As part of the celebrations of the Italian Republic Day in Mozambique, the photographic exhibition Humus by Italian photographer Marco Palombi was inaugurated on 1 June 2026 at the Natural History Museum of Maputo.
The exhibition features photographs taken in Manica Province, portraying communities, territories, and initiatives supported by Italian Cooperation. The images document different dimensions of local development, ranging from the promotion of the coffee value chain to the economic empowerment of women, as well as peacebuilding initiatives and sustainable rural development projects.
The photographs also highlight the agricultural potential of Manica Province and contribute to raising awareness of the future Manica Agri-Food Centre (CAAM), one of the projects included in the Mattei Plan for Africa in Mozambique. With an estimated investment of €38 million, the centre is designed as a regional hub dedicated to the processing, preservation, and distribution of agricultural products, contributing to the strengthening of agri-food value chains and the promotion of regional trade along the Beira Corridor.
The opening ceremony was attended by the Ambassador of Italy to Mozambique, Gabriele Annis, the Rector of Eduardo Mondlane University, Manuel Guilherme Júnior, and the Director of the Natural History Museum of Maputo, Gaby Monteiro.
The exhibition’s title, Humus, derives from the Latin word humus and is intended to evoke, on the one hand, the fertile topsoil rich in organic matter and, on the other, the set of social, cultural, and human conditions that foster the emergence and development of ideas, projects, and opportunities.
Each of the 22 photographs is accompanied by a proverb from Mozambican tradition, highlighting the profound connection between the agricultural world and popular wisdom, passed down from generation to generation and capable of inspiring communities across borders and through time.
A photojournalist from Rome, Marco Palombi has devoted more than thirty years to producing photographic and audiovisual reportages in different regions of the world. His work has focused on documenting communities, minorities, and social realities across Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Latin America. In 2023, he received the Anima Photography Award, and in 2025 he presented the exhibition “SHAMS” in Beirut, dedicated to educational projects supported by Italian Cooperation.
On the occasion of the inauguration, Ambassador Annis remarked:
“Anyone who has visited the fields of Manica knows that development cannot be measured only in numbers, but also in faces, gestures, and words. It is this humus – human before it is agricultural – that Italy has supported for fifty years and that it intends to continue fostering with renewed commitment.”
The exhibition will remain open to the public until 1 July 2026 at the Natural History Museum of Maputo, one of the city’s most emblematic cultural and scientific institutions. The museum was restored and reopened in 2025 with the support of Italian Cooperation under the RINO Programme – Recovery and Innovation of the Natural History Museum.
The exhibition forms part of the MOZITA2026 cultural programme promoted by the Embassy of Italy in Maputo, with the support of Italian and Mozambican companies, including Renco, Inalca, Eni, Cotur, BCI, and MSC.
Opening Hours
Natural History Museum of Maputo
Rua dos Lusíadas, Praça Travessia do Zambeze No. 104, Maputo
Tuesday to Thursday: 08:30 – 15:30
Friday to Sunday: 10:00 – 17:00
For further information, please contact:
Lorenzo Vai
Embassy of Italy
lorenzo.vai@esteri.it
Miguel Almeida
AICS Mozambique
miguel.almeida@aics.gov.it
Mobile: (+258) 84 860 5343
