(5 June 2017) The Global Sustainable Fashion Week (June 7-10) in Budapest, is a unique event featuring an international conference, presentations, and fashion shows on ethical and sustainable fashion accompanied by the international press. It is an opportunity to learn the different aspects and results, from design to fair trade, from traditional methods to newer ones, taking a look at the best practices implemented in different countries. The Global Sustainable Fashion Week will feature experts and artists from the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. However, the host of the event will be Italy, thanks to its important role in eco-fashion. On June 8th at 10:00 at the Italian Institute of Culture in Budapest, speakers Gabriella Mányi-Walek, founder of the Global Sustainable Fashion Week; Gian Luca Borghese, director of the Italian Institute of Culture; and Rahul Chhabra, Indian Ambassador, will make opening remarks. (Red)

THE HISTORY OF THE IIC BUDAPEST

The Italian Institute of Culture of Budapest has a rich history linked to Hungarian history of the last sixty years.

It was founded in 1937 and was inaugurated at the seat of the first Hungarian Parliament in 1943 on the basis of an agreement between the Italian and Hungarian governments aimed at enhancing cultural relations between the two countries.

Historical events also involved the headquarters of the Institute, which was heavily damaged during World War II. The Director, Professor Bizzarri, was arrested and deported to a concentration camp. The Institute reopened at the end of World War II. The totalitarian regime that followed, led to numerous restrictions in the choice of cultural programmes, even though many visitors regarded the Institute as a glimmer of hope and as a possibility to escape from the overwhelming political climate at the time. The 1956, revolution brought further damage to the Institute and activities had to be stopped for some time. However, once the situation improved, it began to work on different areas, increasing the range of relations between the two countries, and above all, setting up scholarships for exchanges between Italian and Hungarian scholars. Organised events included cinematic appointments, theatrical performances of major Italian companies, such as the Teatro Stabile in Genoa and Turin, exhibitions in numerous galleries of Budapest and in the grand salon of the Institute that was finally renovated. Furthermore, the translation of Italian works into Hungarian and vice versa was highly encouraged.

1989 was a turning point in Hungarian history and for the Institute, especially with regards to public programming. From 2003 to 2015, the Institute was at the heart of coordinations of part of the Central European region, giving it an additional boost to its cultural mission.