This site uses technical (necessary) and analytics cookies.
By continuing to browse, you agree to the use of cookies.

The first Italian Cultural Institute of Central Asia opens in Almaty

The first Italian Cultural Institute in Central Asia will be inaugurated in Almaty (Kazakhstan) on 30 November. The inauguration falls a little less than three months after the visit to Kazakhstan by Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Antonio Tajani, during which the new premises of the Italian Embassy in Astana were inaugurated.

“The cultural diplomacy action that I have promoted since my first day at the Farnesina is central to the Government’s foreign policy strategy. There is nothing more international than culture, and Italy, which considers its cultural heritage one of its greatest strengths, operates globally also thanks to the work of its nearly ninety institutes: a long list, now joined by the one being inaugurated in Kazakhstan”, Tajani commented.

The inaugural ceremony will be chaired by Italy’s Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Edmondo Cirielli, and Ambassador Marco Alberti.

The opening of the Institute represents a new and important step to strengthen the Italian presence in Kazakhstan, following the launch of the Confindustria Kazakhstan assembly in December 2022. Italy is one of the largest foreign investors in the Country, the first European buyer of Kazakh goods and the second globally, with a trade volume that has tripled since 2021. There is a growing demand for Italian products, including cultural ones, confirmed by the excellent feedback received at key events from the public.

The Institute, to be headed by Edoardo Crisafulli, will play an important role in terms of soft power, helping to strengthen Italy’s position in a region of growing strategic importance, and in a particularly delicate historical moment from a geopolitical point of view.

In addition to teaching the Italian language and promoting cultural events and initiatives, the Institute will be responsible, in collaboration with the Embassy and the Italian Trade Agency (ICE), for carrying out activities related to the integrated promotion of Italy in Kazakhstan, enhancing the strength of the relationship between culture and business.

You might also be interested in..