All things Italy this month

Fog partially covers the Dolomite mountains before the Men's World Cup Giant Slalom on December 16, 2012 in Alta Badia. AFP PHOTO / OLIVIER MORIN

Fancy traveling to Italy? Get a feel of the country at the Italian Festival Week organsied by the Italian Industry and Commerce Office in the UAE this month. Italian cuisine, traditions, culture, arts and music will be in the spotlight during the festival, which ends on December 7.

The biggest Italian festival has been initiated to promote the country as a tourist destination to residents in the UAE and other Gulf states. Events will focus on the Italian mountains and organisers will engage people through social media.

A series of events will highlight Italian dishes, while emphasising cultural ties with the UAE in activities at the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding. Italian Festa, a traditiona food music cultural show will be held on November 29 at Le Meridien Hotel in Abu Dhabi.

The Speciality Food Festival will give residents a Taste of Italy in the UAE from November 17 to 19 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The Secolo Gallery will bring contemporary Italian artists to Sharjah in a traveling exhibition on November 27. Live painting demonstrations will be conducted by artists Predrag Szilvassy and Enzo Gobboo. Valeria Franchi will be conducting a workshop on Abaya paintings. Her paintings are present in various private collections in Italy.

Pianist and composer Maurizio Mastrini, who can play classical masterpieces and original compositions in reverse, will play for the first time during the festival at Bab Al Shams Desert Resort in Dubai.

Events will also be held in schools and colleges to introduce students to the tourist destinations in the country.

For a calendar of daily events organised by the Italian State Tourist Board during the festival, visit the foreign office website: www.enit.it