On 19 April, guests from the Diocese of Mantua (Italy) visited UCU. Father Samuele Bignotti, coordinator of the Italian language summer school, came to the university to testify to the closeness and support of his Italian friends and presented the university with a unique relic.

Father Samuele Bignotti, met with Halyna Kurochka and Fr Taras Okis and discussed further cooperation with the Centre for Modern Foreign Languages in the study of Italian, and brought to the University a valuable gift from the Bishop of Mantua, Mons. Marco Busca, a Relic of the Most Holy Blood of Christ, which is kept in the crypt of St Andrew’s Cathedral in Mantua.

The Italian Summer School, which has been held for more than 20 years in the parishes of the Diocese of Mantua, gives UCU students the opportunity to study Italian language and culture in an environment that overcomes the language barrier. Despite the quarantine and martial law, our cooperation continues and expands. Using online learning opportunities, the UCU Italian Summer School has expanded the opportunities for learning Italian through conversational practice with Italian students. Also during the quarantine, a joint semester course on Italian conversation practice was launched.