Articles by: I. I.

  • Art & Culture

    The Art of Making & the Made in Italy

    The exhibition and the project that lies behind it are occasions to reflect on the art of making and the Made in Italy.

    The exhibition explores how artisanship can be married to technology and how Italian excellences in the arts, textiles and fashion find a common language and ground for collaboration. Together, they contribute to the art of living, wellbeing and respect for people and the environment.

    This is the face of the new Made in Italy.

    According to the curator of the exhibit, Eugenia Paulicelli, the new Made in Italy is transnational and in conversation with other cultures and technologies.

    With their remarks at the opening reception Maurizio Forte, Director of the Italian Trade Commission (ICE/ITA New York) and Enrico Libani,  CEO America, Cesare Attolini galvanized the public with rousing speech.  Maurizio Forte shared a splendid anecdote that underlined the two important elements at the core of the Fabric of Cultures project:  artisanship and technology, and how they work together, and how the one cannot exist without the other.

    It is the marriage of technology and artisanship, Forte went on to say, that is the DNA of the new Made in Italy. Forte added that Italy is in the avant-garde in the production and export of high technology to the world.

    Enrico Libani described how the Neapolitan style of jacket was born. In the 1930s, he master tailor Vincenzo Attolini, father of Cesare and grandfather of Massimiliano and Giuseppe, the present owners of the brand, revolutionized the Saville Row, London style of jacket worn by well-to-do Italians. Vincenzo created a lightweight version of a jacket more in line with the climate of southern Italy. Being lighter, it required a higher level of sartorial skill than heavier, more structured jackets. Vincenzo’s jacket was designed to be a second skin that gave the effect of massaging the wearer.

    The Neapolitan sartorial revolution took place locally and created a new image of male elegance that stretched beyond the confines of Naples and Italy. Libani has described the dozens of master tailors who work at the Attolini atelier just outside Naples. They sit at round tables each one of them works on a single detail of the jacket: sleeves, lapels, collars, and pockets.

    The new Made in Italy of the twenty-first century blends the local with the global, the handmade and the machine, the made in Italy and its transnational markets and influence.  It draws on tradition and history to create the new.

    Eugenia Paulicelli, who directs the Advanced Certificate of Italian Culture for the 21st Century at Queens College and Fashion Studies at Graduate Center (CUNY), underscored how the Made in Italy demands to be understood in the wider context of the multiplicity of language and cultures that compose Italy’s pluralistic identity. To reflect on the new Made in Italy as this exhibition does is to spotlight Italian excellence and reveal an Italy that defies simplistic slogans.

    The Fabric of Cultures: Systems in the Making brings together artists, designers, CUNY students and local communities to reflect on the art of making, craftsmanship and technology in today’s globalized world. It calls attention to larger systems at play that influence the state of fashion, craft and aesthetics constantly under development and in flux.

    For non-Italians especially, the Made in Italy signifies the acquisition of an intangible set of experiences. The objects consumed become part of an emotional map that gives access to a lived or imaginary experience made possible by the narrative of the new media. This is why the experience of authenticity is so important. Many of today’s Italian designers dedicate special attention to linking their collections to the place in which they are made, emphasizing local traditions and culture.

    The designers and companies included in the exhibition—Cesare Attolini, Antonio Marras, Orange Fiber and Salvatore Ferragamo, “Arte e Ricamo,” a women-run company that works for prestigious Italian and international brands from Emilio Pucci (shown in the exhibit) to Dolce & Gabbana, Tom Ford, Versace, Vivienne Westwood, and Fendi, to name but a few—are exemplars of this dialogue and dynamic. 

    Made in Italy today demands to be examined in the context of both a multilayered identity and a plurality of centers of excellence that preserve a relationship with local origins often beyond the confines of large cities. The exhibition features, in fact, a mix of regional experiences, accents and know-how from the north: Arte e Ricamo, Emilio Pucci, Ferragamo, Silvia Giovanardi; from the south:  Calabria—FrancyG, Emanuela Errico, Maria Francesca Nigro, Cangiari/Goel; Sicily—Giulietta Salmeri, Marzia Donzelli (Arca Textile Lab), Orange Fiber; Sardinia—Antonio Marras; or from a city, Naples in the case of Attolini.

    The research behind these different companies and independent designers shares common ground: care and attention to detail and aesthetic, ethics, know-how, links to local identity and history, together with an eye to innovative techniques and designs.

    The Fabric of Cultures offers a special opportunity to view the new Made in Italy from New York, a global fashion city and a design hub, through the Tek-Tiles project by the Pratt/Brooklyn Fashion + Design Accelerator. The exhibition also debuts the work of CUNY student Christina Trupiano, who has re-created the Tanagra Dress originally made by activist and dress designer Rosa Genoni in 1908. A film by Massimo Mascolo and Claudio Napoli shows this dynamic  dress worn by Queens College students and provide additional background and contribute to the celebration of the 150th anniversary of Rosa Genoni’s birth.  

    The exhibition catalog, The Fabric of Cultures: Systems in the Making, is now available on Amazon.

    The Fabric of Cultures is part of a larger, partly digital, pedagogic and research project directed by Eugenia Paulicelli, professor of Italian at Queens College: and director of Fashion Studies at the Graduate Center.

     
  • Art & Culture

    Book. The Bilingual Revolution

    The book The Bilingual Revolution: The Future of Education is in Two Languages tells the story of a grassroots movement that emerged out of the dedicated involvement of motivated parents, educators, and community actors willing to create and support dual language programs in New York City public schools.
     
    Combining insight on learning and living in two languages, the book shares practical applications and examples of bilingual education, from preschool to high school. With New York City as a backdrop, Fabrice Jaumont, from a personal and scholarly perspective, recognizes in his book the successes and setbacks of these programs through vignettes that feature the parents and educators he helped initiate bilingual programs in their schools.
     
    Ofelia García, Professor at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York and world-renowned expert in bilingual education, wrote the book’s foreword, “Bilingual Education, Making a U-Turn with Parents and Communities:”
     
    “Usually books on bilingual education are for teachers and little attention has been previously paid to how families can act to ensure that American public schools develop bilingual education programs for their children. The most important story told by Fabrice Jaumont in this book is that of the desire of American families to have their children schooled bilingually, in English, but also in a language that has deep connections to them.”
     
    Although the roots of bilingual education in the United States can be traced back to the early 17th century, Jaumont describes a new phenomenon sweeping the country with the objectives of:

    • Embracing families' and communities' own unique cultures and promoting their linguistic heritages as important parts of the greater international mosaic of our society
    • Helping facilitate community re-engage with public schools
    • Promoting a social, economic, and cultural sense of community and helping to bridge gaps that continue to divide us

     
    Nicknamed the “godfather of language immersion programs” by the New York Times, Fabrice Jaumont has more than 25 years of experience in international education and the development of multilingual programs in the United States. In spearheading what he calls the “Bilingual Revolution,” Jaumont has put his expertise at the service of the French, Italian, Japanese, German, and Russian communities by helping them to develop quality dual language programs in their local public schools. He is himself the father of two bilingual and bicultural girls who attend a public dual language school in Brooklyn.
     
    A true believer in the benefits of bilingualism –from improved critical thinking to a profound sensitivity toward other people and cultures-, Jaumont depicts and encourages the development of bilingual programs. It is his belief that these offerings can positively transform and empower children, schools, and communities in unprecedented ways. In the diversity of the stories he shares, Jaumont paints a picture of a viable 21st-century solution to preserve linguistic heritage and raise a generation of young bilingual, bi-literate, multicultural citizens of the world.
     
     ===

     

    The Bilingual Revolution: The Future of Education is in Two Languages by Fabrice Jaumont ($19.99, 210 pages, 6x9, paperback, ISBN: 978-1-947626-00-3) is scheduled for release on September 5, 2017 and is now available for pre-order on tbr-books.com (POD).
    Other formats: hardcover ($59.99, 6.69x9.61, ISBN: 978-1-947626-03-4), ebook ($13.99, ISBN: 978-1-947626-02-7) and audiobook (($13.99, ISBN: 978-1-947626-06-5).
    Also available in French under the title: La révolution bilingue : le futur de l’éducation s’écrit en deux langues. Upcoming translations include: Spanish, Japanese, Arabic, Italian, German, Polish, Chinese, and Russian (expected December 2017).
    TBR Books is a new independent Brooklyn publisher with a focus on revolutionary ideas for culture, education, and human development.

     
  • The Amerigo Vespucci at Pier 88, New York
    Facts & Stories

    The Amerigo Vespucci Ship Lands in New York

    From July 26 to July 30, 2017, the Italian Navy Training Ship Amerigo Vespucci is docked in New York, the eighth port of call of the Training Campaign 2017.

    The Training Campaign on board the Amerigo Vespucci represents a key element in cadet professional development, passing on the Italian Navy’s core values of love for the sea, ethics, loyalty and honor.

    On the 19th of April the "most beautiful ship in the world" set sail from the Italian Naval Base in La Spezia to start the 2017 Training Campaign. So far it visited two ports in Portugal (Sines and Funchal), then, after 20 days of navigation across the Atlantic ocean, it stopped in Hamilton, Bermuda and at three ports of call in Canada: Halifax, Montreal, and Quebec City. New York is the second port of call in the U.S.A., following Boston.

    During a port visit in Montreal (Canada) the 79 on-term volunteers (VFP4) of the 24th Course, who had been on board since the unmooring from La Spezia, were replaced by the 125 Italian Naval Academy of Livorno (including 18 foreign cadets). Navy cadets learn the basics of seamanship. They put into practice what has been studied so far in the books by getting familiar with the marine equipment, climbing up the masts, and using the sextant to calculate the position of the ship with the stars. They all have been splendidly promoting the Italian excellence and will go on upholding the prestige of the Italian Navy abroad through cultural and promotional events in collaboration with our diplomatic representations in host countries.

    More than 25,000 visitors in the various ports have had the opportunity to appreciate her style, which is one of a kind, and her fascinating timeless beauty.

    On Wednesday July 26th at 3:00pm local time (9:00pm in Italy), the Commanding Officer of the Vespucci, Captain Angelo Patruno, held a press conference on board to present the ship and the Training Campaign 2017.

    After New York, the Amerigo Vespucci will cross the Atlantic Ocean again, proceeding towards Ponta Delgada, in the Azores islands, continuing to represent our country and "Made in Italy" in an unusual port of call for the Italian Navy. 

    Media coverage of the Training Campaign 2017 is provided by RAI (RAI Italia and Linea Blu), Radio Rtl 102.5, RTV San MARINO, La Stampa, and Il Secolo XIX.

    During her stay in New York, the Italian Navy Tall Ship Amerigo Vespucci is moored at Pier 88 and is open to the public on the following dates/times:

    Tuesday 27 July: 2:30pm - 6:30pm

    Friday 28 July: 2:30pm - 6:30pm

    Saturday 29 July: 2:30pm - 4:30pm

    Sunday 30 July: 2:30pm - 18:30pm
  • Official Presentation, Maranello (July 21, 1987)
    Facts & Stories

    Ferrari Celebrates 30 Years of F40

    Maranello, 21 July 2017 - Thirty years have passed since the official presentation of the F40, which took place on 21 July 1987 at the Civic Centre in Maranello, now home to the Ferrari Museum. Created to celebrate the company's 40th anniversary, it was the last car to carry the founder's "signature". It was a definitive car, the ultimate expression of the technology thus far developed by the Prancing Horse, but at the same time it went back to Ferrari’s roots when racing cars were also road vehicles. An extreme derivation of the 308 GTB and of the 288 GTO Evoluzione prototype, the Ferrari F40 is a masterpiece of engineering and style, which entered the collective imagination as a symbol of an era.

    On the anniversary of the launch of this motoring legend, Ferrari has gathered together the memories of three of its creators: Ermanno Bonfiglioli, then Head of Special Projects, Leonardo Fioravanti, a designer for Pininfarina, and test driver Dario Benuzzi.

    Ermanno Bonfiglioli, who as Head of Special Projects was responsible for supercharged engines, has not forgotten the excitement of that 21 July: "I have never experienced a presentation like that of the F40. When the car was unveiled, a buzz passed through the room followed by thunderous applause. No one, except for close associates of Enzo Ferrari, had yet seen it.

    Indeed, the company had cloaked the development and testing of that car in unusual secrecy. And the surprise at such a stylistic leap was almost shock. The timeframe was also unusual, within the very short arc of 13 months, the chassis and bodywork moving ahead quickly and at the same pace as the powertrain. It was June 1986 when we began designing the engine of the project F 120 A.

    The 8-cylinder 478 hp twin-turbo was a derivative of the 288 GTO Evoluzione’s, but a number of innovative contents enabled the F40 to become the first production Ferrari to exceed 320 km/h. We paid maximum attention to the weight of the engine, thanks also to the extensive use of magnesium, such as oil sump, cylinder-head covers, intake manifolds, and gearbox bell-housing were in this material that cost five times as much as aluminium alloy and that was never used in such quantities in subsequent production cars. This is just a small example of this car's "difference".

    Leonardo Fioravanti was a designer at Pininfarina when he was invited by Enzo Ferrari to Fiorano to try the 288 GTO Evoluzione: “when il Commendatore asked for my opinion on this experimental prototype, which due to regulatory issues never went into production, I didn't hide my enthusiasm as an amateur driver for the incredible acceleration of its 650 hp. It was then that he first talked to me of his desire to produce a "true Ferrari". We knew, as he knew, that it would be his last car.

    We threw ourselves headlong into the work. Extensive research at the wind tunnel went into aerodynamic optimisation, to achieve coefficients appropriate for the most powerful Ferrari road car ever. Its style matches its performance: the low bonnet with a very tiny overhang, the NACA air vents and the rear spoiler, which my colleague Aldo Brovarone placed at right angles, made it famous.

    If I had to point out one overriding reason for the success of the F40, I would say that its line succeeded in instantly transmitting the exceptionality of its technical content: speed, lightness, and performance." Dario Benuzzi, a Ferrari’s long-term test driver, participated in an arduous and meticulous testing job: "The handling of the first prototypes was poor. To tame the power of the engine and make it compatible with a road model, we needed to subject every aspect of the car to countless tests: from the turbochargers to the braking system, from the shock absorbers to the tyres.

    The result was an excellent aerodynamic load and high stability even at high speed. Another important aspect was the tubular steel frame with Kevlar reinforcement panels, which provides three times more torsional rigidity than that of other cars of the period, and a bodywork made mainly of composite materials that reduced weight to just 1100 kg. We obtained precisely the car we wanted, with few comforts and no compromises. With no power steering, power brakes or electronic devices, it demands the skill and commitment of the driver but generously repays it with a unique driving experience. Steering precision, road holding, braking power and intensity of acceleration reached unmatched levels for a road car.

    The F40 is on show at the Ferrari Museum of Maranello as part of the "Under the Skin" exhibition devoted to the evolution of innovation and style in the 70- year history of the Company.
  • Art & Culture

    New York. Celebrating the 150th Anniversary of the Birth of Arturo Toscanini

    Arturo Toscanini was one of the most astounding musicians of the twentieth century. For more than five decades, Toscanini was a powerhouse whose performances sold out orchestra halls in every major city in the United States. He influenced the world of classical music through his concerts, broadcasts, and recordings. Even today, thirty-five years after his death, Toscanini remains a beloved legend in classical music.

    Rizzoli is releasing a book to celebrate the 150th anniversary Arturo Toscanini's birth. In addition, the Rizzoli Bookstore will be hosting an exclusive New York performance by members of the La Scala Symphony on the evening of Wednesday, March 29th starting at 6:00 PM. 

    This event is generously sponsored by Lane, the U.S. subsidiary of Italian construction giant Salini Impregilo. It should be a magical evening and an appropriate tribute to the legendary maestro.

    The celebrated Italian conductor of orchestra music interpreted famous works with unrivaled talent, refined by a constant search for perfection. His passion and dedication left an indelible mark on the interpretation of the work of the great opera composers. Toscanini became an ambassador for these composers in both Italy and the United States during the first half of the last century. In fact, the United States became his second home in 1930s after he left Europe. He had an unwavering commitment to bringing music to the world with a perfection in execution that was second to none. 

    --
    About the Author: Marco Capra teaches history of modern and contemporary music, history of musical theater.
     
    Maestro Riccardo Muti is an Italian conductor. He holds two music directorships: the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Orchestra Giovanile Luigi Cherubini. He previously held posts at the Maggio Musicale in Florence, the Philharmonia Orchestra in London, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Teatro alla Scala in Milan, and the Salzburg Whitsun Festival. A prolific recording artist, Muti has received dozens of honors, titles, awards, and prizes.
     
    ---
     
    TOSCANINI: THE MAESTRO: A LIFE IN PICTURES
    Written by Marco Capra
    Foreword by Maestro Riccardo Muti
    Hardcover / 9" x 10.25" / 240 pages / 180 color and B&W photographs
    $60.00 U.S.,
    $80.00 Canadian,
    £48.00 U.K.
    ISBN: 978-0-8478-5922-1 
    Rizzoli New York 
    Release Date: March 2017 www.rizzoliusa.com
     
  • Fatti e Storie

    La mimosa donata sulla strada

    «La prostituzione è una forma di violenza di genere, abuso ed esercizio del potere dell’uomo nei confronti della donna — afferma Giovanni Paolo Ramonda , presidente della Papa Giovanni —. Nessuna donna nasce prostituta, c’è sempre qualcuno che la fa diventare. Queste donne appartengono per lo più a categorie vulnerabili: arrivano da paesi in guerra o in estrema povertà, da ambienti degradati, e sono spesso vittime di stupro e violenza».

    In questo scenario desolante non mancano però segni positivi. Ramonda commenta l'approvazione il 14 febbraio scorso da parte del parlamento irlandese di una legge che proibisce la prostituzione scoraggiando la domanda: «Come si può parlare di libera scelta della donna? Un consenso viziato all’origine come può essere considerato libero? La Comunità Papa Giovanni XXIII si congratula con il governo irlandese per la scelta di civiltà che va nella direzione della tutela dei diritti delle donne».

    La nuova legislazione adottata in Irlanda si ispira al “modello nordico”: abroga il reato di adescamento che colpiva le prostitute e sanziona, al contrario, il comportamento dei clienti. L'Irlanda entra così nel novero dei paesi abolizionisti accanto alla Svezia, alla Norvegia, all'Islanda, all'Irlanda del Nord, alla Francia.

    Negli scorsi mesi la Comunità di Don Benzi ha lanciato la campagna “ Questo è il mio corpo ”, sottoscritta da numerose persone e associazioni, che chiede al Parlamento l'adozione di una legge ispirata al modello nordico anche in Italia.

    I dati : Secondo la risoluzione del Parlamento Europeo “Sexual exploitation and prostitution and its impact on gender equality” del 26/2/2014, lo sfruttamento sessuale è il destino più comune (nel 68% dei casi) che attende le donne coinvolte nel traffico di esseri umani. La tendenza è in aumento e vede un numero sempre maggiore di minorenni coinvolte. Fra le vittime della tratta l'80% sono donne o bambine. Oltre venti milioni di persone in tutto il mondo sono coinvolte in questo traffico. La maggioranza delle prostitute in Europa sono donne immigrate (con percentuali fra il 60% e il 90%). «Gli studi confermano una relazione diretta fra la liberalizzazione del mercato della prostituzione e un incremento del traffico di esseri umani legato allo sfruttamento sessuale», recita il documento.
  • Take a look at what's in store for the new year!
    Events

    NY. Best of Italian Culture in 2017

    The Italian Cultural Institute of New York

    This winter the Italian Cultural Institute will be presenting a series of events dedicated to renowned Italian writer Italo Calvino on the occasion of the new translation of his landmark book Six Memos for the Next Millennium, a collection of lectures Calvino was to give at Harvard in the fall of 1985 but never delivered as he died before leaving Italy. Five of six planned lectures were completed, each focusing on a specific quality that the writer considered essential in literary writing: Lightness, Quickness, Exactitude, Visibility and Multiplicity. Accordingly, five separate events will be held at various venues throughout the City, each based on one of Calvino’s “American lessons.” Also of note is an exhibition curated by art expert Marco Bertoli who selected a number of beautiful paintings by various artists born not long after the fall of the “Serenissima” Republic of Venice in 1797, 220 years ago. Guglielmo Ciardi, Giacomo Favretto, Rubens Santoro and Pietro Fragiacomo are just a few of the painters who will pay tribute to the stunning city.

    Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò, New York University

    The Casa Italiana of the New York University will host several events in collaboration with Carnegie Hall’s citywide festival “La Serenissima: Music and Arts from the Venetian Republic.” On February 9, Casa Italiana will present the US premiere of a staged version of Memoirs, a play written by Carlo Goldoni, the innovative 18th century Venetian playwright. On February 10, a roundtable discussion will be held on the remarkable tradition of early modern Venetian women’s writing. Next up, on February 11, is another US premiere, The Worth of Women, based on Il merito delle donne, a dialogue written by Moderata Fonte, a Venetian poet of the 16th century. Fonte, a woman way ahead of her time, was an advocate of gender equality. Finally, an “interfaith exchange” based on Italian baroque music will be held on February 16. On March 23, the Casa kicks off a fascinating art exhibition centered on the relationship between America’s founding father Thomas Jefferson, President of the US between 1801 and 1809, and the Italian architect Andrea Palladio (1508-1580). The exhibit aims to show the politician’s lesser-known passion for neo-classical architecture and the extent to which he was influenced by Palladio’s style.

    Consulate General of Italy in New York

    The Consulate General of Italy will begin the New Year by reviving their “New York Loves Italy” series, a project begun in 2016 that brings to light Italy’s important role in New York City’s everyday life. Monthly conversations will be dedicated to topics such as film, fashion and art, to name a few. The Consulate will also continue their “Meet the New Italians of New York” program, a dynamic series of encounters that brings together new generation Italian immigrants to exchange ideas and experiences with fellow countrymen who have established themselves in the social and professional fabric of the City. A job fair and an art fair will also be held during 2017 as yet another way to help engage and unify the community. Our overall aim is to strengthen the relations between New Yorkers in love with Italy and Italians who love New York.

    The Italian Academy for Advanced Studies in America, Columbia University

    A few beautiful concerts will be held this winter at Columbia University’s Italian Academy, starting December 2 with Nero and the fall of the Lehman Brothers, the highly anticipated world premiere of the latest opera by Jonathan Dawe. On January 26, Romantic Vienna will feature classical pieces by Schubert and Brahms, and on February 23, don’t miss Prague: Czech Romantics with music by Antonin Dvorák. The last concert of the series is Clara Schumann: Artist and Muse, dedicated to Robert Schumann’s wife, Clara, an incredible composer in her own right. Her music reveals the woman behind the muse. As part of Carnegie Hall’s “La Serenissima” festival honoring the city of Venice, the Italian Academy will host two roundtable discussions. On February 2, forensic musicologist Jordi Savall and musician Magdalena Baczewska will talk about the musical styles and influences of the Venetian Republic. On February 13, a panel discussion with several experts will examine the cultural exchange between the Ottoman Empire and the Venetian Republic.

    John D. Calandra Italian American Institute, Queens College (CUNY)

    The 2017 cultural program of the Calandra Institute is rich and diversified as always. On February 22, a documentary entitled The Barese Icemen of New York will open their “Documented Italians” Film & Video Series. It traces the lives of Italian immigrants from Apulia who dominated ice making and delivery in New York City from the 1920s to the 1960s. Another film will be screened in April, Sicily Jass: The World’s First Man in Jazz followed by a discussion with the director, Michele Cinque, led by independent scholar George DeStefano. Two interesting events will be held in March: on the 16th, cultural historian John Gennari will talk about “Flavor and Soul: Italian America at its African American Edge,” aiming to show how deep does the affinity between black and Italian cultures run in this country. Soon after, on March 22, three young emerging Italian American writers will turn to memoir to explore their roots as part of Calandra’s Writers Read Series. Like every April, the Institute will hold its annual conference (April 27-29). This year the focus will be on music: “Italian Sonorities and Acoustic Communities: Listening to the Soundscapes of Italianità.” Finally, two exhibits will also take place at the Institute: one called “Transnationalizing Modern Languages” and another displaying the work of Italian painter, William Papaleo.

    Center for Italian Studies at Stony Brook University (SUNY)

    The mission of Stony Brook’s Center for Italian Studies is twofold: on the one hand, they organize scholarly events for the academic community. On the other, they hold a variety of cultural activities that engage the Long Island community. For next year we’re planning a number of events of great intellectual and cultural interest. Besides a lecture series, two big conferences are in the works. The first is scheduled for mid June and entitled “Latin and Italian Linguistics.” Coordinated by Professor Lori Repetti, it will bring to campus distinguished scholars to explore programmatic and pedagogical connections between Classical Civilization and the Italian language. The second focuses on “Migration as a Global Phenomenon” and is part of a three-stage initiative involving universities located in three continents: the University of Palermo in May, the University of Sidney in June, and Stony Brook University in October. The migration phenomenon and its different players (refugees, displaced people, dreamers for a better future) will be put into geographic and historic context. The conference is supported by the Fondazione Migrantes. Literary events are fundamental to colleges. In keeping with that idea, the Center for Italian Studies will host a presentation of a special issue of Forum Italicum, Lucania Within: Carlo Levi and Rocco Scotellaro, accompanied by an exhibit of Levi’s paintings and sketches, some never seen before.

    Italian American Experience Lecture Series, Hofstra Cultural Center at Hofstra University

    Hofstra University’s Italian American Experience Lecture Series, now in its twentieth year under the direction of Dr. Stanislao Pugliese, will host three lectures by master chef and culinary authority Enrico Bazzoni, entitled “Italian and Italian American Cuisine Reconsidered.” (Date to be announced). There will also be a special presentation of The Routledge History of Italian Americans edited by William Connell & Stanislao Pugliese. The book is a new multi-authored history of one of the largest ethnic groups in the United States. The collection brings together leading scholars and critics to create a narrative of the trials and triumphs of Italians in America. Concentrating on themes ranging from immigration to religion, labor rights to women’s rights, the collection reflects the field of Italian American Studies in its current form and highlights unique elements of Italian American culture that have particularly influenced the American experience as a whole.

    The Inserra Chair in Italian and Italian American Studies, Montclair State University

    The Spring 2017 Inserra Chair calendar of events offers programs for dedicated Italophiles as well as Italian-American history buffs. On February 23 Joseph Sciorra, Director for Academic and Cultural Programs at the Calandra Institute, will present his book Built with Faith: Italian American Imagination and Catholic Material Culture in New York City, a fascinating look at the impact of Italian-American religious practices. In March (date TBA). Daniele Balicco, editor of Made in Italy e cultura and author of several articles on food, technology and healing practices, and Maurizio Forte, Director of the Italian Trade Agency, will discuss “Food Sustainability and Bio-technologies” as part of a series that approaches the concept of Made in Italy from a philosophical and cultural, as opposed to a commercial, vantage. Finally on April 27 award-winning filmmaker Andrea Segre will premiere his documentary Come il peso dell’acqua (RAI3). The event provides a much-needed Italian perspective on the Mediterranean migrant crisis. The screening and Q&A are part of “Italy and the Euro-Mediterranean Migrant Crisis National Reception, Lived Experiences, E.U. Pressures,” an event in collaboration with Columbia University, which includes a panel of experts on contemporary immigration in Italy (April 26, Columbia University). Each event demonstrates the Inserra Chair’s interest in how the movement from and to Italy of people, ideas, and goods reflects the dynamic nature of the country’s culture and economy.

    Casa Belvedere, The Italian Cultural Foundation, Staten Island

    Staten Island’s Casa Belvedere kicks off a series of not-to-be-missed 2017 events with Il Presepio della Solidarietà, a solidarity crèche crafted by hand by master artisans from Italy’s Campania Region and presented to the New York City Fire Department as a gift from the Naples Chamber of Commerce in honor of 9/11 victims and the brave fire fighters, police officers and EMS workers who made the ultimate sacrifice that day. In 2011 the International Columbia Association of FDNY entrusted the Italian Cultural Foundation at Casa Belvedere to be the custodians of this significant display. On display until January 6. On March 19 the traditional St. Joseph’s Day dinner will be held at the Belvedere Club. The celebration of “Festa di San Giuseppe”, a popular holiday in Italy, especially in the South, provides an occasion to showcase traditional regional fare and the customs that make St. Joseph’s Day special. Also scheduled is the Annual Corrado Joe Manfredi ‘Taste of Italy’ Golf Outing (June, Date TBD). Corrado Joe Manfredi was an accomplished businessman and community leader known throughout the tri-state area and a beloved role model in Staten Island. By celebrating his life and spirit, the Italian Cultural Foundation aims to preserve his legacy and develop a network for the next generation of Italian Americans to follow in his footsteps. Last but not least, there will be two festivals at Casa Belvedere this summer: “Cinema Sotto Le Stelle,” an outdoor Italian film festival (every Wednesday evening starting mid July); and the “Festa d’Italia/Motori d’Italia” Italian Festival and Car Show (September, date TBD). Both festivals are widely popular and attract hundreds if not thousands of visitors.

     
  • Fatti e Storie

    Basta con la violenza sulle donne!

    "Basta con la violenza sulle donne!". Nel dire questo, il Direttore Generale dell’INMP, Concetta Mirisola, esprime la sua personale vicinanza e la solidarietà di tutto il Personale dell’Istituto a tutte le donne vittime di tale aberrante fenomeno, che purtroppo continua a mietere vittime nella nostra società. Da sempre l'istituto Nazionale cura e accompagna le donne vittime di abusi perpetrati anche e soprattutto all’interno delle mura domestiche,

    La data del 25 novembre, scelta nel 1999 dall’Assemblea Generale delle Nazioni Unite ha reso istituzionale, il ricordo del brutale assassinio nel 1960 delle tre sorelle Mirabal, considerate esempio di donne coraggiose per l’impegno con cui tentarono di contrastare il regime di Rafael Leonidas Trujllo nella Repubblica Dominicana.

    Volte a sensibilizzare società, governi, organizzazioni e media su tutte le forme di violenza sulle donne, le numerose attività realizzate e proposte dalle Nazioni Unite per questa Giornata hanno l’obiettivo finale di sollecitare una consapevolezza che non limiti l’impegno al solo 25 novembre di ogni anno ma si protragga nel quotidiano. Un’attenzione, quella dell’INMP, che si dispiega 7 giorni a settimana in numerose attività, tutte centrati sulla presa in carico della persona, sugli aspetti di salute connessi alle fragilità sociali e della salute della donna, a cui dal 2011 dedica un apposito servizio nei propri ambulatori specialistici.

    Un fenomeno diffuso e complesso: l’approccio dell’INMP

    “Il nostro Istituto, attraverso le attività di assistenza a tutela della salute delle Donne – dichiara il DG Mirisola – accoglie donne, italiane e straniere, ponendo particolare attenzione alla violenza di genere, con attività di sostegno e interventi in rete con istituzioni e realtà territoriali rivolte alla tutela della donna, oltre che di prevenzione di tali barbari atti, che hanno elevatissimi costi umani e sociali. La violenza sulle donne non è un problema solo femminile, riguarda tutti, e per questo è necessario riflettere insieme su questa piaga, spesso taciuta ma molto diffusa, anche in Italia. La violenza non è inevitabile, e il passaggio dall’immagine di vittima all’assunzione della responsabilità del cambiamento è lo snodo cruciale per prendere le distanze dalla distruttività. Noi lo facciamo attraverso un servizio che offre alle donne vittime di violenza un approccio multidisciplinare: medici, psicologi, assistenti sociali, antropologi e avvocati, professionisti tutti a disposizione delle numerose donne italiane e straniere che fruiscono del servizio.

    Recenti dati Istat (indagine nazionale sulla sicurezza delle donne, 2014) mostrano che circa il 32% delle donne ha subito violenza e che il tipo di violenza più diffusa – e di più complessa emersione – è quella intrafamiliare. Dal 2012 ad oggi, presso l’INMP sono state seguite più di 25mila donne, di queste 2.503 – il 14% italiane – sono state assistite negli ambulatori di ginecologia e psicologia, e 303 sono state vittime di violenza. Attraverso i loro vissuti sono state raccolte 147 storie, di cui 119 casi di violenza domestica. Significativo che 28 donne abbiano riferito storie di abuso avvenuto in minore età.

    La presenza nell’Istituto di diverse figure professionali, lo sportello socio-sanitario per orientamento e informazioni - riguardanti l’accesso ai servizi territoriali sociali e sanitari, l’alloggio e la ricerca di un lavoro – favoriscono un approccio sinergico che conferisce maggior efficacia rispetto al singolo intervento, accompagnando la donna nel suo percorso di uscita dalla violenza e da ogni forma di sopraffazione”.

    Un percorso che vede quotidianamente impegnato l’INMP - attraverso attività di prevenzione, diagnosi e cura, progetti di medicina sociale nel campo ginecologico, corsi di formazione per chi opera nel mondo sanitario e momenti di dibattito pubblico - nel creare elementi di coscienza attiva a difesa soprattutto dei più fragili fra i deboli, le donne e i minori, tra cui molte bambine, vittime di un’altra grave forma di violenza, quali sono le mutilazioni genitali femminili.

    Il migliore augurio che possiamo fare alle nostre società – aggiunge il DG Mirisola - è che ogni giorno sia la giornata internazionale contro la violenza sulle donne, portando avanti una battaglia di civiltà contro questa grave e inaccettabile violazione dei diritti umani da cui nessuno può sentirsi escluso. Impegnati per un futuro nel quale il rispetto e la dignità delle persone, insieme al diritto alla salute, possano essere riconosciuti e difesi come diritti inalienabili per tutti. Sono valori universali che l’INMP, da sempre concretamente accanto alle persone che soffrono, soprattutto le più fragili, ha fatto propri e in questa giornata di riflessione su un tema così delicato, desidera unirsi alla società civile tutta, perché assieme si possa fermare questo stillicidio, che è la violenza sulle persone più vulnerabili, donne e bambine di tutti i continenti”.
  • Life & People

    i-Italy Needs All of You!

    We founded i-Italy eight years ago with the mission of bringing together three similar, yet traditionally isolated groups of Italophiles: Americans of Italian heritage, Italians living in the United States, and all Americans who love Italy. 

    Since then, with very limited resources and lots of enthusiasm, we've achieved miraculous results. Our website now has over a million hits, and between Facebook and other social media, we have reached 200,000 followers. Our videos on YouTube have been viewed 2 million times, and our television program, established 4 years ago, still airs every Sunday on NYCTV, the Public Broadcasting Station of the City of New York. Additionally, every two months you can find the latest edition of our free-press magazine all over town. 

    The year 2017 marks a critical juncture for i-Italy and we need your help. We plan to expand from New York to Washington, DC and start building a network of correspondents in several US cities. If we succeed, we will bring you even more news, information, and entertainment about everything Italian and Italian American in the United States.

    That's Why We Need You! 
    To remain independent and continue to produce the high-quality content you have come to expect from i-Italy, we rely on people like you who lend their support through sponsorships and donations. In other words, you are the ones who can help us keep the dream going!

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  • Massimiliano Gatti, Rovine di Palmira
    Events

    Massimiliano Gatti: The Day Memory Dissolved

    Massimiliano Gatti presents a stunning record of work at renowned archaeological sites including Qatna, Syria, and Nineveh, in the Iraqi Kurdistan region, where the photographer joined an interdisciplinary research group led by the University of Udine. His exhibition features recent images from these ancient cities, and from around the Mesopotamian region, as well as Khorsabad, Tell Gomel, Jerwan, the Tigris, and a wall of inscription- bearing stones from the “Unrivaled Palace” of King Sennacherib.

    The show of 25 color giclée inkjet prints of landscapes and artifacts embraces work from four projects: “Rovine” (“Ruins,” 2009–current), “In superficie (“On the surface,” 2014), “Limes” (in Latin, “Boundary/ border,” 2011), and “Questo è il giorno in cui la memoria si è dissolta” (“This is the day that memory dissolved,” 2016).

    Gatti’s work has been lauded by Professor Jonathan Green (emeritus, University of California at Riverside) as “poems of enlightenment to direct us into a richer human and historical experience.” In these desert pictures, “the object has not only been removed from any context, but also is bleached by a blinding light, transformed from a fully articulated object into a ghost-like presence. It is vaporizing before our eyes.” This is the American debut for most of the photographs, and the collection is presented together for the first time, assembled in its intended interpretative stratification. 

    This exhibition is part of “Protecting our Heritage,” a focal topic for the Washington cluster of EUNIC (the European Union National Institutes of Culture). EUNIC considers heritage as a source of identity, learning, and inspiration for present and future generations; this program is implemented with the support of UNESCO and in partnership with a number of prominent institutions, including international organizations, universities, museums, and foundations. Curated by Renato Miracco. 

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