Foreword: Safety and preservation of cultural heritage: to do or not to do?

Biographical notes: Gianmarco de Felice is a Professor and Head of the PhD School in Civil Engineering at Roma Tr e University, he was chairmen of the Rilem TC-250, member of the drafting Committee of the Charter of Rome on the Resilience of Art Cities to Natural Catastrophes, f ounder of the Summer School on Historic Masonry Structures and currently Weinberg Fellow at Columbia University. He designed engi neering projects on cultural heritage, such as: restoration of S. Clemente in Casauria Abbey supported by World Monuments Fund and awarded by 2016 Domus International Prize, restauration of Farnese Palace in Ischia di Castro by Antonio da Sangallo awarded by 2017 Mastrodicasa Prize.