Italian Ambassador Giovanni Umberto De Vito paid a visit to San Andrea School, L-Imselliet, where he was welcomed by chairman Edgar Caruana Montaldo, early and middle school head Dorothy Lapira, senior school head Claire Felice Pace and senior school assistant head Stephen Briffa.
The ambassador was shown around the school and met several students of different nationalities who have chosen to study Italian as a foreign language. A group of fifth graders were given a warm applause after their brilliant rendition of Va Pensiero from Verdi’s Nabucco.
He also met pupils who participate in the bilingual Italian-Maltese project enabling them to study several curriculum subjects in Italian.
In the context of the long-standing collaboration and cultural exchanges between Italy and San Andrea School, the ambassador presented the board with a €5,000 grant offered by the Italian government to promote the Italian language and culture.
Ambassador De Vito congratulated the school board for its commitment to a holistic education, promoting tolerance and facilitating the integration of children from different cultures.
He also showed appreciation for the ongoing and planned initiatives aimed at encouraging students to learn Italian and developing cultural opportunities with Italy.