Italy has established a national day dedicated to Dante Alighieri, known as the Father of the Italian language, to be marked each year on 25 March. The annual event, to be known as Dantedì, was approved by the Italian government following a proposal put forward by culture minister Dario Franceschini.

The news comes as Italy prepares to celebrate the 700th anniversary of the death of the mediaeval poet and philosopher with a programme of commemorative events in 2021. 25 March was chosen as it is the date given by scholars for the start of the journey to the afterlife in Dante's Divine Comedy.