Mar. 25 – The foreign demand for Italian language channels comes from the over 4 million Italians living abroad and many others interested in the language and culture: the love for Italian cinema, culture, traditions, cuisine, music and much more are at the core of this demand. Half a million people, primarily under 18 and in institutes funded by Italy, study the Italian language. And for their needs there is now Alma TV, the first web TV dedicated to the Italian language and culture, available soon at www.alma.tv. The channel will be launched during the third edition of Almaxxi 2014, a two-day training program for teachers held by Alma Edizioni on 28 and 29 March at the Maxxi auditorium in Rome. The channel is the result of Alma Edizioni’s experience in creating Italian language courses. The publishing house celebrates this year 20 years of activity with Alma TV, live streaming and on-demand programming covering grammar, quizzes, culture short films and cartoons on particular topics, including seminars and training events organized by Alma Edizioni. Alma TV will also allow user-provider interactions: letting students post their videos and teachers share their educational activities with colleagues worldwide. The # litalianononserveaniente video contest invites students to submit videos in which they explain why they chose to study Italian. The best video will be announced during Almaxxi 2014. Alma Edizioni is the publisher of reference for a network of over 80 Italian Cultural Institutes managed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and is a partner and official publisher of the Dante Alighieri Society, which, with its 500 committees scattered across 5 continents, is the most important institution for the diffusion of Italian language and culture in the world. Currently, Alma Edizioni distributes and sells its products in approximately 90 countries and reaches a user base of tens of thousands of teachers and more than 750.000 students per year (mainly in Italy, Spain, Germany, the UK, France, Russia, the US, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Australia and Japan). For those still undecided, it suffices to remember the words spoke by John Paul II in his first speech as Pope: “Se sbaglio mi corrigerete!”
