In the midst of debate over Russia's participation in the 61st International Art Exhibition, Pietrangelo Buttafuoco, head of the Venice Biennale Foundation, affirms the institution's autonomy and the importance of artistic freedom. Speaking at the Teatro Piccolo dell’Arsenale following the exhibition’s official presentation, Buttafuoco also referenced remarks made by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who reiterated that the Biennale remains an autonomous institution despite her personal disagreement with the decision. It is precisely in that “I disagree, but…”, Buttafuoco observed, that the foundations of a society governed by the rule of law are reaffirmed: freedom and boldness, he said, quoting President Sergio Mattarella. He emphasizes that this civility is in stark contrast to the "ethical statutes" that transform the equality of the law into an instrument reserved for those of the same mind. His remarks are delivered in the wake of a series of events that have been initiated by the decision to open the Russian pavilion, including the deployment of inspectors from the Ministry of Culture, the resignation of the jurors, and requests for clarification from the European Union. Faced with pressure, the president defends the Biennale's international vocation: in Venice, he remembers, Ukraine and Russia coexist, just as flags from conflicting countries have marched side by side at the Cinema. "Here, we don't take up arms: si vis pacem, para pacem", he says, referencing curator Koyo Kouoh's work. Exclusion would undermine the dialogue. Buttafuoco concludes that the Biennale is "a garden of peace", where the only veto is preventive censorship and where art exists to open questions, not close them.