The first International Conference on Italophony, co-organized by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Società Dante Alighieri, was held at the Villa Madama in Rome on November 18, 2025.
Representing Greece, on behalf of Foreign Minister Georgios Gerapetritis, was the head of the E’ Directorate General for Public Diplomacy, Ambassador Aikaterini Koika, and the Member of Parliament for the Dodecanese and President of the Greece-Italy Friendship Group, Mr. Basileios Ypsilantis.
The Conference adopted the declaration for the establishment of the “Community of Italophony,” a permanent forum for the promotion of the Italian language as a language of peace and dialogue, which builds bridges of exchange between peoples in areas such as culture, economics, science, etc.
In his address, Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani emphasized, among other things, the “importance of the historical ties between Greece and Italy, as Greek culture was the ‘mother’ of Italian culture.” He added that “Athens and Rome essentially ‘merged’ in ancient times, creating a common identity in the Mediterranean region.”
On behalf of Greece, Ms. Koika emphasized the profound influence of the Greek language and alphabet on the formation of Latin and subsequently Italian, highlighting Greek culture, which “conquered its conqueror” by enriching the Roman world with Greek art, science, and philosophy. As the Greek diplomat stated, among other things:
“For us Greeks, Italian is a neighboring and deeply familiar language. Speaking Italian often means rediscovering a rhythm and melody that have been ours for centuries. The histories of our two countries have been intertwined since ancient times: Greece and Rome were two beacons of civilization that, together, forged the foundations of Western civilization.
The Mediterranean, rather than a border, was a large common space where ideas, words, and sentiment met. It was in this dialogue that the Italian language was born.
The Italian language, a child of Latin, also carries within it a Greek heritage. The very alphabet with which we write the masterpieces of Italian literature comes from the Greek alphabet. When Rome conquered Greece, an extraordinary phenomenon occurred: Greek culture conquered its conqueror, bringing philosophy, the arts, and science to the heart of the Roman world.
The connection between our peoples is ancient and deep: from the cities of Magna Graecia to the Greek dialects of Apulia and Calabria, to the great Byzantine scholars who brought manuscripts of Greek knowledge to Italy in the 15th century. This dialogue has never ceased.
The Greek and Italian languages share a common vision of humanity: Greek offers us depth and a search for meaning, while Italian offers harmony and beauty of expression. Together, they represent the European spirit, in which logic and art are not opposed but complementary.
As Andrea Marcolongo writes: “Greek is not a language of the past, but a way of living the present with depth.” And as Odysseus Elytis reminds us, being Greek means reaching the Idea through the senses – exactly what Italian continues to do, transforming thought into melody.
The dialogue between the Greek and Italian languages is not just a historical legacy: it is a living foundation for the future. Today, Greece and Italy walk side by side as partners in Europe and guardians of a common cultural heritage.
Let us keep this dialogue alive. Let us teach, learn, and celebrate the Italian language as a bridge between our communities and as a treasure for Europe.
Because Italian and Greek are not two separate melodies: they are the harmony of a single great Mediterranean song that continues to inspire the world.
TAGS: GREEK LANGUAGE
