Abu-Ghazaleh and Italian Ambassador Launch 'Italy, Cultures, Mediterranean' Program

Special to TAG Educa News Agency

AMMAN- Under the patronage of the Italian Ambassador to Jordan HE Mr. Giovanni Brauzzi and HE Dr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh,  the Italian Embassy in Amman in cooperation with Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Organization (TAG-Org) organized the launch of the “Italy, Cultures, Mediterranean” Program during a special ceremony held at Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Knowledge Forum.

The event is part of the Italian Embassy’s efforts and vision to highlight the impact of Italian cultures in Jordan and in the Mediterranean region as whole and TAG-Org's efforts headed by Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh in bridging different cultures in the Kingdom. 

In his opening remarks, Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh said: "It gives me pleasure to host this event and I am proud of this partnership with the Italian Embassy. We are talking about the cultural relation between Italy and the Mediterranean and I dream of having a political, economic and cultural cooperation between Europe, Mediterranean and Africa. There is a lot of commonsense in this region we have historic relation and economic and many cultural relations and one of dedications is to develop a form of working together between all of Europe, all of Mediterranean and all of Africa as one region of cooperation."

Ambassador Brauzzi said "The theme 'Italia, Culture, Mediterraneo' will inspire an interesting calendar of events, including the Italian Language Week and the Italian Cuisine Week, which are already part of the Italian Legacy in Jordan. Dialogue, listening, and arts: with these keywords, which will inspire the Program, we would like to promote a cooperative approach, encouraging the exchange of ideas with local actors, artists, scientists and the public."

The event attended by HRH Princess Dana Firas, HE Hind Sherif Nasser and a host of ambassadors, officials and Italian community in Jordan is part of an initiative by the Italian Embassy to promote Italian culture in the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern regions, in order to emphasize and strengthen the cultural exchange between Italy and those countries. 

Concerning Jordan specifically, the event is considered as this season opener, through which fundamental elements of the strong ties between the two countries will be presented and discussed to enhance further cooperation. Thus, the event, together with the rich program scheduled for 2018, are tools that can offer benefits to both sides of the Mediterranean Sea.

The first initiative in the Program is the precious exhibition of calligraphic art “Writing the Divine Comedy”, which wasinaugurated on February 5 at the “Artisana Gallery 14”.

A group of artists belonging to the great traditions of Latin, Arabic and Chinese calligraphy, are confronted in giving life to the first verses of the masterpiece of Dante Alighieri, the “Divine Comedy”. 

Still within the visual arts, further initiatives will include an exhibition of sketches by Prof. Dr. Kamel Mahadin on the UNESCO sites of Petra and Matera; two photographic expositions on contemporary Oriental Christians entitled “Nostalghia” and on the historic Philadelphia Hotel in Amman, where the Italian Embassy in the Kingdom was first hosted. Another significant part of the Program is a visual project by the artist Margherita Moscardini, entitled “Inventory. The Fountains of Za’atari”. More events will embrace live shows, music and theater.