Daniela Rizzi conferred Honoris Causa Doctorate by MSLU

The MSLU Academic Council held a special ceremony at the Assembly Hall of the university on February 6, conferring the Honoris Causa Doctorate (Honorary Doctor) to Daniela Rizzi, the director of the Italian Institute of Culture in Moscow and the Full Professor of Ca Foscari University (Venice), who was also gowned as an Honorary Member of the MSLU Academic Council.

In her opening remarks MSLU Rector Irina Kraeva emphasized the significance of the event and hailed Ms. Rizzi's contribution: "Ms. Rizzi's work had a tremendous impact on the study of the history of Russian culture as well as on Russian-Italian relations. Daniela Rizzi stood at the origins of large-scale research into the lives of Russian immigrants who settled in Italy after the 1917 revolution. Ms. Rizzi has received numerous awards for her outstanding commitment to the study of Russian culture, art and literature, including the Nikolai Gogol Award in Italy and the "Russia-Italy Through the Ages" literary prize.

After the opening remarks, the guest of honor was gowned as an Honorary Member of the Academic Council of MSLU, and received the Honoris Causa diploma, a bouquet, and a memorable gift from the hands of MSLU Rector Irina Kraeva. After congratulations Ms. Rizzi gave a lecture entitled "Wandering Quay, Eternal Rome...: Russian emigration in Italy between the two wars" already in the status of the Honorary Doctor of MSLU.

The ceremony and the lecture were attended by members of the MSLU Academic Council, as well as students and faculty, and distinguished guests, including friends of the university, representatives of diplomatic and cultural organizations, researchers, and translators of Russian and Italian literature.