The Foreign Ministry’s Director-General for Cultural and Economic Promotion and Innovation, Vincenzo De Luca, was heard by the Committee for Italians in the World and the Promotion of Brand Italy of the Chamber of Deputies’ Foreign Affairs Commission. The hearing enabled Mr De Luca to illustrate the strategy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in consolidating its promotion of Brand Italy throughout the world.
Mr De Luca explained that the promotion is integrated because it concerts “economic and cultural” diplomacy in a networked action capitalising on “Brand Italy”. The actions are cross-cutting and include the economic, cultural and scientific and technological aspects singled out by the Advisory Working Group set up by MAECI, MIBACT and MIUR and promoted, coordinated and driven by the Foreign Ministry’s diplomatic and consular network (Embassies, Consulates, Italian Cultural Institutes (IIC), Science attachés, Italian schools) as the hub of the Italy Brand in the world, with thematic initiatives to be carried out by the whole network and specific actions mainly focused on priority areas.
Director-General De Luca also illustrated to parliamentarians the priority axes of integrated promotion: design, archaeology and the protection of cultural heritage; Italian museums in the world; Italian contemporary art; promoting the Italian language; the “Invest your talent in Italy” programme; haute cuisine; cultural tourism; creative cultural industries; the Mediterranean; science and research; economic diplomacy missions led by members of the Government. In the area of promoting the Italian language and culture around the world, Mr De Luca underscored the role that can be played by the Managing Agencies.
Lastly, Mr De Luca highlighted the role that can be played by Parliament in politically amplifying the global promotion of Brand Italy, also through the allocation of sizable human and financial resources to the Foreign Ministry and to the other institutions and agencies in charge of promoting Italy abroad.