The Week of the Italian Language in the World is an event promoted yearly by the cultural and diplomatic network in the third week of October. It focuses on a theme that acts as the leitmotif of a vast cultural programme to promote the diffusion of the Italian language.
The initiative was launched in 2001 through the joint action of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Accademia della Crusca, which was subsequently joined by the Swiss Confederation, where Italian is one of the country’s official languages.
This success story is due to the growing engagement of the Italian and Italian-speaking communities abroad, along with local cultural institutions and a host of writers, poets, artists, teachers and academics who have passionately enlivened all the past editions by taking part in hundreds of conferences, meetings, lectures, refresher courses, thus opening a cultural and intercultural dialogue with other writers, artists, intellectuals and representatives of civil society in a large number of Countries.
The XXII Settimana della Lingua Italiana nel Mondo is dedicated to the Italian language and young people: “L’italiano e i giovani. Come scusa? Non ti followo“.
The title “Come scusa? Non ti followo“, invented by the Italian School of Montevideo, expresses the renewal of languages through the contribution of digital natives. This renewal is linked to the idea, inherent in the title, of the difficulties of mutual understanding and communication not only between generations of young people and adults, but also, sometimes, between the same youth groups. Among the reasons for the choice, there is the antifrastic character of the title compared to “Italian and young people”, as well as the stimulating ambiguity of the verb “followare”, referring both to the world of social media and to communication in a broad sense.
Under the High Patronage of the President of the Republic.
On the occasion of the Week of the Italian Language in the World, the Italian Cultural Institute in London is delighted to invite you to the following events:
Monday 17 October, 7pm
Dante’s Divine Comedy for Great Britain
A lecture/performance on Dante’s masterpiece by Franco Ricordi
Tuesday 18 October, 7pm
Match Point Literary Prize – Award giving ceremony
Wednesday 19 October, 5pm
Dante per bambini (e per genitori curiosi) by Federico Corradini
The Italian Embassy in London, the Italian Consulate General, ICI London and SIAL.school – the only bilingual English/Italian primary school in the UK – are pleased to present this event taking place at the school in Holland Park, London