Matteo Renzi, the 56th Prime Minister of Italy from February 2014 to December 2016 from the Democratic Party (Italia Viva), realized the value of cultural heritage in Europe, which, in his opinion, is plunging into its “dark middle ages”. and approved an increase in the budget of the Italian Ministry of Culture by 27%, or about 2 billion euros, compared to 6% in 2015. Activist Minister of Culture Dario Franceschini sought to galvanize the growth of the private sector and increase youth interest in their cultural life. inheritance. The taxation of cultural sponsorship was permanently discontinued. The Italian government planned to offer every 18-year-old a €500 card to be used solely to cover the cost of tickets to theatres, museums, bookstores and archaeological sites.

In connection with this news, which I accidentally read in The Economist on March 12, 2016, I thought it would be nice if our own Ministry of Culture came up with a similar proposal, offering a cultural card worth at least 400 euros for young people 18 – 20 years. In 2016, it turned out that it was too early for a prime minister or minister to even think, let alone understand the value of cultural property and propose and approve an increase in the budget of the Ministry of Culture of our country. . However, today, when various cards or so-called passes (such as fuel pass, energy pass, Northern Evia-Samos pass, tourist pass 22) are almost introduced, it is time to think about creating a cultural pass.

After all, the Athenians of classical times instituted something similar. I mean the famous Theorikon, the silver devil for every theatrical performance to the needy citizens of the municipalities of Attica. It is attested that Eubulus and Diophanes were supporters of the Theoretical Measure, which dates back to 350 BC, after the so-called war of the allies. Some scholars claim that Theorikon was founded in the 5th century. like Pericles. The money likely came from the city’s surplus income, led by an elected administrator.

Mr. Petros Temelis – Archaeologist.