Expo for culture, Franceschini says

(ANSA) - Rome, May 26 - Culture Minister Dario Franceschini said Tuesday he hoped an upcoming meeting at Expo of his colleagues from around the world would be an opportunity to reaffirm a global commitment to culture.
    "The 140 culture ministers of the countries present at Expo have been invited to Milan on July 31 and August 1," Franceshini said.
    "Premier Matteo Renzi will also attend and we hope it might also be an opportunity to reaffirm the international community's strong commitment to cultural heritage," he continued.
    His comments came in light of the ongoing destruction wrought by Islamic State militants on cultural heritage sites in Syria and Iraq and of the recent recovery from the United States of three first-century BC frescoes plundered from the archaeological area of Pompei in 1957.