A new initiative has been launched to promote the Italian language worldwide as a tool for peace, dialogue, cultural cooperation, and economic partnership. The “Community of Italophony” was officially established during the first International Conference on Italophony in Rome, organized by Italy’s Foreign Ministry together with the Dante Alighieri Society.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni highlighted the growing global interest in Italy: “Italian tells the world who we are, our identity, our history, and our lifestyle. Promoting our language abroad is a strategic investment, equally important as supporting our economic and industrial presence.”
Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani emphasized that the initiative aims to bring together countries where Italian is an official language as well as nations with strong Italian-speaking communities. “Italian must be a bridge, never a source of division,” he said.
Messages of support arrived from several institutions, including the Pope and the European Parliament. Roberta Metsola, the parliament’s president, called Italian “a golden thread connecting different identities.” University and Research Minister Anna Maria Bernini added that the language represents a powerful instrument of cultural and scientific diplomacy.
Andrea Riccardi, president of the Dante Alighieri Society, described the conference as “the beginning of a long-term process,” while Secretary General Alessandro Masi spoke of a community of “Italian speakers and Italian sympathizers.” Robert Allegrini, president of the NIAF, noted that Italy’s global relevance is growing—and its language should follow the same path.