THE ITALIAN LANGUAGE IN THE WORLD
Founded in Rome in 1889 to "preserve and spread the Italian language and culture in the world" – as stated by Giosuè Carducci, a famous Italian poet and writer of the 19th century - the “Dante Alighieri” Institute is present in many countries all over the world. In Egypt, its first committees were born in Alexandria and in Cairo in 1896. During the first postwar period, the “Dante Alighieri” head office in Cairo started to promote and to teach the Italian arts and literature. The “Dante Alighieri” soon became very popular in Egypt and welcomed hundreds of students in its centres in Cairo, Alexandria and Suez. In the thirties, the institute opened another section called "Leonardo da Vinci”, which proposed evening classes in painting, drawing and sculpture.
After the standstill due to the Second World War, the Dante Alighieri Institute restarted its activities and opened also the “Claudio Monteverdi”Conservatoire. The Institute flourished in the fifties with activities such as Italian films, music and singing concerts, lectures, visits to archaeological sites and amateur drama.(the theatre was where is now located the visa section of the Italian Consulate). For the seventh centenary of the birth of the Poet Dante Alighieri, the Institute has published in Cairo in 1965 the Arabic edition of his life and works. Currently, the Dante offers several level courses of Italian language and culture as well as particular courses especially for institutions and companies.
Dante Alighieri - Roma: www.ladante.it