Leaning the Italian language is the best way for immigrants to integrate in their host society, head of state Sergio Mattarella told an event at the presidential palace in Rome on Tuesday.
"For those who have arrived in Italy recently, the language is the primary tool for integrating," Mattarella said in an address to a conference at the Quirinale palace on the Italian language worldwide.
"Important and precious in this respect is the role played by local bodies, civil society organisations, public and private institutions," Mattarella said.
Italian "has significant weight" as a language and is the fourth most widely studied globally after English, Spanish and Chinese, Italy's foreign minister Enzo Moavero Milanesi told a conference in Rome on the Italian language in the world on Monday.
Moavero was addressing the 3rd Joint Action for the Italian Language in the World meeting organised by Italys' foreign, education, university and scientific research ministries, Accademia della Crusca and the Embassy of the Helvetic Confederation to Italy.