Last week, the Centre for Cultural Heritage Technology (Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia - IIT), which coordinates the RITHMS project, was honored with the prestigious "Environment and Legality" award by the Italian national organization Legambiente.
This recognition is given to entities and organizations that stand out for their commitment to environmental protection and the promotion of legality, including efforts against criminal organizations involved in cultural goods trafficking.
One of the key reasons for this award was CCHT's involvement in developing support systems, including the use of artificial intelligence, to assist law enforcement agencies—work that has been a significant part of the RITHMS project. The contribution of the RITHMS project was also highlighted in Legambiente's report "Ecomafia 2024: The Stories and Numbers of Environmental Crime in Italy" which marks the 30th anniversary of its first publication. The report's data were presented in July in Rome in the presence of various authorities.
Arianna Traviglia, the project coordinator, accepted the award on behalf of CCHT, in the presence of Eugenio Giani, President of the Tuscany Region, and Stefano Ciafani, President of Legambiente.
Learn more about Legambiente's environmental crime report here (Italian version): Ecomafia 2024: The Stories and Numbers of Environmental Crime in Italy