Speech of H.E. the Consul General of Italy, Mr Simone Petroni, on the occasion of the opening of the 14th
edition of the “Week of the Italian Language in the World” (Jeddah, 26 October 2014)
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is a great pleasure for me to celebrate with you tonight the opening of the 14th edition of the “Week of
the Italian Language in the World” in Jeddah, organized by the Consulate General of Italy in collaboration
with the Italian Cultural Center, the Italian School and the Italian Business Group of Jeddah.
This initiative, organized since 2001 by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs - under the high patronage of
the President of the Republic of Italy - through the network of Embassies, Consulates, Italian Cultural
Institutes, University Departments of Italian, and Italian schools abroad, has become the main international
event promoting the Italian language and culture worldwide.
Such a remarkable initiative is only a part of the overall effort undertaken by the Italian Government to
promote the study of the Italian language and the knowledge of the Italian culture abroad.
In Saudi Arabia the Embassy and the Consulate General of Italy are strongly committed to forging ties with
local universities and cultural institutions, with a view to strengthen the cultural cooperation between the
two countries and to help the Saudi public to appreciate the huge cultural heritage of our country.
Every year a particular subject is selected as the focus of the various events taking place in every part of the
world under the banner of the “Week of the Italian Language in the World”, and the theme for this year’s
edition is “Writing the New Europe: Italian Publishers, Authors and Readers in the Digital Era”.
The idea is to enhance the role of the book in its many connotations, in the development of the concept of
Europe as a tool for the dissemination of culture and civilization.
Tonight’s event will then be followed by an evening dedicated to Expo Milan 2015, on the 29th of
November, with a concert of Opera and lyric music and a beautiful exhibition about the literary locations of
Milan.
This year we also decided to combine the Week of Italian Language with the commemoration of the
Centenary of the First World War. On the 4th of November, therefore, the date in which was signed the
armistice of Villa Giusti that ended the war between Italy and Austria-Hungary, we will be screening the
movie “Torneranno i prati” by Ermanno Olmi, in coincidence with the national preview of the movie in
Rome, with the presence of the President of the Italian Republic.
As concerns tonight, we decided to choose, for the first evening of this appointment, one of the most
famous and celebrated Italian books ever.
“Any reading list, I think, must begin with Pinocchio”, commented the great Italian writer Italo Calvino.
The novel “The adventures of Pinocchio” by Carlo Lorenzini, known as Collodi, is in fact a classic of
children's literature and has inspired millions of children in Italy, Europe and elsewhere, and has spawned
hundreds of editions, stage plays, merchandising, movies and even commonplace ideas, such as a liar's long
nose. The novel has been adapted in more than 240 languages worldwide, which makes it the most
translated Italian book and eventually the most read non-religious book of all times.
But as Umberto Eco acknowledges: “though written in simple language, Pinocchio is not a simple book. …
(it) doesn’t limit itself to one simple, basic moral, but rather deals with many”. It is certainly a novel about
the moral and psychological growth of the main character, but it is something much more complex than a
simple fairy tale-like story of goodness and obedience rewarded. Moreover, there are countless themes
addressed in the story, other than the very recognizable one of voyage as initiation into maturity, the
overcoming of hardships and the search for mother’s love.
The book highlights, in particular, a dualism between individualism and freedom, on the one hand, and
conformity and obedience, on the other, that can also be explained referring to the complex period of
Italian history in which Collodi lived, when there was a great push toward nation building, and the
formation of Italian citizens with shared values became a crucial issue. So in order to make “the Italian
people Italian” the need of shaping individuals into citizens was strongly felt.
I just wish to leave you with this “food for thought”, hoping that you will appreciate tonight’s programme:
the recital of the children of the Italian School ion Jeddah; the exhibition “Pinocchio a matita” by the
Francesca Perrotta, as series of beautiful drawings about Pinocchio, that by the way are on sale, for those
who are interested; and the awesome movie “Le avventure di Pinocchio” by Luigi Comencini.
The one you will watch is in fact the short edited version of a miniseries produced for television in 1972. It
had a huge popular and critical success, and every Italian children of my generation had laughed and cried
at it.
Finally I wish to thank the sponsors that made the celebration of this Week of Italian Language possible (on
the 26th, 29th of October and 4th of November):
-
Dar Ceramics and Kab Holding of Sheikh Khaled Bagedo
Habitat Hotel
The Italian Business Group of Jeddah
Etihad airways
Starwood Hotels and Resorts
Let me end by quoting the beginning of the Adventures of Pinocchio, addressing directly the children who
are on the stage:
“Once upon a time, there was… a King! My little readers will say right away. No, children, you are wrong.
Once upon a time there was a piece of wood”.
Thank you and enjoy your evening.