Literature has always played a major role in connecting distant countries and fostering better intercultural understanding, as Italian ambassador to Pakistan Adriano Chiodi Cianfarani underscored at the opening of the Karachi Literature Festival. The festival is one of the subcontinent’s most prominent events, attracting over 125,000 visitors, and was co-sponsored by Italy for the third consecutive year. “Let me say that Italy and Pakistan have not only political, economic and cultural but also emotional bonds”, the ambassador said, who later visited the Indus Valley School of Arts and Architecture. There he spoke about Italy’s long-standing commitment to helping Pakistan rediscover, preserve and pass on its rich cultural heritage to future generations, citing the Sway Valley archaeological mission under way since 1955. Read more, in Italian.