Dear Friends of the Italian Cultural Institute in Haifa,
On the occasion of the Italian Republic Day, which is celebrated on 2 June each year, the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Italian Embassy in Israel, the Italian Cultural Institute in Haifa and its director, Mrs. Claudia Romano, have the utmost pleasure and honor to present you with the exclusive gift of Le piazze [In]visibili, a special digital edition conceived and curated by Marco Delogu.
“During the last few months, when cities ground to a standstill in order to contain the pandemic that had gripped the world and encounters between people became “gatherings” to be avoided […] the piazza has momentarily lost its social function and has acquired a novel one as a physical open space, rediscovering formerly hidden architectural lines and new perspectives of light. Architecture has come to the fore, like in a painting by De Chirico, and the piazzas have revealed their clean lines, as their designers had imagined them. […] On the occasion of Italian Republic Day, on June 2, we decided to give this book to all those abroad who will gather virtually this year to celebrate the date, in anticipation of when they’ll be able to do it in person again. It is another way of underscoring the role that the world of Italian culture and creativity can and must perform to accompany the reopening and relaunching of our national economy overseas, which the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to support. We are aware that we are facing great challenges, but nonetheless believe that we have the ability to rise to them and draw the impetus needed to overcome them from our sights firmly set on the future.” Luigi di Maio, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation