Institutions Promote Italian Language and Culture
The initiative, inaugurated with much success in 2001 both in Italy and abroad, renews the commitment of Italian institutions to the promotion and diffusion of the Italian language and culture in the international arena. To underscore the importance of the cultural initiative, a number of institutions, such the Ministero per i Beni e le Attività Culturali, the Ministero dell'Istruzione, the Unione Latina, and the Fondazione Cassamarca all actively support activities and events during the Week. Events to celebrate Week of the Italian Language in the World include a nation-wide writing contest, a video conference, radio and television shows on RAI, and special online multimedia features.
L'Italiano in Piazza
This year's theme acknowledges the significant role that the public square in Italy has played over the centuries, both as a driving force of culture as well as a site of human interaction and exchange, both social and commercial. The piazza is seen not only in architectural terms but as the stage where scenes of everyday life are acted out, a place that is the catalyst at the heart of Italy’s political activity and its cultural and artistic output. The history of the square is also the history of Italy’s linguistic tradition, the burgeoning development from local dialects to a national Italian language.
As part of the weekly activities to promote the event, actor George Albertazzi has narrated the documentary "Life, Public Squares, the Dream..." produced by RAI Educational. During the conference sponsored by the Ministero degli Affari Esteri, two personalities from the world of music and entertainment were scheduled to take part in discussions: the singer Pino Daniele on the topic "Song and Public Squares," and actor Giuseppe Fiorello, on the subject of language for the public of fiction and the public square.
In addition, the ministry is to host two exhibits on-site: in the Sala Mappamondi there will be a photography exhibit curated by Fratelli Alinari, including images of the most famous Italian piazzas, and in the Sala Mosaici the Società Geografica Italiana presents displays of lesser-known but equally picturesque Italian centers.
