Today, Italian Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Maria Tripodi opened at the Farnesina the proceedings of the 25th Italo-Swiss Cultural Consultative Commission, together with Ambassador Sonja Hürlimann, Head of Bilateral Relations in the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs’ Europe Division.
In her speech, Undersecretary Tripodi stressed that the meeting was part of a renewed commitment on the Italian side to consolidate cultural relations with neighbouring countries, praising Switzerland’s commitment to the promotion and dissemination of the Italian language – one of the official languages of the Confederation. Said commitment was confirmed by the active participation of the Swiss authorities in organising the initiatives for the Week of the Italian Language in the World.
Alongside the crucial issue of language, cultural cooperation with Berne covers many other strategic areas, starting with the common commitment to the protection and enhancement of the cultural and natural heritage, on which technical tables will be set up to consolidate shared lines of action: “While it is true that Italy and Switzerland share 744 km worth of borders, cooperation between our countries cannot be limited to cross-border initiatives, but must instead involve the whole of Italy in an increasingly effective manner,” Tripodi concluded.
