On 25 October, Giuseppe Lo Porto, Head of the Education Department of the Italian General Consulate in Moscow, visited Voronezh State University, and had a meeting with Elena Chupandina, First Vice-Rector and Vice Rector for Academic Affairs, Oleg Belenov, Vice Rector for Economic Development and International Cooperation, and Natalia Zhurbina, Head of the International Cooperation Department. They discussed the prospects of VSU’s participation in the the PRIA programme, a programme aimed at promoting the Italian language in Russia. The programme was launched, when on 5 November 2003, in Rome, the Italian and Russian governments signed an agreement about teaching Italian in Russia and Russian in Italy.
Oleg Belenv told the guest about the academic partnership between VSU and several Italian universities. Mr. Lo Porto, in turn, told VSU’s administration about the details of the programme. It includes a large number of educational (workshops, open lectures, etc.) and cultural events aimed at promoting the Italian language. Elena Chupandina suggested areas of partnership between the Education Department of the Italian General Consulate and Voronezh State University.
Mr. Giuseppe Lo Porto came to Voronezh in order to promote the PRIA programme, so he also visited some other universities where Italian is taught. He also had a meeting with the city’s authorities and university rectors where he talked about the objectives of the programme, the benefits it provides, and the opportunities for collaboration with some Italian universities that teach the Russian language. Mr. Giuseppe Lo Porto also offered assistance in organising advanced training courses for teachers of Italian, and other events.
