The Italian language is gaining increasing popularity in Kosovo. Italian Ambassador Maurizio Antonini stated that student interest in learning Italian is growing significantly, reflecting ever-stronger cultural and educational ties between Kosovo and Italy.
Today, at the Rectorate of the University of Pristina “Hasan Prishtina,” an academic lecture was held by Italian professor Leonardo M. Savoia, in the presence of the Italian ambassador to Kosovo and representatives of the university leadership.
During the event, Ambassador Antonini highlighted the growing spread of the Italian language in Kosovo and the rising interest among students.
“The Italian Language and Culture Institute at the University of Pristina has started its activities, and now it is finally possible to obtain Italian language certifications in Kosovo at the Faculty of Philology, now that there is an Italian assistant. In recent years, two new private schools have started offering Italian in their non-academic programs, which is a promising sign for the future. Perhaps there will also be opportunities in Peja, a city with a large presence of Italian soldiers in the KFOR mission, which serves as an important cultural incentive. Year after year, we register more interest from Kosovar students to study Italian, as well as academic and cultural collaborations between our countries. Just yesterday, Italy inaugurated ERASMUS+ in a packed Europehouse hall, with enthusiastic students,” Antonini said.
The event, organized by the Rectorate of the University of Pristina in cooperation with the foreign languages departments, aimed to promote academic cooperation between the University of Pristina and educational institutions in Italy, as well as the exchange of experiences in linguistics and international studies.
This activity takes place within the framework of the Italian Weekend in Kosovo under the theme “Italian Language Beyond Borders.”
Professor Leonardo Savoia, who delivered the lecture, spoke in Albanian and thanked the attendees. He discussed the connection of the Italian language as a Romance language with the Balkan Peninsula.
Certainly, some of you know and have seen the Italian language, but this reflects how a language is formed, whether Italian, Albanian, English, or any other, through its historical journey. This shows its connection to culture and its practical use. I will touch on these points, even though they can be found online, since Italian is a Romance language and, like other Romance languages, developed in the Balkan Peninsula, where Latin was once spoken. Via Egnatia carried the Latin language all the way to Constantinople,” he said.
Rozafa Basha, Vice-Rector of the University of Pristina, noted that interest in the Italian language in Kosovo is growing, highlighting projects and activities being developed to support this interest.
“A few years ago, we established the Italian Language and Culture Institute at the Faculty of Philology, a valuable center for studies and cultural cooperation. Italian is offered as part of regular programs at the Faculty of Philology and also through the Faculty’s Language Center, creating a sustainable bridge between our cultures. Symbolically, the fact that this lecture is held in the University of Pristina Senate Hall shows our deep respect and appreciation for Italian language and intellectual culture. In the same spirit, each year at the International Summer University of Pristina, we welcome Italian professors who bring their pedagogical and research experience, as well as Italian students attending our summer courses. This year, we had professors from the University of Naples and the University of Milan contributing with courses and workshops at the Faculty of Economics, bringing new academic and cultural energy,” she said.
The event was attended by Italian Ambassador to Kosovo Maurizio Antonini, UP Vice-Rector Rozafa Basha, Director of the Italian Language and Culture Institute at UP Majlinda Prekazi, as well as students and guests from other higher education institutions who followed Professor Savoia’s lecture, known for his contributions to the study of Romance languages and European dialects.
The participation of the Italian ambassador and the Vice-Rector of the University of Pristina highlighted the importance both sides place on strengthening academic and cultural relations between Kosovo and Italy.
