L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2018 www.italoamericano.org 24 L'Italo-Americano T he San Francisco Bay Area Italian commu- nity is fortunate in many ways and cer- tainly one of the City's most important cultural assets is the Italian Cultural Institute (ICI). For the past six years, the Institute has been led by Director Paolo Barlera. Paolo was born in a small village, called Sermide, in the Po River Valley, roughly between Verona and Bologna. Prior to his position at the ICI, he worked at the Ministry of For- eign Affairs in Rome, and prior to that he worked at the ICI in New York as a communications specialist. He adds that, "I have a Ph.D. in Italian culture and lit- erature from NYU (New York University) — but Academia did not want me ...". In May 2018, members of Il Cenacolo were fortunate to attend Paolo's presentation on the role of the ICI, a presentation that gave us insight into the Insti- tute he so aptly directed. In his presentation, Paolo said: "In the early days, the Institute provided one of the few ways Italians in the US could culturally connect with their pae- sani in Italy. There wasn't even a fax in those days, and before WWII, even phone connections were less than good so connec- tions were made through the work of the Institute. "The Institute's role of pro- viding support over the years has changed considerably. Now it is more of promoting Italian culture across the board to everyone, not only to Italians, but to all cul- tures. In this regard, we basically CATHERINE ACCARDI port of two fantastic Consuls General and an exceptional Ital- ian American community. I suppose the future still has room for our paths to meet again, but for now it is a farewell. I hope that the little I was able to give back to the community will be the seed for an even stronger cultural growth in the years to come. It has truly been a privilege to serve in San Francisco and I'll never forget your welcome, your support, your friendship. My successor, Annamaria Di Giorgio, will take office in a few months and is eager to bring new energies to the task. She will not fail you." Founded in 1978, the Italian Cultural Institute of San Francis- co is an official branch of the Italian government dedicated to the promotion of Italian culture in the United States through the organization of cultural events and services. The central point of the Insti- tute's role is to constantly work to ensure that the diverse public who live and work in the Bay Area and the consular district can understand and make use of the various cultural expressions coming from or influenced by Italy. And Paolo Barlera did just that. L'Italo Americano extends our best wishes for a happy and successful assignment as Deputy Director of the New York Italian Cultural Institute. The San Fran- cisco Bay Area will miss you! do three things at the Institute. "We organize and provide courses in the Italian language because the language is the basis of the Italian culture. For exam- ple, if you can't understand what they are saying in an opera, you are missing much of the message behind it. Another good reason to study Italian is that it is such a beautiful language and opens the door to the culture. And the best ways to learn Italian is to attend one of our classes, to go to Italy, or to marry an Italian! "The second thing we do is organize events and programs covering the entire range of cul- tural activities: sfilm festivals, books and authors, music, opera, cooking, art, design. 95% of our events are free and open to the public. "Our third important function is to collaborate with and sup- port other organizations, includ- ing museums, universities, cul- tural institutions, clubs, and CIAO, the Coalition of Italian American Organizations. This is a very rewarding part of our work." Paolo's sentiments about the Institute and his departure are best expressed in the following October 24, 2018 letter he shared with L'Italo Americano: "Dear Readers, As many of you know, I left San Francisco last summer after almost six years of blessed steer- ing as the head of the Italian Cultural Institute. It was not an easy step – but that's the life of those who serve in the foreign office, where every assignment always carries a limited number of years. Since then, I moved to New York City — posted to the Ital- ian Cultural Institute there — so I can't really complain, but I already miss Northern Califor- nia. These past six years have been a fun ride, certainly with bumps, but also with (a few) accomplishments. En route, I got to appreciate the Bay's way of life and, most importantly, I learned something from each of the wonderful people I got to know and work with. My job of promoting Italian culture found an amazingly fertile ground in the vibrant city-life, but it would not have been possible without the help, collaboration and sup- Paolo Barlera speaks on behalf of the Italian Cultural Institute at a CIAO meeting. Photo by Brandon Vaccaro Photography SAN FRANCISCO ITALIAN COMMUNITY Todd Marcellini Spanier & Italian Cultural Institute Director, Paolo Barlera. Photo: Catherine Accardi Director of San Francisco's IIC, Paolo Barlera, accepts new post in New York City

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