The aim of the Italian Cultural Institute of Buenos Aires, the official body of the Italian State, is to promote and improve awareness of the Italian language and culture in Argentina through the organization of cultural events in Buenos Aires and in its area of competence.
The Italian Cultural Institute of Buenos Aires offers the following services to the public:
- Courses in Italian language and culture held by native Italian teachers who have a degree and specific training in language teaching;
- a rich and varied offering of cultural events, such as film, art, theatre and music;
- an Italian library specialised in literature, art and migration-related issues, which, with over 30,000 volumes, is one of the biggest outside Italy;
- a very up-to-date video library;
- the management of applications for study grants offered by the Italian Government to Argentine citizens and IRE (Italians Resident Abroad).
In its role as an official body, the Institute establishes contacts with institutions, bodies and figures of Argentine culture and science, promoting proposals and projects for the dissemination of Italian culture and the situation in Italy. It also promotes academic exchanges between scholars from both countries.
It maintains relations with Italian and Argentine universities and it is also the location of the exams for international certification of proficiency in Italian as a foreign language of the University for Foreigners of Perugia (CELI) and the University for Foreigners of Siena (CILS), in addition to the ICON (Online Degree in Italian Language and Culture for Foreigners).
