Contribute to the rediscovery of the city and its spaces through culture in all its forms: this is the main objective of the XXIII edition of the Week of Italian Culture in Cuba, which will take place from 22 to 27 November, organized by the Italian Embassy in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, the Oficina del Historiador de la Ciudad de La Habana and other Italian and Cuban institutions.
The Week of Italian Culture in Cuba has been celebrated since 1996 in response to a growing demand for an Italian presence in the fields of music, cinema, visual arts, entertainment and literature. It is an example of cooperation and exchange between two countries united by their Latin roots and their cultural and creative heritage. As in previous editions, this Week will pay tribute to influential figures in Italian culture and their contribution to the Cuban cultural context.
This year, the celebrations of the 700th anniversary of the death of Dante Alighieri occupy a central place with the inauguration, in Old Havana, of a statue dedicated to the father of the Italian language, followed by the inaugural event hosted by the Palacio del Segundo Cabo. Other highlights of the Week include the presentation of projects to restore the ISA (Higher Institute of Art) Theatre School, designed by Italian architect Roberto Gottardi, the celebration of the centenary of the birth of filmmaker Pier Paolo Pasolini, the awarding of the Italo Calvino Literary Award, a great Italian writer born in Cuba, and the closing concert by Camerata Romeu in the Basilica of St Francis of Assisi, with works by Vivaldi and Ennio Morricone.
After a period of health restrictions, this Week will be one of Havana’s first international cultural events. It will also be an opportunity for entertainment and enrichment for the public and a gesture of concrete support for professionals and institutions in the cultural sector.
