A classroom in Colombo this week is alive with Italian phrases, laughter and culture. From customs officers to tourism police, students are learning more than grammar- they are learning to connect. The newly opened Sapientia Language Institute, the first of its kind in Sri Lanka, is equipping both professionals and enthusiasts with language skills and cultural fluency to engage directly with Italian visitors, investors and diplomats, turning every ‘Buonasera’ (Good Evening) into a bridge between nations.
The Sapientia Language Institute, officially opened in Colombo this week, is Sri Lanka’s first structured Italian Language Institute, offering courses based on the internationally recognised Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR framework). Headed by Valentina Gonsal, an Italian-born Sri Lankan, the institute aims to provide authentic Italian education while fostering cultural exchange. Courses are already underway for officers from the Sri Lanka Tourist Police, Department of Immigration and Emigration, Sri Lanka Customs, Board of Investment (BOI), Export Development Board (EDB) and Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, enabling them to communicate effectively with Italian visitors, investors and diplomats.
Italy is more than a language; it is a civilisation that has shaped art, science, music, and philosophy for centuries. For Valentina Gonsal, founder of the Sapientia Language Institute, bringing Italian language and culture to Sri Lanka is a personal mission and a homecoming. “Italy is not just a language; it is the voice of a civilisation that has shaped art, science, music, and philosophy for centuries.
It is the language that gave us Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Antonio Vivanti, Guglielmo Marconi, Galileo, and so many others whose genius still illuminates the world today. As the Italian writer Federico Fellini once said, a different language is a different vision of life,” Gonsal said, reflecting on the global significance of Italian.
Returning to Sri Lanka to open Sapientia is more than a professional milestone — it is a way to bring a piece of her Italian upbringing to her country of roots, combining language, culture, and education in one transformative initiative.
Complimentary Italian language training
The institute, she said, is Sri Lanka’s first structured Italian language institute, offering courses aligned with the CEFR framework, the same standards recognised across Europe. Gonsal expressed pride in the trust and collaboration extended by key Sri Lankan government institutions, which are now participating in complimentary Italian language training. “Officers from the Sri Lanka Tourist Police, Department of Immigration and Emigration, Sri Lanka Customs, Board of Investment, Export Development Board, and Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau have already embarked on their journey of learning Italian, preparing to communicate effectively with Italian visitors, investors, and diplomats,” she said. Highlighting Sapientia’s commitment to academic quality and cultural authenticity, Gonsal emphasised that the institute has invested in a highly qualified and internationally experienced Italian faculty. “We firmly believe that to learn a language effectively, one must learn from those who are both qualified and experienced in teaching it professionally,” she said. Looking ahead, she outlined determined plans for the institute, including cultural evenings, exhibitions, and partnerships celebrating Italian art, music, cinema, and gastronomy, bringing Italy’s heritage to Sri Lanka. Sapientia also aims to become an officially accredited Italian language examination centre, offering internationally recognised certifications in Colombo, and expand courses to include specialised Italian for tourism, hospitality, trade, and design. “We want Sapientia Language Institute to become a centre of excellence, a place where every student, professional, and institution can discover the beauty, precision, and emotion of the Italian language. To every student who walks through our doors, know that you’re part of something new, meaningful, and that connects two nations through the universal power of language and culture,” Gonsal said.
Recalling his tenure as Foreign Minister, Prof. G.L. Peiris, who was the Guest of Honour at the Grand Opening this week, highlighted the challenges faced by Sri Lankans travelling to Italy without proper documentation, many of whom were forced to work in low-paying jobs far below their potential. “They have to work in restaurants and are paid one third of what they are entitled to,” he said, describing their plight as “unenviable.” He explained that the then Italian Ambassador, Rita Manella, had pointed out these issues, emphasizing the need for practical solutions such as language and professional training before travelling abroad. Prof. Peiris praised the Sapientia Language Institute as “timely, practical, and of national significance,” addressing diplomats, government representatives, and guests. He emphasised the growing demand in Sri Lanka for competence in Italian, not just as a language but as a tool for professional and cultural engagement. Highlighting a practical solution, he noted that many Italian families prefer to care for elderly parents at home rather than in institutions — a cultural value shared with Sri Lanka. This has created opportunities for trained Sri Lankan caregivers, who need basic Italian language skills and a compassionate disposition. He cited past collaboration with Bishop Valence Mendis and the Italian Ambassador to establish training programmes that enabled caregivers to live and work in Italy with dignity.
Prof. Peiris lauded Sapientia’s approach of immersive language learning, emphasizing that the best way to master a language is to live it — experiencing Italian culture through painting, music, and history, rather than through classroom study alone. “There is no country that produced all the creativity that Italy did in about 130 years,” he said, highlighting the contributions of Michelangelo, Vivaldi, and other great Italians to global civilisation.
He also praised the institute’s initiative to provide free Italian language training to government officials, including customs officers, police, and immigration staff, noting its importance in strengthening Sri Lanka–Italy relations in education, trade, tourism, and cultural diplomacy. “After all, our two countries are linked in many ways,” Prof. Peiris said, pointing to collaborations such as Italian experts assisting in city renovations and fresco restorations, as well as sharing expertise in defence and security. He concluded with warm support for Sapientia’s mission, “What you are now doing is extremely useful,” he concluded.
Reflecting on her teaching philosophy, Giulia Giubertoni, Head of Studies and main Italian language instructor at Sapientia, emphasised the enduring appeal of the Italian language, “Italy is internationally known for its culture. Although Italian is studied by about eight million students worldwide, behind English, French, Chinese, Spanish, and German, there has always been a highly positive perception of its connection to art, music, fashion, gastronomy, cinema, and tourism. It is a desirable language to learn, and it is also the best way to connect with Italian tourists, businesspeople, diplomats, and visitors in Sri Lanka,” Giubertoni shared her background, noting she is from Bergamo, near Milan, in northern Italy, and that she has spent much of her career teaching Italian abroad. Her academic path includes a degree in Modern Languages from Ca’ Foscari University of Venice (2016) and a Master’s in Linguistics from the University of Bologna. These studies allowed her to teach in Massachusetts, Milan, Durban, Mongolia,and elsewhere, accumulating a wealth of experience in teaching Italian as a foreign language. She said, “I am here not only to teach Italian, but also to learn. Before becoming a teacher, I was a learner myself, and I want to continue learning — including Sinhala and the rich traditions of Sri Lanka,”
The event was a vibrant celebration of Italian culture in Sri Lanka, with the air filled with the melodies of Italian music and walls adorned with pictures of sculptures and historic landmarks. Guests savoured Italian-inspired flavours, while the playing of both the Italian and Sri Lankan national anthems beautifully symbolised the bond between the two nations. Among the many Sri Lankans with Italian connections, a lively gathering came together to welcome not just a language, but the richness of Italy’s art, history, and traditions, highlighting the impact of cultural collaboration and strengthening diplomatic ties. With the launch of the Italian language in Sri Lanka, the event marked a new chapter in bringing the two cultures closer, celebrating shared creativity and fostering lasting connections.
