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Link to At the Eduardo Mondlane University in Maputo, an ambitious cultural cooperation project between Italy and Mozambique was presented within the framework of the Mattei Culture Plan. The Italian Ministry of Culture selected the Galleria Nazionale dell’Umbria as the lead institution, assigning a central role to its director, Costantino d’Orazio. A year-and-a-half-long initiative aimed at building lasting relationships between institutions, artists, and local communitiesAt the Eduardo Mondlane University in Maputo, an ambitious cultural cooperation project between Italy and Mozambique was presented within the framework of the Mattei Culture Plan. The Italian Ministry of Culture selected the Galleria Nazionale dell’Umbria as the lead institution, assigning a central role to its director, Costantino d’Orazio. A year-and-a-half-long initiative aimed at building lasting relationships between institutions, artists, and local communities
Maputo – The city welcomes with energy and curiosity a new chapter in international cooperation between Italy and Mozambique. Within the vibrant and intellectually dynamic setting of the ECA – School of Communication and Arts at Eduardo Mondlane University, the official presentation took place of a project that aspires to be far more than a cultural exchange: a true laboratory of relationships, skills, and shared visions.
The project, part of the Mattei Culture Plan, represents one of the most significant initiatives within Italy’s cooperation strategy with the African continent. It is no coincidence that the Italian Ministry of Culture chose the Galleria Nazionale dell’Umbria as the lead institution—an organization that in recent years has demonstrated increasing international openness and a concrete ability to rethink the role of contemporary museums.
At the center of this initiative stands director Costantino d’Orazio, whose presence in Maputo was not merely institutional but deeply operational. D’Orazio moved naturally among the various stakeholders, embodying a vision of the museum as an active platform for cultural exchange. His remarks emphasized that cooperation should not be a one-way process, but rather an equal dialogue capable of generating value for both sides.
The event brought together several key figures: the Italian Ambassador to Maputo, the rector of Eduardo Mondlane University, the local UNESCO director, and representatives from various Mozambican cultural organizations. The diversity of participants reflects the complexity and ambition of the project, which aims to integrate education, artistic production, and heritage enhancement.
Particularly significant was the choice of venue: the ECA is not just an academic institution, but a crossroads of creative experimentation and critical reflection. Here, the project found fertile ground, capable of embracing and amplifying its objectives. Throughout the presentations, a clear intention emerged to build a shared path, placing young people, artists, and cultural professionals at its core.
The program, lasting one and a half years, includes a series of structured activities: workshops, artistic residencies, academic exchanges, and exhibition moments. The goal is not only to transfer skills, but to create a stable network between Italian and Mozambican institutions. In this sense, the Galleria Nazionale dell’Umbria positions itself as a connecting hub, capable of activating synergies and supporting processes over time.
[caption id="attachment_79494" align="alignright" width="300"] Presidents Chapo and Mattarella[/caption]
Costantino d’Orazio stressed a crucial point: cultural sustainability. It is not enough to launch projects; it is necessary to build the conditions for them to continue beyond their formal conclusion. This is where the role of local institutions becomes fundamental, as does the direct involvement of communities.
The meeting concluded with remarks from a representative of the Mozambican Ministry of Culture, who highlighted the importance of such collaborations in strengthening the national cultural system. His speech offered a concrete perspective: culture as a driver of development, identity, and international dialogue.
Walking out of the university, through the streets of Maputo—marked by vibrant energy and evident contrasts—the meaning of this project becomes even clearer. It is not just about art, but about building real bridges between different contexts, recognizing differences as a resource rather than an obstacle.
In this context, the presence of Costantino d’Orazio takes on both symbolic and operational value: that of a contemporary cultural mediator, capable of translating visions into action and transforming an institutional project into a shared experience. The bridge between Italy and Mozambique has been drawn. Now it remains to be seen how it will be crossed.
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