Italian Cultural Institute in Tunis Celebrates 70th Anniversary of "Corriere di Tunisi"
May 20, 2026
The Italian Cultural Institute in Tunis will celebrate the 70th anniversary of "Corriere di Tunisi", the last Italian-language newspaper still published in North Africa and the Arab world, from May 21 to 23, 2026. Organized under the patronage of the Italian Embassy in Tunisia, the festivities will take place at the Sainte-Croix Presbytery, in the heart of the Tunis Medina.
A Witness to Mediterranean Relations
Founded in 1956 by Giuseppe Finzi and currently directed by Silvia Finzi, "Corriere di Tunisi" has been a privileged witness to cultural, intellectual, and human relations between the two shores of the Mediterranean for several decades. More than a simple monthly publication for the Italian-speaking Tunisian community, the newspaper has become a space for intercultural memory and dialogue.
A Week of Celebrations
This anniversary week will offer a program combining heritage, reflection, and contemporary creation. The inaugural day on Thursday, May 21, will be dedicated to the memory of the newspaper and its historical heritage. A large exhibition will retrace the main stages of its evolution since the 1950s, while a selection of unpublished documents, prepared in collaboration with the Tunisian National Archives, will be presented to the public.
A roundtable discussion will bring together researchers, journalists, and cultural actors to discuss the future of Italian-language press in the Mediterranean. The day will continue with a conference on the preservation of the Italian language in Tunisia between 1956 and 1970, followed by the screening of the documentary "Il Corriere di Tunisi" directed by Tunisian filmmaker Aida Chamekh.
Celebrating Cultural Exchanges
On Friday, May 22, the focus will be on cultural exchanges between Italy and Tunisia through theater, music, and university education between 1970 and 1996. The evening will feature a concert by the Gran Duo Italiano, composed of violinist Mauro Tortorelli and pianist Angela Meluso, who will pay tribute to composer Francesco Santoliquido, a key figure in Italian cultural presence in Tunis. The concert will be free and open to the public.
Looking to the Future
On Saturday, May 23, the focus will shift to the future and the contemporary role of "Corriere di Tunisi" as a laboratory for intercultural dialogue and a pedagogical tool for new generations. On this occasion, the prizes for the writing contest "A Story for Corriere di Tunisi" will be awarded. Italian writer Luca Bianchini will also present his novel "The Girls of Tunis", published by Mondadori editions.
