Rome recently welcomed the inaugural International Conference on Italophonia, an event promoted by Italy’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Antonio Tajani, and organized in collaboration with the Società Dante Alighieri. Ministerial delegations from more than twenty countries gathered to explore new strategies for strengthening the global presence of the Italian language.

One of the key outcomes of the conference was the establishment of the Community of Italophonia, a new forum dedicated to expanding the reach of Italian worldwide. According to the final declaration, the initiative aims to promote the language as “a tool of peace and dialogue, of economic partnership and cultural cooperation.”

Among the international guests was Robert Allegrini, President and CEO of the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF), who represented nearly 20 million Americans of Italian heritage. Allegrini highlighted how deeply the event resonated with the Italian-American community. He explained that, while the desire to speak Italian is strong among Italian Americans, opportunities to learn the language remain limited in many parts of the United States. This, he noted, is precisely why the conference matters: by bringing global stakeholders together, it creates a platform to address the lack of access and to develop initiatives that can help more Italian Americans reconnect with the language of their ancestors.

Allegrini underscored the significance of the gathering by describing it as the first major international moment dedicated to Italian speakers and supporters worldwide—a setting where institutions can work collectively to expand the language’s reach.

The conference as a whole marked an important step toward uniting governments, cultural institutions, educators, and communities that share the goal of elevating the status of Italian on the global stage. With the creation of the Community of Italophonia, participants expressed optimism that coordinated efforts will lead to new educational opportunities and deeper cultural connections for Italian-speaking and Italian-descendant communities around the world.