The American Consul General in Naples Tracy Roberts-Pounds attended the inauguration of the exhibition "La Reggia Liberata," organized at the State Archive of Caserta. The exhibit retraces the days when the Royal Palace, the site of the signing of the German surrender on April 29, 1945, became the headquarters of the Allied forces in Europe.

During that time, alongside the soldiers, the men and women of the Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives Commission—the famous "Monuments Men"—worked tirelessly to safeguard the valuable artistic heritage of the Palace.

This exhibition tells a story that still unites us today, eighty years later: the defense of democracy, freedom, and culture as fundamental and shared values. Today, as then, we are united and stronger than ever in protecting these ideals and passing them on to future generations.

A special thanks to the Director of the State Archive of Caserta, Fortunata Manzi, to the Director of the Royal Palace Museum of Caserta, Tiziana Maffei, and to all those who, through the study of Italian and American archives, made this important initiative possible, reminding us of a significant chapter in our shared history.