“Dante Day 2026” and the 20th anniversary of the “Dante Alighieri Society – Tbilisi Committee” at GTU

On June 15-16, within the framework of the season dedicated to the popularization of the Italian language and culture, the Georgian Technical University will host important international cultural and academic events aimed at deepening Georgian-Italian cultural relations and promoting Italian humanism and language.

Schedule of events:

• On June 15th, at 07:00 p.m., the Secretary General of the “Dante Alighieri Society”, art historian and essayist, Professor Alessandro Mazi, will deliver a public lecture on the topic: “The Italian Triptych: Giotto, Saint Francis, Dante and the Birth of Italian Humanism”. He will introduce the audience to the creative and spiritual heritage of the three greatest figures of Italian and European civilization. Professor Mazi will discuss the process of transition from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance and the return of man to the center of culture, art, and thought.
• On June 16th, at 05:00 p.m., the Georgian Technical University will celebrate “Dante International Day 2026” and the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the “Dante Alighieri Society – Tbilisi Committee”.

The anniversary event will be dedicated to summing up twenty years of activities to popularize the Italian language and culture and to strengthening Georgian-Italian cultural cooperation.

The event is organized by the “Tbilisi Committee of the Dante Alighieri Society” and the Georgian Technical University, with the support of the Embassy of Italy in Georgia.

The event, which will be attended by representatives of the academic, cultural, and diplomatic circles of Georgia and Italy, and will be opened by the Rector of the Georgian Technical University, Academician David Gurgenidze.

Distinguished guests will address the event, including His Excellency Massimiliano D’Antuono, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Italy to Georgia; Professor Alessandro Salacone; and Professor Nino Tsertsvadze, President of the Tbilisi Committee. The program will also feature performances by poet Dato Maghradze and mezzo-soprano Nino Surguladze.

The agenda will comprise official speeches, a commemorative anniversary segment, the presentation of certificates, and a cultural program celebrating the enduring friendship between Georgia and Italy as well as their shared European cultural heritage.

Venue: Georgian Technical University, Administrative Building, Conference Hall of the Niko Muskhelishvili University Library (Address: 77 Merab Kostava St)

Admission to the events is free.