Italians of Egypt at Bibliotheca Alexandrina
'Mostra Italiani D'Egitto' ('Italians of Egypt'), an exhibition that opened at Bibliotheca Alexandrina (BA) in Alexandria on 16 February 2025, features selected items from the archival collections of both institutions that highlight two of the most prominent figures of 20th century's Italian literature: Filippo Tommaso Marinetti and Giuseppe Ungaretti.
The event was jointly organised by the BA and the Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale di Roma (National Central Library in Rome). It featured selected materials from the archival collections of both BA and the Italian library on two of the 20th century most prominent figures in Italian literature: Filippo Tommaso Marinetti and Giuseppe Ungaretti.
Italian Minister of Culture Alessandro Giuli, and BA Director Ahmed Zayed opened the exhibition. Michele Quaroni, Rome's Ambassador to Cairo attended the opening ceremony.
Mr Giuli emphasised the depth of the historical friendship that unites Italy and Egypt as two Mediterranean countries. He pointed out that cultural relations between them have continued uninterrupted over time, extending from the ancient world to our contemporary era, thanks to the testimony of many Italians who lived in Egypt.
'This exhibition focuses on two outstanding figures who were born in Egypt and found their inspiration there: Marinetti, founder of the most important avant-garde movement of the 20th century; and Ungaretti, one of the most important Italian poets of all time.'
The exhibition showcased the first editions, posters and texts of the two great writers. 'This,' the Italian Minister of Culture stressed, 'allows us to reconstruct the years they lived in Egypt, which were crucial for both of them in their education, writing and subsequent literary production.'
Mr Giuli said that the Italian Ministry of Culture was donating a collection of books to the BA, as part of its 'Bibliotheca Italia' project. 'I am pleased to present to the Bibliotheca Alexandrina today with 550 books donated by the Italian Ministry of Culture through the Bibliotheca Italia project, a project that aims to provide a collection of books from the world's leading cultural institutions to encourage learning the Italian language and culture in other countries.'
He said that the collection of books includes general culture works such as encyclopedias, dictionaries, texts, books and publications that cover various topics including history, art, customs, and classical and contemporary literature. He expressed his hope that Egyptian youth will enjoy this collection to bring them closer to Italian language and literature.
Last year, Mr Giuli pointed, witnessed the celebration of the bicentennial of the foundation of the Egyptian Museum in Turin, Italy, which is the oldest in the world and the second largest after the Egyptian Museum.
For his part, Dr Zayed, BA Director, reminded of the cultural and artistic partnerships that brought together the BA and Italian institutions, including the inauguration of the Egyptian-Italian Science Year in 2009; the launch of the book 'Italy in Alexandria'; and the international symposium to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Leonardo da Vinci's death.
'I am confident that the partnership between Egypt and Italy in cultural aspects will continue to flourish and expand in many areas to achieve greater successes that benefit culture and humanity as a whole,' Dr Zayed said.
He expressed his gratitude and appreciation for the valuable donation of 550 books on various and diverse topics to be added to the valuable resources in the BA and enrich its collection. 'We look forward to continuing this type of cultural exchange that is vibrant with thought and enlightenment, which promises a future based on cultural and civilisational communication,' Dr Zayed said
Mr Quaroni, the Italian Ambassador to Egypt, thanked the Italian Minister of Culture and the BA for organising that important event, noting that the exhibition aimed to highlight the depth and impact of the Egyptian experience in enriching and shaping the lives of Filippo Tommaso Marinetti and Giuseppe Ungaretti, their writings and literary production.
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