Under the High Patronage of the President of the Republic of Italy
The Week of the Italian Language in the World is held annually in the third week of October. Organized by the diplomatic-consular network and the Italian Cultural Institutes in collaboration with the main partners in linguistic promotion (MiC, MIM, MUR, CePeLL, Government of the Swiss Confederation, Accademia della Crusca, CGIE, Italophone Radio and Television Community, Treccani Italian Encyclopedia Institute, RAI Italia, and Dante Alighieri Society), the Week has become, over time, the most important global event dedicated to our language. Since its establishment in 2001, this event has annually received High Patronage from the Presidency of the Republic.
Each year the Week is dedicated to a different theme, which serves as a common thread for a rich program of conferences, exhibitions, and meetings.
In the year of the 1st International Conference on Italophony and in continuity with the fifth edition of the General States of the Italian Language in the World, the 25th edition (October 13-19, 2025) will have as its theme “Italophony: Language Beyond Borders,” aiming to celebrate the linguistic, cultural, and social space of Italian, envisioning a new community of people worldwide united by their passion for our language and, through it, their connection to our country.
ICI London marks the occasion with three events, dedicated to the Italian language:
- Tuesday, October 14, 6:30 PM. Match Point 2025 – Literary Competition Award Ceremony Organized annually by the charitable organization Il Circolo. The theme of the 2025 edition was Bon Voyage: whether it’s a real adventure to unknown lands or an inner journey in search of new balance, Match Point 2025 invited participants to submit stories about travel in all its forms—physical or psychological, real or metaphorical. The event is held under the patronage of the Consulate General of Italy in London.
- Wednesday, October 22, 6:30 PM. One Hundred Years of Camilleri. Ornella Tarantola in conversation with Luca Crovi Andrea Camilleri was many things—so many that they could hardly fit within one person. His story of a “delayed destiny,” as he called it, is well-known: his success as a writer came at nearly seventy with Inspector Montalbano, which brought him unprecedented popularity. But Camilleri was much more than this. We celebrate the centenary of Andrea Camilleri’s birth in conversation with essayist and novelist Luca Crovi, author of a biography strongly supported by the Camilleri family. Luca Crovi reconstructs the mosaic of an extraordinary, vibrant, and witty man, doing justice to the boundless energy Andrea Camilleri devoted to art throughout his life. Readings by Marco Gambino.
- Thursday, October 23, 6:30 PM. The Pinocchio Papers. How a 150-year-old Italian puppet became an icon of our times Lecture by John Hooper and Anna Kraczyna. The lecture explores the multiple layers of meaning in The Adventures of Pinocchio. Contrary to common belief, lying is not central to the book. Instead, Collodi’s masterpiece conveys far more significant messages that explain why, after nearly 150 years, Pinocchio’s story continues to inspire filmmakers and artists of all kinds. The central theme of the book is the importance of education and learning from one’s experiences to become a true human being. However, The Adventures of Pinocchio is also a satire of many characteristics of Italians, traits that define Italian society as much today as in Carlo Collodi’s time. John Hooper and Anna Kraczyna co-translated and annotated The Adventures of Pinocchio for Penguin Classics, a work that has received praise from numerous prestigious publications, including The Times Literary Supplement, Smithsonian Magazine, The Atlantic, The Sunday Times, and The New Yorker. They also wrote an article for The New York Times Book Review about Collodi’s masterpiece
