Initiatives at the University for Foreigners of Perugia
As every year, the University for Foreigners of Perugia is taking part 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 the diplomatic and consular network and the Italian Cultural Institutes, under the High Patronage of the President of the Republic, reaches its 26th edition this year. The theme for 2026 is “Lingua geniale: ideare, progettare, creare con l’italiano” (“Ingenious Language: Conceiving, Designing, Creating with Italian”), with the aim of highlighting the strategic link between Italy’s culture and economic growth, in which the Italian language and Italian-speaking communities play a leading role.
Drawing on a rich historical tradition, the Italian language represents and promotes the excellence of our country worldwide: from design to gastronomy, science to literature, as well as technology, engineering, fashion and art, Italian expresses the best of our expertise.
Alongside its institutional missions around the world, our University will also feature this theme in Perugia, within the Italian language and culture courses and for students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate degree programmes.
In October, the University will welcome 290 students from a wide range of countries, who, during their lessons, will take part in educational activities designed to explore Italian as the language of ideation, design, and creation.
Students will be invited to discover how language has accompanied Italian ingenuity in its most renowned domains, and to put themselves to the test by using the language to imagine, describe, and build.
Wednesday, 21 October, 11 am - 1 pm, Aula Magna, Palazzo Gallenga
Professor Francesca Malagnini, a historical linguist and the Rector's Delegate for Training, Master’s Programmes, Advanced Training, and Doctoral Studies, will deliver a lecture entitled “To Preserve Kindness and Continue Creating”. The lecture will cover three main themes: the use of the term gentile in literary works, an overview of gastronomic language, and a discussion on the language of 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 given form to the perception of the Italian landscape.
The event will be moderated by Professor Francesco Asdrubali, Vice-Rector for Infrastructure 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!” will also be presented, organized by Andrea Civile, Italian language collaborator and expert, together with artist Ayumi Makita, as part of the Italian language and culture courses. The workshop will take place on Wednesday, 28 October 2026 and is designed for students at B2, C1, and C2 levels.
The project, entitled “Imagine, Choose, Tell: an Environment Adventure Book”, is inspired by the Erasmus+ Green SAGA project, coordinated by the Grimm Sister Association in Perugia. After an initial exploration of an Adventure Book, participants, working in small groups, will invent an environmentally themed story with multiple narrative paths, presenting their creation to the other groups to produce a short collective adventure book. The activity develops advanced language skills, creativity, collaborative writing, reflection on sustainability, and the ability to work in teams.
