Ambassador Cuculi Opens ‘Italoellenica’ Conference in Athens

Athens: As part of the Week of the Italian Language in the World, the Ambassador of Italy in Athens, Paolo Cuculi, spoke at the opening of the VI International Conference “Italoellenica,” dedicated to language education in Italy and Greece and organized by the Laboratory of Italian-Greek Language, Translation and Study of Linguistic Contact of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, directed by Prof. Domenica Minniti.

According to Ansa News Agency, several esteemed professors from Italy, including Silvana Ferreri, Massimo Vedovelli, Cristina Lavinio, Andrea Villarini, and Emanuele Banfi, attended this year’s conference. Emanuele Banfi was honored with an Honorary Degree by the Department of Italian Language and Literature of the Greek Athenaeum during the event.

In his address, Ambassador Cuculi outlined the goals of the upcoming “Conference on Italophony,” to be held in Rome on November 19. Sponsored by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Hon. Tajani, the conference aims to establish a linguistic community of Italian speakers. The Ambassador also highlighted the ongoing efforts to promote and spread the Italian language in Greece. These efforts are supported by the “Italian System,” which includes the Embassy, the Italian Institute of Culture in Athens, the State Comprehensive Institute of Athens, the Dante Alighieri Society in Athens and Thessaloniki, and university lectureship in Thessaloniki.

Additionally, activities are consistently aimed at expanding the teaching of Italian in Greek public high schools. Italian Language Week, observed from October 13 to 19 this year, centers around the theme “Italofonia: language beyond borders.” It aims to celebrate the linguistic, cultural, and social aspects of the Italian language and serves as the primary institutional event for promoting the Italian language abroad, facilitated annually by the Diplomatic-Consular Network and the Italian Cultural Institutes.