Every year thousand of Italian and foreign students from over 100 countries meet, get to know each other and study together at the University for Foreigners of Perugia, in a setting which is unique in Italy. Founded in the early 1920's with the aim of teaching Italian civilization and artistic heritage to foreigners,this University has distinguished itself from the beginning as a symbol of open-mindedness and tollerance and as a meeting point for people of different cultures,now a real "laboratory" of intercultural education. The University specialises in the teaching of Italian as a second language including related subjects such as art, literature and economy. Its principal aim is to help promote the Italian language and culture worldwide thereby increasing awareness of cultural diversities in our world. Since tene 1990's, the University's unique curriculum has been expanded to include degree and post-graduate programmes for Italian and foreign students.