PHOTOS // Week of Italian Language in the World opens in Chisinau; Italy’s Ambassador: “There is a connection between us based on cultural sensitivity”

The 26th edition of the Week of the Italian Language in the World today was inaugurated at the National Library of Moldova (BNRM), under the theme, The Genius Language: Conceiving, Designing and Creating with the Italian Language.” During the event, a book exhibition, Great Italian Writers of the 20th Century, organized by the BNRM, was opened.

The event was attended by Education and Research Minister Dan Suruceanu, Italy’s Ambassador to Moldova Giuseppe Maria Perricone, representatives of the cultural and academic communities, teachers and students.





Culture Minister Dan Suruceanu emphasized that language was an essential element of a people’s identity and a means through which relationships between people and cultures are built. The official highlighted the closeness between Romanian and Italian, both of which have common Latin roots.

“It is a great pleasure to be together today to celebrate the 26th edition of the Week of the Italian Language in the World, an event that reminds us that language is more than a means of communication. It preserves the memory and identity of a people, conveys values and traditions and, above all, builds bridges between people and cultures. For us, the people of Moldova, the Italian language has a special resonance,” said Dan Suruceanu.





The minister noted that relations between the two countries were also strengthened by the experience of Moldovan citizens who live and work in Italy, where many have started families and built lasting relationships.

“Italy holds a special place in the lives of many citizens of Moldova. For many Moldovans, Italy has become, over the years, a second home—a place where they have worked, studied, started families and built lasting human connections. Through them, the closeness between our countries has acquired a face, a voice and a story,” the minister said.







Italy’s Ambassador to Moldova Giuseppe Maria Perricone referred to the role of the Italian language in promoting creativity and intercultural dialogue, emphasizing that it combines historical heritage with contemporary development.

“Every year, under the High Patronage of the Italian Republic, we celebrate the richness of our language, ancient yet always new and modern. It is no coincidence that today’s theme, ‘The Ideal Language,’ which invites us to conceive, create and design with the Italian language, encourages us to view this language as an instrument that allows us to create something meaningful. We need only think of Dante Alighieri, and today of the Italian language as a true instrument of innovation, science and technology,” said Giuseppe Maria Perricone.







The diplomat also highlighted the special connection between the Romanian and Italian languages, explaining that their common Latin roots provide a foundation for cultural closeness between the two peoples.

“There is a connection between us based on cultural sensitivity and on the natural familiarity that Moldovans find in Italy. It is not only about the past, but also about an everyday reality. It is the heritage on which we are building our common future—the future within the European Union. From this perspective, Italy’s presence in Moldova is an instrument of friendship and can once again enrich European civilization,” the ambassador said.





The ambassador encouraged educational institutions of Moldova to continue promoting the study of Italian and addressed a message to the teachers who help pass the language on to new generations.

“I would like to thank the schools and universities here in Moldova that offer students the opportunity to study Italian. I encourage teachers to emphasize that this kinship between our languages means, above all, bringing people closer together,” said Giuseppe Maria Perricone.

 





Part of the ceremony was dedicated to teacher Lidia Cazacu, whom the Italian ambassador awarded the Order of the Star of Italy, in recognition of her long-standing work promoting the Italian language and culture in Moldova. The diplomat praised the teacher’s contribution to bringing the communities of the two countries closer together and emphasized that the distinction also pays tribute to all teachers who pass on their passion for the Italian language.

“I am deeply grateful, and I would like to tell you that I believe I am the only person here who has witnessed the events of the Italian Weeks since the very first edition. In 2001, I was in Bucharest, when the president of Italy was Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, and I had this honor. Since then, for 26 years, I have participated in this wonderful event every year. I would like to say that I am deeply grateful. First and foremost, all the credit goes to the Italian Government, because we would not be here today, if we had not benefited from the support of the Italian Government,” said Lidia Cazacu.







The book exhibition, Great Italian Writers of the 20th Century, organized by the National Library of Moldova, was also inaugurated during the event. It includes approximately 200 documents from the institution’s collections and presents works by important writers of Italian literature, including Nobel Prize laureates in Literature.

“The exhibition highlights 20th-century Italian literature and brings to the public’s attention more than 200 publications from the national collections. They represent a journey through the world of Italian literature and the major transformations of the Italian society throughout the 20th century and previous centuries, while highlighting the human sensitivity and diversity of literary voices that have enriched world culture,” said BNRM Director Elena Pintilei.





The Week of the Italian Language in the World is held annually in more than 130 countries and promotes the Italian language, literature and culture, helping to strengthen cultural relations between Italy and Moldova.