Italia Russia state and culture

'Horizontal' approachto promotion of national culture abroad (Russia-

Italy case)

100 events, 32 Russian towns, 50 Italian institutions participating in

Russian-Italian year

How do they interact?

Hierarchy (state level)

Horizontal interaction of different

social actors

Some of cultural events held

during this year

Some good examples: ENIT exhibition of Italian tourism in

Russia, 'Italia comes to you initiative', poetry in the

underground of Rome and Moscow, presentation of Russian books, theatres, films in Italy and

vice versa

But the Italian-Russian students' forum in Rome (La Sapienza) was

a total failure because it was organized by governement

officials, not students

Conclusion: 'hand of the state' is necessary to launch any cultural initiative but more

organizations and other social actors should get involved into

a process of the country's promotion abroad