The online publication of the catalogue of all the activities included in the 2018 promotional campaign conducted by the overseas diplomatic-consular network along with the Italian Cultural Institutes marks the opening of a window on Italian diplomacy’s cultural activities. It is an initiative that enhances the image of Italy abroad according to a shared logic and is coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
The campaign comprises 8,789 events which will take place in 250 cities in 110 nations, with a 10% increase in the total number of events compared to 2017 and a 48.89% rise from the 5,886 events in 2016. This is a result of the impulse given by the “Plan to enhance the promotion of Italian culture and language”, that was launched in 2017. The Plan adopted an integrated approach to institutional promotion with a view to sharing all the competitive advantages associated with “Brand Italy” and the Italian way of life, which are at the basis of a GDP added value that is estimated at approximately 350 billion euros.
The events are divided by Country and “reference axes” or uniform sectors:
1. design /fashion
2. archaeology/heritage protection
3. visual arts
4. cinema
5. language, literature and publishing
6. promotion of the Italian University system
7. Italian cuisine
8. tourism and
9. live shows ( music, drama, dance)
10. science, research, innovation
11. economic diplomacy
Some of the above sectors in turn form part of periodic festivals that take place on scheduled dates and simultaneously across the world: design, research, cinema, language contemporary art, cuisine.
Events that take place in given geographic areas and last a full year are of great relevance since they focus on priority areas where Italy wants to consolidate its presence by engaging in an intercultural dialogue with local civil societies. “Italy, Cultures, the Mediterranean” was a programme featuring 500 events which unfolded through 2018 and targeted the MENA countries. 2016 was the year of Latin America, while 2019 will be the year dedicated to Sub-Saharan Africa.
The integrated promotion programmes encompass and are enriched by celebrations that pay homage to centennials that have a special relevance for Italian history, as was the case with the celebrations of Rossini in 2018, of Leonardo in 2019 and of Raphael in 2020.
The #VivereAll’Italiana – the Italian Way of Life – programme develops in an international context that acknowledges Italy as an undisputed cultural point of reference.This is true both for UNESCO and for a European dimension which is promoted also through the EUNIC network ( the association of the Member Countries’ national institutes and ministries responsible for cultural relations and cultural diplomacy) of which Italy is an active member.
This year, the hardcopy catalogue, which is being drawn up, will have a new look and will be made available in a larger number of copies also for our network abroad.
We wish to express our sincere appreciation to all of those who collaborated to the drafting of the catalogue but above all a special thanks is due to the capillary network of our offices abroad that, all the way to the furthest outpost, have spared no efforts to offer to local interlocutors a selected taste of the Italian spirit.
