Singapore, 17 March 2026 – The Ambassador of Italy to Singapore, Dante Brandi, met today with the Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, David Neo, to discuss prospects for strengthening bilateral cooperation in the fields of culture, education and cultural heritage.
The discussion focused on the implementation of the Italy–Singapore Joint Strategic Plan, agreed by Prime Ministers Lawrence Wong and Giorgia Meloni at the margins of their G20 meeting last November, with particular reference to its cultural and educational components.
In view of the first bilateral consultations scheduled to take place in Singapore next week on the Action Plan, discussions addressed areas such as enhancing cooperation among cultural institutions, supporting mobility and residency programmes for artists and cultural professionals — with particular attention to emerging talents — promoting the participation of Italian and Singaporean artists in festivals and events organised in both countries, and exploring initiatives related to the preservation and promotion of cultural heritage.
Acting Minister Neo also confirmed his participation in the opening of the Venice Biennale this coming May, where Singapore will present its traditional Pavilion at the Arsenale, dedicated in this edition to the work of artist Amanda Heng, a pioneer of a sophisticated cultural narrative built on universal themes such as the body, memory, identity and the female condition.
