Italy is one of the world\u2019s most significant cultural capitals, but struggles to translate that into a coherent strategy for international projection. This is a condition that deserves to be addressed starting from a conceptual premise: Italian soft power does not coincide with the geopolitical notion developed by Joseph Nye. The latter was designed for the national interests of a power conscious of its strategic centrality.<\/p>\n
From the Italian perspective, soft power is rather the set of elements that define the country\u2019s attractiveness, extending to politics and the economy through the prism of culture. Italy is a resource-poor nation, yet it has managed to establish itself securely among the world\u2019s leading exporters, with strongholds in high-value-added sectors. Its strength lies in creativity and in the union between scientific and humanistic knowledge which, combined with know-how, form the foundation of polytechnic culture.<\/p>\n
Therefore, when analyzing the strength of Made in Italy<\/em>, culture cannot be a variable subordinated to economic interest. It must rather be understood as its driving force. It should not be treated as a mere tool for trade so as not to weaken the intended message. Where economy and culture support each other, Italy\u2019s projection reaches its maximum effectiveness. The idea of beauty and culture \u2013 precisely because it is not immediately goal-oriented \u2013 proves to be more credible and thus more effective downstream in supporting Italy\u2019s economic and political interests.<\/p>\n The multifaceted richness of Italian soft power nevertheless lacks a unified platform, one that can integrate the protection and dissemination of culture, diplomacy, and the internationalization of businesses. Overcoming fragmentation and improving coordination with local authorities is an ongoing challenge in which Italy can draw on the experience of other European countries. To this end, it is also necessary to enhance the far from marginal role of private initiative and corporate patronage, which legitimately responds to market logic but, in the absence of broader coordination, fails to translate into a systemic boost to the country\u2019s overall image.<\/p>\n Working toward better coordination of Italian soft power means impacting sectors vital to the economy, starting with tourism: the millions of people who visit the country and continue to regard it as one of the most sought-after global destinations are an important asset for promoting culture and the economy. However, these flows must be managed with logic that goes beyond mere territorial marketing. Such an approach too often fosters fragmented offerings and the risk of \u201covertourism\u201d. Similarly, other sectors that already enjoy high visibility\u2014such as agri-food\u2014can be effectively leveraged to broaden the perception of Italy as a contemporary actor engaged in crucial challenges, such as food security.<\/p>\n The remedy for the current dispersion of energy, expertise, and decision-making centers cannot be a heavy regulatory apparatus. That would risk suffocating the very vitality that is to be enhanced. Rather, it is a matter of envisioning agile institutional coordination, open to moments of public dialogue\u2014such as the regular Stati Generali della Cultura<\/em>\u2014to pool experiences and strategies. Coordination, in short, must not translate into homogenization: the pluralism of regional identities remains a defining trait of Italy, and the response to its fragmentation is not an identity imposed from above, but a convergence that stems from the local level.<\/p>\n Furthermore, Italian culture must be expanded beyond its traditional dimension, characterized by art, language, and historical heritage. Italian culture should come to include the country\u2019s scientific and technological excellence as well. Italy possesses internationally recognized expertise in cutting-edge fields that should be fully leveraged to attract investment and human capital. In this sense, the community of Italian researchers, professionals, and entrepreneurs active abroad, as well as the \u201cbrains\u201d from other countries who were trained in the Italian system, represent a cultural resource that remains largely underutilized.<\/p>\n The linguistic issue fits into this context. Italian has never been a lingua franca<\/em>, nor does it aspire to be one, but it is spreading among an educated global audience. This makes it a valid cultural tool. Therefore, it is necessary to overcome the divisions and duplications that afflict its promotion and teaching.<\/p>\n The resulting picture is not one of an absence of soft power, but rather an excess of cultural capital relative to the capacity to organize it into a coherent strategy. Italy remains at the top of international reputations and attractiveness indices, but it struggles to translate this leadership into strategic choices for the future. Timely decisions are called for, to navigate the ongoing multiple transitions\u2014starting with the digital transition, which is radically transforming the actors and infrastructures through which a country\u2019s image is conveyed.<\/p>\n There are effective levers that can be activated: such is the case, for example, of the Mattei Plan. This represents the main European political initiative toward Africa, which is crucial for the future.<\/p>\n Italy is called upon to make the shift from admiration for its heritage to conscious promotion. Such a transition requires institutional stability, continuity beyond the political cycle and, above all, the ability to recognize in culture not merely an ornament of foreign policy, but one of its most fundamental pillars.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"