Initiatives at Palazzo Gallenga for the Week of the Italian Language in the World
As every year, the University for Foreigners of Perugia is participating in the Week of the Italian Language in the World, scheduled from 19 to 25 October 2026.
The Week, promoted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation through its network of embassies, consulates, and Italian Cultural Institutes, under the High Patronage of the President of the Republic, celebrates its 26th edition this year with the theme “Ingenious Language: Imagining, Designing, Creating with Italian” with the aim of highlighting the strategic link between culture and Italy’s economic development, for which the Italian language and the Italian-speaking world are key instruments.
With a rich historical heritage, the Italian language tells the story and promotes the excellence of our country worldwide: from design to gastronomy, science to literature, and from technology and engineering to fashion and art, Italian represents the pinnacle of our expertise.
Alongside the University’s institutional missions held in various parts of the world, the theme will also take center stage in Perugia, within the classrooms of Italian language and culture courses as well as for students of undergraduate and graduate degree programmes.
In October, the University welcomes 290 students from numerous countries, who during their courses will take part in teaching activities designed to explore Italian as a language of creativity, planning, and innovation.
Students will be invited to discover how words have accompanied Italian ingenuity in its most renowned fields, and to actively participate by using the language to imagine, describe, and create.
Wednesday, 21 October, 11 am – 1 pm, Aula Magna, Palazzo Gallenga
Professor Francesca Malagnini, historian of the Italian language and Rector’s Delegate for Training, Master’s Programs, Advanced Training, and Doctoral Studies, will deliver a lecture entitled “To Maintain Kindness and Continue to Create”. The lecture will focus on three main topics: the use of gentile in literary works, elements of the language of gastronomy, and fashion.
Professor Sabrina Stroppa, Director of the Department of Italian Language, Literature and Arts in the World (LiLAIM), will give a lecture entitled “Ingenious Language: Poetry and Landscape”, illustrating how poetic language has shaped and inspired the perception of the Italian landscape.
The event will be moderated by Professor Francesco Asdrubali, Vice-Rector for Building Management and Relations with Local Authorities and Businesses.
The entire community is invited to attend.
During the morning, the creative workshop “The Ingenious Language... for Green Spaces!” will also be presented, organized by Andrea Civile, collaborator and Italian language expert, together with the artist Ayumi Makita, as part of the Italian language and culture courses. The workshop will be offered on Wednesday, 28 October 2026 to students at levels B2, C1, and C2.
The project, subtitled “Imagine, Choose, Narrate: an Environment-Themed Gamebook”, draws inspiration from the Erasmus+ Green SAGA project coordinated by the Grimm Sister Association of Perugia. Following an initial exploration of an Adventure Book, participants—divided into small groups—will create an environmentally themed story with multiple narrative paths and present it to the other groups, culminating in the creation of a collective gamebook. The activity develops advanced language skills, creativity and collaborative writing, encourages reflection on sustainability, and enhances group work abilities.
