2013 is The Year of Italian Culture in the United States

L. A. (March 20, 2012)

At a press conference for reporters in New York City and at a gala to benefit the Scuola d’Italia Guglielmo Marconi, Italian Ambassador to the U.S. Claudio Bisogniero declared 2013 to be the year of Italian culture in the United States.

ITALIAN VERSION >>
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On March 16, at his first press conference at the Consulate General in New York [3], Italian Ambassador Claudio Bisogniero [4] announced an initiative sponsored by the Italian government and specifically designed by Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi di Sant’Agata. [5]

It establishes 2013 as the year of Italian culture in the United States with a detailed program that will take place in various cities around the country.

“The culture will be celebrated in all of its nuances. In fact, so much more than the major themes of traditional art will be presented,” Bisogniero said. “When I say culture, I speak of more than a few paintings or sculptures from the Italian Renaissance. These are certainly Italy’s strengths–just go into any museum in the world to recognize this–but the concept of culture goes beyond this and touches, for example, on design, technology, fashion, music.”

The specific plans are being finalized and special events cannot be announced just yet, but it is important to note that they will go beyond the involvement of Italian institutions. There will be a great deal of collaboration with the Italian private sector as well as American and Italian-American entities. Bisogniero added that overall, “this project aims to elevate the image of our great country.”

Ambassador Bisogniero, who took office a little more than a month ago, underscored that the United States remains a highly valued partner for Italy.

“It’s been a very busy month, but I’ve been in the U.S. for eight years. Our strength lies in our shared points of view in terms of international politics as well as the Italian presence in peacekeeping missions around the world. Obama himself recently acknowledged Italy’s vital role in this regard. We believe in the common values that unite Italy and the U.S.”

That evening, Ambassador Bisogniero attended a gala to benefit the Scuola d’Italia Guglielmo Marconi [6]where he reiterated the importance of the year of Italian culture and the involvement of younger generations (see video)