"Italy in Kenya: Cultural Diplomacy and Equal Partnership" by Carlo Coppola
La versione italiana di questo articolo di Carlo Coppola si trova su "In Città Giovinazzo" diretto dal prof. Antonio Calisi al seguente indirizzo: https://www.incittagiovinazzo.it/2025/12/01/cultura-e-dinamismo-come-strumenti-della-diplomazia-del-reale-tra-italia-e-kenya/
A new approach to bilateral relations through art, education and intercultural dialogue
Just weeks after taking office, Ambassador Vincenzo Del Monaco has set a clear direction for the Italian diplomatic mission in Kenya, identifying culture as the privileged instrument to consolidate and deepen bilateral relations between Italy and Kenya.
The first significant manifestation of this strategy materialized in the exhibition "At the table with Italy: 100 years of taste and innovation," hosted at the National Museum of Nairobi from November 25 to December 10 as part of the Week of Italian Cuisine in the World. The initiative, curated by Alessia Autuori, featured the participation of the "Garum" Library and Museum of Cuisine and the "Menu Associati" association, establishing itself as a meeting point between Italian gastronomic tradition and Kenyan audiences.
Tommaso Cascella’s Symbolic Work: A Bridge for Italy-Kenya Cooperation
The conceptual core of the exhibition centers on a permanent installation by Tommaso Cascella, a celebrated exponent of contemporary Italian figurative art, created specifically for the Italian Embassy.
The work, Arc, bridge, balance, rainbow of peace and work, presents itself as a mahogany and iron table divided into two parts, unified by an automotive engine gear that evokes dynamism and technological progress. This piece, destined to remain permanently on display at the residence of the Head of the Italian diplomatic mission in Kenya, serves as a tangible symbol of Italy-Kenya cooperation, embodying the mission's fundamental values: balance, harmony, equity, and social justice. The choice of the table is intentional: it represents the quintessential place of encounter, equal dialogue, and sharing.
Vocational Training: A Cultural Bridge and Mattei Plan Pillar
A particularly significant element of the project is the method of the work’s creation. Cascella chose to collaborate at the St. Kizito vocational school, located on the outskirts of Nairobi, an institution that stands as a concrete example of Italian cooperation. This initiative is closely aligned with the framework of the Piano Mattei per l'Africa, the Italian government program that focuses on educating the local workforce and transferring technical and professional skills.
On his first journey to sub-Saharan Africa, Cascella worked side-by-side with young Kenyan carpenters and blacksmiths, an experience that concretely demonstrated the potential of an approach based on knowledge sharing and horizontal collaboration. "These young people are well on their way to closing the gap with our specialization standards," the artist declared, emphasizing the talent and creativity of local artisans.
From Cultural Soft Power to Equal Partnership
Ambassador Del Monaco's choice to inaugurate his mandate with a cultural event of such broad scope indicates a precise direction: to utilize the soft power of Italian culture to build lasting and meaningful relations with Kenya, moving beyond assistance-based approaches in favor of a partnership founded on reciprocity.
Cascella's work, in its tension between the two parts of the table united by the gear mechanism, effectively expresses this vision of Italy-Kenya bilateral relations: no longer simple unidirectional cooperation, but an equal dialogue based on balance and mutual cultural, economic, and social enrichment.
The exhibition at the National Museum of Nairobi thus represents the first building block of a diplomatic strategy that aims to position Italy as a privileged partner of Kenya, using cultural diplomacy, vocational training, and economic cooperation as complementary levers of a single vision: international collaboration based on respect, valorization of local skills, and the construction of a shared future.
