Friday, 15 May 2026, 00:13
14 May 2026
The Venice Biennale has traditionally been one of the most prominent cultural events in the world. This year, however, interest in it has extended far beyond the professional community. The reason is the organizers' decision to allow Russia to take part in the official program of the 61st Biennale, which has sparked strong reactions in Italy and across Europe.
As early as the beginning of March, the ministers of culture and foreign affairs of 22 countries signed a joint letter calling for Russia to be excluded from the exhibition.
Italy's Minister of Culture, Alessandro Giuli, said he would not attend the opening of the Biennale in protest against the presence of the Russian pavilion, while the European Union suspended a three-year EUR 2 million grant to the Biennale.
