(ANSA) - Rome, January 17 - Culture Minister Dario Franceschini said Friday that the cabinet has approved his proposal to make March 25 national Dante Alighieri day.

"With one year to go to the celebrations for the 700th anniversary of Dante's death, lots of projects are already being considered by the committee for the celebrations chaired by Professor Carlo Ossola," Franceschini said.

"Dante reminds us of many things that hold us together. "Dante is the unity of the country. Dante is the Italian language. Dante is the idea of Italy itself". March 25 was chosen as it is that date scholars put as being the start of the journey to the afterlife in the Divine Comedy.

