Italy to Open Language School in Accra Before Year’s End, Ambassador Announces
Accra will have its own Italian language school before the end of 2026, starting with kindergarten and the early grades of primary school, the Italian Ambassador to Ghana has announced.
“This is a major step forward in promoting our beautiful language in Ghana,” said Ambassador Laura Ranalli at a reception at her official residence in Accra on Thursday, 28 May, to mark Italy’s 80th National Day celebration.
The announcement signals a deepening of cultural and educational ties between the two countries at a time when Ghana’s education sector is actively exploring international partnerships and diverse language offerings for its young learners.
The ambassador revealed that the language school initiative is part of a broader expansion of Italy-Ghana relations that spans education, agriculture, security, and sustainability. In higher education, she noted, an increasing number of Italian universities are seeking partnerships with Ghanaian institutions across various fields of study.
Beyond the classroom, the bilateral relationship has a security dimension. An Italian Navy vessel, the Cigala Fulgosi, visited the Port of Tema in early May while on a patrol mission in the Gulf of Guinea, underscoring what Ambassador Ranalli described as a shared commitment to regional stability through bilateral, multilateral, and European partnerships.
On the development front, the ambassador highlighted the Mattei Plan, an Italian agricultural initiative operating in the Volta Region, which she said was progressing rapidly. The plan is part of Italy’s broader engagement with African nations on sustainable development and food security.
Ghana’s Minister of Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, who represented the government at the reception, expressed appreciation for Italy’s contributions to regional peace and security, particularly its cooperation within bilateral, multilateral, and European frameworks aimed at stability in the Gulf of Guinea and the wider West African region.
“As we confront the shared challenges of climate change and economic transformation, partnerships that promote innovation and sustainable growth will be more important than ever,” Mr Opoku said, adding that Ghana also welcomed Italy’s growing engagement in sustainability, circular economy initiatives, and environmentally responsible industrial practices.
The minister spoke warmly of the flourishing cultural and academic exchanges between the two countries, noting that upcoming exhibitions, artistic collaborations, and university partnerships “reinforce the power of culture and education in bringing people together.”
Mr Opoku also acknowledged the contributions of the Italian community in Ghana to businesses, development cooperation, culture, and social life, which he said continued to enrich Ghanaian society. He paid tribute to Ambassador Ranalli’s active engagement, saying it had given “renewed momentum” to Ghana-Italy relations.
The decision to start the language school with young children reflects a pedagogical conviction that early exposure to a foreign language yields the deepest and most lasting results. It also positions Italian alongside other European and Asian languages that have established or are establishing footholds in Ghana’s education landscape.
Among the dignitaries present at the reception was Togbe Afede XIV, the Agbogbomefia of Asogli, whose presence underscored the cultural significance of the occasion.
Image Source: GHANAMMA
