Roots, creativity, and Italian innovation: these are the pillars of “Italian Way,” the major festival organized by the Consulate of Italy in Perth that won the third edition of the prestigious competition “Capitals of Italian Creativity in the World,” organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
“Italian Way” is set to begin in March in collaboration with a prestigious network of public and private partners, celebrating Perth as the “Capital of Italian Creativity in the World” in 2025: a recognition awarded for the first time by the Farnesina (and by a commission also composed of the Ministry of Culture) to the capital of Western Australia, a testament to the deep connection with Italy, based on excellence, innovation, and the immense contribution of the Italian community to the region’s development.
“Italian Way” will be divided into 15 events between March and July, in addition to a series of collateral initiatives that will continue until the end of 2025. The program will promote dialogue in the economic, scientific, and cultural fields between Italy and Western Australia “in the name of creativity and innovation,” with the goal of developing long-term strategic collaborations.
INNOVATION
Innovation and sustainability will be the cornerstones of the Italian session at the Energy Exchange Australia (EXA), the major fair dedicated to emerging technologies in the energy and extraction sectors, scheduled in Perth from March 11 to 13. The event, organized in collaboration with ICE and the Italian Chamber of Commerce, will feature the participation of Italian companies, industry associations, and representatives from the academic world, with initiatives focused on strengthening synergies between Made in Italy and the Australian production fabric.
CREATIVITY
Italian creativity will be at the center of the partnership with Perth Design Week (March 20-27), which will feature the extraordinary participation of the famous architect and designer Mario Cucinella (author of the Italian Pavilion at Expo Osaka 2025). As part of the celebrations for Italian Design Day, Cucinella will showcase exclusive installations and an exhibition dedicated to sustainable architecture, with the participation of leading Italian companies in the sector, including Molteni.
CULTURE AND SPORT
Italy’s historical roots will be presented by the renowned historian Alessandro Barbero, who will give a lecture at the University of Western Australia (UWA) on April 22 on the topic of Italian unification. Contemporary Italian art will be represented in the works of artist Paola Pivi, whose installations will be exhibited for the first time in Perth in a major exhibition at the Art Gallery of Western Australia (AGWA), which will open in June with the Italian artist’s presence. The harmonious music of the “pianist of nature” Alessandro Martire will resonate in the magnificent natural setting of the Quarry Amphitheatre on March 26, a preview of the Italian music week in July with the participation of the Conservatorio Vecchi-Tonelli of Modena and Carpi and its Director, pianist Giuseppe Fausto Modugno. There will also be a celebration of sports with the “Italian Consul Cup” regatta, which will enliven the Swan River and the skyline of Elizabeth Quay on April 4, symbolically uniting Italy and Western Australia through the values of sport and teamwork. On the same evening, the Royal Perth Yacht Club will host the event Everlasting Italian Beauty, an exclusive evening to celebrate the best of Made in Italy in design, music, fashion, and craftsmanship.
These and many other initiatives – including a major event with a special guest to celebrate Italian roots at the end of July – will make Italian Way a unique journey through the many expressions of Italian culture, animating Perth throughout 2025, involving young Italian professionals and the large local community.
In the words of Consul Nicolaci, “Italian Way will make Perth an international showcase of Italian excellence and culture, in a grand celebration of creativity, innovation, and sustainability capable of inspiring a growing passion for Italy, strengthening the contribution of Made in Italy and Italian technology to the economic diversification of WA and creating fruitful synergies between one of the world’s major industrial powers and one of the planet’s richest economies in critical minerals and natural resources.”
To discover all the initiatives related to Perth’s celebrations as the Capital of Italian Creativity in the World 2025, a dedicated platform has been created: www.italianway.au.
