On July 23, Italy’s Consulate General in Erbil held a ceremony at the Catholic University in Erbil (CUE) to deliver certificates to the students who had completed the Kurdistan Region’s first Italian language course and to inaugurate an Italian Corner at CUE’s Vision Library, which contains a number of books on art and culture provided by Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
At the Catholic University Erbil @CatholicUniErbi: inaugurated an Italian Corner promoted by the Consulate General of Italy within the Vision Library with books, mainly on arts and design, donated by #MAECI @ItalyMFA_int @ItalyMFA @ItalyinIraq https://t.co/HvbwVy1fnW pic.twitter.com/t9ioaz4bYm
— Italy in KRI (@ItalyinKRI) July 24, 2024
The event started with a ribbon cutting ceremony led by CUE Board of Trustees Head and Chancellor Archbishop Bashar Warda and Italy’s Consul General Michele Camerota.
In a post on X, the Consulate General said that they had inaugurated an Italian Corner within the Vision Library at CUE, which itself opened on September 20, 2023.
At the Catholic University Erbil @CatholicUniErbi: delivered certificates to the students who attended the first Italian Language Course promoted by the Consulate General of Italy and performed in collaboration with @la_dante #DanteGlobal pic.twitter.com/8IB7p2R6dK
— Italy in KRI (@ItalyinKRI) July 24, 2024
Additionally, certificates were awarded to several students who participated in the inaugural Italian language course, which began in April 2024.
This course was conducted in collaboration with the Dante Alighieri Society, which promotes Italian language and culture around the world.
“I have to thank my colleagues at Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs for sending the books from Italy,” Consul General Camerota said at the event, noting that it was an important day for the Consulate General.
“I hope that CUE will be a hub for learning the Italian language, not only in Erbil, but in the whole of Kurdistan and Iraq. It’s a step-by-step process, and we will grow together.”
Consul General Camerota also extended an open invitation to the Vice Secretary General of Dante Alighieri Society Andrea Vincenzoni and his colleagues. “I can guarantee the warm hospitality of our Kurdish friends,” he said.
Some glances from our #Italian Corner opening celebration and the certificate awarding to our Italian course graduates.@ItalyinKRI@la_dante @MicheleCamerota@bishopwarda#CUE pic.twitter.com/JFUX5BiOzg
— CUE (@CatholicUniErbi) July 24, 2024
In his speech, CUE President and Vice Chancellor Nazar Shabila underlined that he hopes that the university becomes a center for the study of Italian language and culture.
In a post on X, Vision Education extended its gratitude to Italy’s “Consulate General in Erbil for their vital support in establishing this center, which will serve as a hub for promoting cultural diversity in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq.”
