Country Report
Italy has been involved in external cultural policy (ECP) since the 19th century, when the first Italian schools were established abroad. Strong migratory movements to other parts of Europe and to North and South America have historically shaped Italian ECP. Diplomatic and ECP presence are still strong in these regions. Due to the large Italian expatriate community, activities in arts, education, language and science are often aimed directly at the Italian diaspora. The "Italian way of life" also has a strong appeal to non-diasporic audiences too. It is actively promoted through an integrated diplomatic campaign. In 2015, Italian overtook French to become the fourth most studied language in the world, after English, Spanish and Chinese.
