For Italian-speakers, the newspaper il Resto di Carlino in Bologna runs an interview with Franco Bonilauri, the founding director of the Jewish Museum in Bologna, who will be retiring in August. In it, Bonilauri (who is not Jewish) reflects on his interest in Jewish culture and heritage and on the development of the museum, which has about 25,000 visitors a year.
The museum, which opened in 1999, is a rarity in Italy – a Jewish museum created by public institutions (the city, province and region), in collaboration with the local Jewish community. It is administered by a non-profit foundation established by the City, the local Jewish community and the Friends of the Museum Association.