Italian Ambassador Giovanni Umberto De Vito hosted a ceremony presenting the Premio Roma culture prize for Italian and foreign literature.

Held at the Italian Cultural Institute in Valletta, the event was attended by Premio Roma president Aldo Milesi and the Permanent Secretary at the Maltese Ministry of Culture, Justice and Local Government Paulanne Mamo.

Ambassador De Vito praised this symbolic cultural twinning between Rome and Valletta and recalled the Italian legacy of culture and heritage in the island’s identity and the deep ties existing between Italy and Malta as neighbouring countries.

“These fruitful ties continue to be strengthened not only through our governments’ cooperation but also thanks to evergrowing relations, projects and exchanges being implemented between our respective civil societies and cultural institutions.

“The Maltese presidency of the European Union during the first semester of 2017 and Valletta’s role as European Capital of Culture in 2018 will offer unique opportunities to enrich this special relationship, also on a cultural level. We are actively working on this perspective.”

This year the Premio Roma culture prize, now in its 17th edition, will be awarded to Prof. Oliver Friggieri in recognition of his outstanding contribution in the literary field. Prof. Friggieri will be receiving the prize [the Roman She-Wolf symbolising Rome and the prize which bears its name] during an official ceremony to be held at Rome University La Sapienza at the end of this month.