(23 February 2016) “Italian Horizons” is an economic and cultural program carried out by the Italian institutions operating in Turkey, that “in the course of 2016 will offer the Turkish public and the Italian community a wide range of events and initiatives to promote relations between our two countries. Covering everything from music to cinema, fine arts to archeology, and promotion of economic exchanges to investment opportunities, 2016 will be a year full of events,” promises the Italian Ambassador in Turkey Luigi Mattiolo. “Italian Horizons” kicked off 2016 with January full of important events: last January 19, t Stefano Bollani prepared an eclectic concert for over 800 spectators at the auditorium of METU University in Ankara. January also hosted the first Italian gastronomic week in Ankara, a collaboration between the Embassy, the Barilla Group and the Hilton Hotel: the traditional flavors of Italian cuisine were brought to the Turkish capital with special creations by chef Fabio Foltran, receiving the warm welcome of the press and the Turkish television. Finally, thanks to the help of a well-known shopping center and the Turkish film distributor Mars Production, the Italian Embassy managed to organize at very short notice a special screening in its original language of “The Youth,” the latest and award-winning film by director Paolo Sorrentino. Upcoming events include: on February 26 “The general estate of the Italian presence in Izmir: from the experience of the historical community to the most recent immigration perspectives”, organized in collaboration with Comites Izmir (for the Politics and Society section); in March Ankara hosts the special presentation of the new Fiat Aegea, in collaboration with Tofas Fiat (for the Economics section). The rich music program this March features the XXIII edition of the European Jazz Festival in Izmir, an event created on a proposal of the Italian Consulate and organized in collaboration with the Iksev Foundation, which offers scholarships to the best musicians. For cinema, “Italian Horizons” from April 28 to May 8 will guarantee Italy’s participation in the XXVII International Film Festival of Ankara. Finally, for the Culture section, on 11-12 March there will be the Seventh Annual Conference of “Italian Contribution to excavations, research and studies on archaeological missions in Turkey” held the Theater of the House of Italy in Istanbul. In short, from economics to cultural life, “Italian Horizons” are taking Turkey by storm. (Roc)
