The Italian embassy held another landmark cultural event in Tripoli Sunday night through the hosting of a dinner under the title: ‘‘Italy – Libya: Cuisine between the two shores of the Mediterranean’’.
The event served a buffet of a selection of Italian and Libyan food to highlight the food links between the two countries shared across the common water of the Mediterranean.
The buffet dinner was fully attended by a couple of hundred, including diplomats and Libya’s elites (from the west, east and south) across the social spectrum.
The event was supported by a small exhibition of Italian products, including chocolates, drinks, coffee, water and milk, imported by Libyan distributors.
The food event comes on the back of two other Italian cultural events held in October this year by the Italian embassy: ‘‘The first Italian-Libyan Friendship awards, the Marcus Aurelius Arch Awards’’ and the travelling Italian exhibition, ‘‘3CODESIGN-3Rs_Reduce_Recycle_Reuse’’.
The Marcus Aurelius Arch Awards had the added cultural bonus of being held al fresco under and around the AD 165 Roman Marcus Aurelius Arch. The ‘‘3CODESIGN-3Rs_Reduce_Recycle_Reuse’’ was held in the old King’s Palace (palazzo del governatore) which was another Italian historical site.
The inaugural Marcus Aurelius Arch Awards are planned to become an annual fixture, recognising Libyans and Italians who have contributed to Libyan-Italian relations in several categories, including culture and media.
Both events exhibit the excellent use of Italian soft power in Libya through cultural events such as history and food to win hearts and minds. They continue to set a positive standard for other embassies to follow with their cultural contributions to Libyan life.
Agents of Italian Industries exhibition 30 October to 2 November in Tripoli (libyaherald.com)
Italian Consul General Francesco Saverio De Luigi takes up his Benghazi post (libyaherald.com)
Ten Libyan youth start six month paid internship with Italian companies (libyaherald.com)
Italian consulate commences visa issuance from Benghazi (libyaherald.com)
