Culture and cultural diplomacy as the main instrument of Italy's "soft power" foreign policy

"The term "soft power" is actively used in the foreign policy practice of many countries of the world. Among the European countries that are actively building up the potential of "soft power", Italy is the undisputed leader of cultural diplomacy in the world. The culture of Italy for centuries absorbed the best achievements of the culture of the Mediterranean and the East, combining them with European features. As an average European state, it is actively trying to apply culture as the main element of its foreign policy. The Italian concept of "soft power" was interpreted in its own understanding – "Dolce potere" (soft power). The policy of "soft power" involves the comprehensive development of public and cultural diplomacy, promotion of culture and language of the Italian people. Italy is able to demonstrate an exemplary instance of such diplomacy. The country strives to active formation of international Italian-speaking community, emphasizing the attractiveness of Italy and its brand "Made in Italy". Italy uses cultural diplomacy to promote its own cultural heritage and historical experience in order to obtain certain preferences in international relations. The methodology of Italian cultural diplomacy is identified with the concept of "soft power", which serves to strengthen geopolitical positions, resolve foreign policy tasks of the state, and promotes convergence of views on various aspects of interaction with foreign countries. This work is devoted to the study of Italian cultural diplomacy and its application in practice, the features of "soft power" tools and the identification of the effectiveness of cultural diplomacy in promoting the country's foreign policy vector during the coronavirus pandemic. The need to transfer most of the culture to the institutions of foreign policy and cultural diplomacy is emphasized in order to turn it into a real "soft power" in the conditions of adaptation to the conditions of the country's recovery after the coronavirus pandemic. Thus, the scientific novelty of this work consists in the fact that documents of Italian institutes written in the original were used as a source base, as well as the latest approaches of the Italian Republic to cultural diplomacy and "soft power" in the conditions of coronavirus, previously not investigated in scientific works, were analyzed.