The Embassy of Italy and the Italian Cultural Institute promote and disseminate the Italian language and culture through the promotion of inter-university cooperation and the organization of language courses and events, in order to encourage the circulation of ideas, arts and sciences as well as cultural exchanges between Italy and Lebanon.
The bilateral cultural partnership has seen renewed impetus since the signing of the Cultural, Scientific and Technological Collaboration Agreement in November 2000. The Agreement introduced the teaching of Italian as a second foreign language in several Lebanese secondary schools. Italian is also taught at the Lebanese University (where there is a permanent lecturer), the Saint-Esprit University of Kaslik (which has joined the Graduates for Italian project since 2017), the Haigazian University (lecturer under contract). Language courses are also active at the Italian Cultural Institute in Beirut, which is present with its own branch office in Tyre and in different locations (Dbayeh, Jounieh, Nabatieh, Sarba, Sidone, Zahle), thanks to specific agreements stipulated with local public and private institutions. Moreover, the Committee of the Dante Alighieri Society is active in Tripoli (https://dantealighierilebanon.com/en/contact-us/).
The cooperation between Italian and Lebanese universities led to the conclusion of several inter-university agreements: an agreement is signed between the Architecture School of Venice and the Faculty of Architecture in both University of Byblos and the Saint-Esprit University of Kaslik in the sector of architecture and of urban planning. Three agreements are signed between the Politecnico di Milano and the American University of Science and Technology (AUST) in the engineering sector, among which it is noteworthy to mention the agreement signed in February 2006 for a course awarding a double degree in engineering.
In 2010, an agreement is signed between the Lebanese University and the University for Foreigners of Siena, which establishes a Master’s degree in intercultural communication (Italian-Lebanese studies) for the training of Italian teachers in Lebanese school and university institutions.
Since 2016, a joint program with the University of Urbino in Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage and Sacred Art is active at the Saint-Esprit University of Kaslik, including a bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate course. It is the only academic-level program in the Middle East on conservation and restoration.
Furthermore, four Italian archaeological missions are operational in Lebanon, working respectively in the north, in the Chouf and in the Tyre region.
Cultural promotion takes place through the organization and participation of events, including art, design, photography and video art exhibitions, book fairs, opera, chamber, jazz and popular music concerts, film reviews and retrospectives, conferences, seminars and round tables, theatrical performances and poetry recitals.
The cultural events are carried out in partnership with various public and private Lebanese institutions, including the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Education and Higher Education and the Pedagogical Research and Development Centre, the Lebanese University, the General Directorate of Antiquities, the municipalities, the Tripoli Committee of the Dante Alighieri Society, the International Festivals of Baalbeck, Al Bustan, Beirut Chants, BAFF (Beirut Art Film Festival), SOL (Organ Festival), BIPOD (Beirut International Platform of Dance), Liban Jazz, Cabriolet, the Conservatory of Music, the Lebanese Academy of Fine Arts (ALBA), the universities Saint Joseph, La Sagesse, NDU (Notre Dame University), Antonina, USEK, AUB (American University of Beirut), the museums of MACAM (Modern and Contemporary Art Museum), Sursock, Beit Beirut, the National Museum and many other institutions. Collaboration is also active in Lebanon with the European Union Delegation and other foreign Embassies and cultural institutes.
In Italy, besides the cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, there is constant collaboration with the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, the Ministry of Education, University and Research, the CIDIM (Italian National Music Committee) and other institutions, Regions and local entities.