World’s Fairs served as crucial arenas for (re)constructing and asserting Italy’s national identity between the unification in 1861 and the post-World War II era. This talk critically examines how the Italian pavilions and their exhibitions became contested spaces where competing visions of the country’s identity were negotiated, projected, and transformed. By probing key aspects of Italy’s participation against the backdrop of international relations and domestic perspectives, the talk reveals the complex interplay of art, architecture, and socio-political agendas. The analysis forms the foundation for a book project of an edited volume that explores the connections between World’s Fairs and the process of nation-building in Italy. The country’s century-long political upheavals, along with its consistent participation in expositions, provide a compelling case study for understanding how these transnational events played a pivotal role in performing nationhood.