The city of Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, and the Italian Embassy in Seoul are set to co-host the "Ciao Italia" festival from June 16 to 19 in various parts of the city.

The festival will introduce diverse aspects of Italian culture, ranging from food to movies and language, the embassy said in a statement.

Responding to increasing interest in Italy, the festival event was specially designed for Gangwon Province residents and Chuncheon citizens to mark its third anniversary, the embassy added.

The festival will kick-off with a conference on climate change under the theme of "Finance for Sustainable Growth" at Hallym University.

Ahead of the festival, Italian Ambassador to Korea Federico Failla said that when COVID-19 was in full swing in 2021, the embassy decided to join hands with Chuncheon City to promote his country's culture through food tastings, cooking classes, movie screenings, performances and conferences.

"This year, the 'Ciao! Italia' festival is marking its third year. 'Ciao Italia' has been growing every year, exceeding all expectations thanks to a great collaboration with the city of Chuncheon, and I am very proud of these results," said Failla.