in Afghanistan. I am dumbfounded and feel devastated to hear of the sad decision. The institution is over a century old. The jounal East & West published by it is ranked among the most esteemed journals of the world in the area of Asiatic Studies. It will be a great loss to the subject area.
If I were to bend on my knees, fold my hands, and pray at the feet of the President of Italy, will he be so kind as to revert the decision. I can only hope that our voice reaches him. (It brings tears in my eyes to hear of this news.) What more can I say".

Rajesh K. Singh - Art Historian, Dept. of Art History & Aesthetics, Faculty of Fine Arts, M.S. University of Baroda, India

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"I have been affiliated with IsIAO (formerly IsMEO) for two decades. It is an excellent institution which has done much for the promotion of Italian culture, scholarship and research. They publish wonderful books and an excellent journal (East and West). This institution is a superb example of the proper way to support Italian culture abroad. I know from my contacts, especially in Iran and India, that many people hold Italian culture and the Italian people in very high regard because of the fine example shown by IsIAO. [...] I hope that you will examine closely the plans for IsIAO and look to the big picture before making a decision to close it. It has a long and distinguished record of accomplishment and Giuseppe Tucci was a famous, highly regarded Italian man of history and culture".

Prof. Emeritus Gregory Possehl - University of Pennsylvania, USA

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"I am absolutely shocked to hear of the impending closing down of the Istituto Italiano per l'Africa e l'Oriente (IsIAO)! By shutting down the IsIAO, the Italian Government would deprive Italia of one of the country's most outstanding academic institutions in the field of research on African and Asian cultures, which is highly esteemed among scholars from all over the world. And the saving of a ridiculously small amount of money is out of all proportion to the academic achievements having been yielded by the IsIAO and its forerunners since more than one century. Moreover, by closing down the IsIAO, the Italian Government would change its own attitude. To my knowledge, formerly, guests of the state of Italy by the head of state even were presented with Prof. Giuseppe Tucci's famous book "Tibetan Painted Scrolls" (published in Rome in 1949) as a token of extraordinary academic achievements of Italy. How can such an esteem abruptly turn into such a scant regard? For the sake of scholarship, I sincerely hope that the plans of closing down the IsIAO will be called off".

Dr Albrecht Hanisch - Resident Representative of the NGMCP & Acting Director of the NRC, Kathmandu, Nepal

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"this is incredible, incredibile!!!!! Why?, and what a ridiculous amount of money to save for the state budget!".

Martin Bemmann - Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities, Germany

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"I am shocked to know the unfortunate decision of the Italian Government. I shall certainly sign the letter and also urge upon my friends to do the same. Let us hope that the Govt. will reconsider the decision. [...] I remember that Prof. Tucci had been honoured by the Indian government by presenting him the prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International  understanding in 1976. Indian scholars are grateful for his outstanding contribution to Asian studies. [...] the Chinese and ther Govts. can also be approached in the same manner, highlighting the contribution of  this Institute to the study of those nations. It might be useful to put international pressure to preserve cultural studies".

Prof. Shrikant Bahulkar - Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies, Sarnath, Varanasi, India

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"About the ridiculous initiative to cancel "IsIAO" within 60 days I am not amused at all. This initiative is again an example of difficult the relations between governements and cultural institutions are".

Prof. Harald Hauptmann - Heidelberg Akademie del Wissenshaften, Germany

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"[...] many years ago I was the English translator of Prof. Tucci's Religions of Tibet. My own work has benefitted in many ways from the work of Prof. Tucci and other scholars associated with IsMEO and IsIAO, who have made very important contributions to our knowledge in Asian studies and Asian religions".

Prof. Geoffrey Samuel - Director, Cardiff Humanities Research Institute and Professorial Fellow Cardiff University, Wales UK

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"It is really bad news for IsAO as well as for the whole academic world. Your institution have done a lot in the past and we all appreciate your work".

Prof. Li Chongfeng - Peking University, People's Republic of China