On 25 October, the 26th ‘Week of the Italian Language in the World’ came to a close. The event was organised by the Consulate General of Italy in Chongqing in collaboration with universities and schools in South-West China where Italian is taught.
The programme kicked off on 20 October at Chengdu International Studies University with a performance to mark the fifteenth anniversary of the Italian language course. On the same day, Professor Matilde Elmini gave a lecture entitled ‘From Ingenuity to Design. Italian Words for Thinking and Creating’, at Sichuan Normal University, dedicated to the creativity and innovative potential of the Italian language.
During the week, the twinning arrangement between Chongqing Renmin Primary School and the ‘Gino Bartali’ Primary School in Reggio Emilia was formalised, and at Beixin Bashu Secondary School, Professor Letizia Rustichelli gave an open lesson ‘The Colours of Italy: Emotions, Idioms and Art’, helping to strengthen ties with the ‘Ariosto Spallanzani’ Classical and Scientific High School in Reggio Emilia. A comparison between ancient Rome and China was also held at Chongqing University, organised by Professor Lucrezia Sperindio, whilst an event at Chongqing Bashu Kindergarten dedicated to ‘Pimpa’ introduced over 200 children, teachers and parents to Italy through bilingual readings, a theatre performance and the donation of picture books in Chinese.
The celebrations concluded at Sichuan International Studies University (SISU) with a conference on cultural dialogue between Rome and China, attended by Professor Lucrezia Sperindio and Professor Chen Ying, who is working on a new Chinese translation of Boccaccio’s Decameron.
The Consulate General of Italy in Chongqing will continue to promote the Italian language and to strengthen cultural and educational exchanges between Italy and South-West China.
