On 27 July 2026, the Ambassador of Italy to Mongolia, Giovanna Piccarreta, presented the Mongolian baritone Amartuvshin Enkhbat with the honour of Officer of the Order of the Star of Italy. The ceremony and reception (organised in collaboration with the Italian Cultural Institute of Beijing) were attended by representatives from the Mongolian Ministry of Culture, Sport, Tourism and Youth, the Office of President Khurelsukh and the Mongolian Parliament, as well as the Rector of the University of Macerata, John McCourt, and the Director of the Italian Cultural Institute of Beijing, Federico Antonelli.
The baritone Amartuvshin Enkhbat has made a significant contribution to promoting Italy’s operatic heritage, both in Mongolia and on the international stage. In May 2024, he received the ‘Ettore Bastianini’ Award, which recognised his exceptional contribution to the Italian operatic tradition. In 2023 and 2025, he was named the world’s best baritone singer according to the Opera World rankings. His regular appearances at Italy’s leading opera seasons help to strengthen relations between Italy and Mongolia through a commendable model of international artistic cooperation.
