Italy and Israel have signed a three-year renewal of their cultural, educational and scientific exchange agreement which was established in 1971. The agreement comes up for renewal every three years.
David Rivlin, director general for cultural affairs of the Foreign Ministry of Israel, and Paulo Massino Antici, vice director general for cultural, scientific and technical cooperation of Italy, affixed their signatures to the renewal agreement in ceremonies at the Italian Foreign Ministry.
There are two separate accords in the area of science. One concerns exchanges of important scientific research data between Italy’s Consiglio Nazionale di Richerche and Israel’s Council for National Research and Development. The other provides for joint scientific seminars to be held in both countries.
A supplementary program of scientific and technological exchanges is being examined by the Israel Embassy here. It contains Italian proposals for collaboration in specialized areas of medicine, agriculture and energy, particularly solar energy research.
THE AREA OF CULTURE
In the area of culture, the institute of Book Pathology in Rome is offering its services on an exchange basis with Israel for the restoration and conservation of rare manuscripts, documents and books and other literary material. This is a highly specialized Italian art.
A convention of Italian and Israeli scholars is planned for next May on the subject of Italian and Jewish renaissances. It will coincide with celebrations of the centennial of the Temple of Florence where a symposium on synagogues in Italy will be held next October.
The Hebrew University in Jerusalem will hold an exhibition on “aspects of Jewish civilization in Italy,” based on documents from the Italian State Archives. There will be a seminar on Italian Jewish life and history in Bari.
Israel will hold an Italian Cinema Week and an Israeli Cinema Week will be held in Rome. Invitations have been extended by Israel to the musical and theatrical groups, Piccolo Teatro of Milan and Fenice of Venice. Italy has invited the Batsheva Dance Company and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.
PLANNED EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES
The educational part of the agreement includes courses in the Hebrew language at the universities of Rome, Turin, Venice and Naples. Courses in “ancient Hebrew studies” will be inaugurated at the University of Florence and the Scuola Normal Superiore in Pisa. The teaching of Italian in Israel, already widespread, will continue as a counterpart to the studies of Hebrew in Italy.
There will be on increased exchange of students, faculties and specialists in the field of education, with exchange scholarships in linguistics, history, archaeology and other specialized fields.
One provision of the agreement allows Italian Jews to will their libraries or cultural artifacts to Israeli institutions.
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