Tbilisi Celebrates ‘VII Week of Italian Language and Culture in the World’

“Our main goal is to satisfy the thrust for Italian language,” said Ambassador of Italy to Georgia, Vittorio Sandalli, at a news conference on October 19. The Week for Italian Language and Culture in the World is held annually worldwide with Georgia participating every year as well. This is the 7th week of the event.

The Italian embassy to Georgia organized the event in collaboration with the Embassy of Switzerland, and the Georgian Ministry of Culture, Monuments and Sports. “The Italian Language and the Sea” is this year’s theme, chosen by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Sandalli said, “We have picked this motto because for us – Italians– the sea is a very sensitive and most important topic. The sea almost surrounds our country and we don’t just use it for commercial purposes. The sea has given Italians a way to access any place in the world in search of happy life.”

According to the embassy, for the VII annual Week of Italian Language and Culture in the World a number of events will be held at different cultural and educational sites in downtown Tbilisi. The week will open on Monday at the Tbilisi History Museum Karvasla at 6pm, with the photo exhibit “A Window over the Sea.”

According to M. Rita Giancola, an organizer of the photo exhibition, they selected three photographers: Davide Caporaletti, Roberto Sardo, and Alessandro Eusebi, because all three of them, “have very different views and are very interesting.” For example, one of them uses very old methods of developing film. The exhibit is dedicated to Italian Maestro Luciano Pavarotti, she added.

On October 22, Tbilisi State University will host Professor Paola Gilardi, representing University of Fribourg, Switzerland. He will give a lecture on Italian language and its various dialects spoken in Switzerland.

On October 23, at the Cinema House at 6.30pm, Dr. Gilardi will give a public lecture about the sociolinguistic situation of the Italian-speaking region of Switzerland. At 8pm, Esilio e passione. La saga dei Bruni (Exile and passion. The legend of the Brunis), a documentary about a Swiss family that emigrated to the Russian Tsarist Empire 200 years ago will be shown.

On October 24, at the Italian Cultural Centre, Ilia Chavchavadze State University’s Professor Glauco Maria Marfuri, will give a lecture: The Italians and The Sea, about the history of the Italians on the sea particularly referring to Italian ships and navigators, the sailors’ language and the languages of the sea.

On October 26, at 6pm, Shota Rustaveli State University of Theatre and Cinema will hold a conference on Italian masterpieces, narrating the changes and evaluations in Italian art from ancient to modern times.

On October 28, at 5.30pm, at Iv. Javakhishvili State University, Professor Franco Cardini, historian, writer and winner of several national and international prizes will close the VII Week of Italian Language and Culture in the World with a lecture: “Europe, the Mediterranean Sea and the Caucasus: Similarities and Differences.”