Fedrigoni Fabriano Foundation and IIRPS: agreement signed
Fondazione Fedrigoni Fabriano has recently signed a partnership agreement with the International Institute for Restoration and Preservation Studies (IIRPS), an academic and cultural organization based in New York that manages the San Gemini Preservation Studies (SGPS) program in San Gemini (Terni, Italy), offering both practical and theoretical courses in restoration and conservation.
The agreement, founded on a shared commitment to developing a long-term collaboration aimed at achieving common goals and promoting research and development activities in the field of archival and library heritage conservation and enhancement, was signed by Director Massimo Cardillo and President Chiara Medioli-Fedrigoni. It formalizes and strengthens a relationship that has been growing over the past several years and has already brought young conservators and restorers from around the world to Fabriano.
Within this framework, the recent visit of IIRPS students, accompanied by restoration instructors Francesco Maria Rizzo and Maria Chiara Abate, also took place. The group was welcomed at the Foundation and guided by Director Livia Faggioni.
During the visit, students had the opportunity to gain first-hand knowledge of the Foundation’s activities and to explore the historical and technical significance of Fabriano paper, as well as the practices related to its conservation and preservation.
A further boost to this collaboration came with the establishment, in 2023, of the Paper Conservation and Restoration Laboratory, located within the Foundation’s premises and managed by conservator-restorer Stefania Zeppieri. The laboratory has increased the interest of professionals in the field, who regard both the city of Fabriano and its paper-making tradition as an international benchmark for quality, heritage, and innovation.
The agreement formalizes and reinforces this shared journey, laying the groundwork for new projects, international exchanges, and advanced educational initiatives. It represents a joint commitment to the future of conservation, recognizing paper as a living heritage, a field of research, and a bridge connecting knowledge, cultures, and generations.
