L'Italo-Americano

L'Italo-Americano THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2024 www.italoamericano.org 4 " I t a l i a n i s n o t a n imperial language, b u t i t i s f a r f r o m p r o v i n c i a l ; i t i s a c r e a t i v e l a n g u a g e that embodies humanism, culture, and the future—it is a global language." It is also a language that attracts and appeals. "This is evident among the 'Italsimpatici'—those who are drawn to Italy for its cul- t u r e , a r t , m u s i c , a n d lifestyle—as well as the many individuals of diverse origins who have chosen to build their lives in Italy, making Italian their language and c o n t r i b u t i n g t o a g r e a t e r Italy that stretches beyond its borders." This was the core of the address made by Andrea Riccardi, President of the Dante Alighieri Society, during the 84th Internation- al Congress held in Rome. The event's title, Italian: A Light in the World, inau- gurated at the Casa degli Italiani, the "Home of Ital- ians" at the Quirinale Palace in the presence of Presi- dent Sergio Mattarella, carries profound meaning. T h o u g h i t m a y s e e m grandiose, the title reflects t h e h i s t o r y a n d c u l t u r a l identity of a country whose " m o t h e r " l a n g u a g e h a s birthed countless literary masterpieces. Italian has n a r r a t e d t h e i d e n t i t y o f Italy, but more importantly, it has produced a powerful v o c a b u l a r y t h a t c a p t u r e s both the past and present of a people who have spoken this "vulgar" (that is, com- m o n ) l a n g u a g e s i n c e t h e Middle Ages. C e l e b r a t i n g o n e ' s l a n - guage is not merely rhetori- cal; it is an affirmation of identity. It invites reflection on the essence of being Ital- ian, as language acts as the v e h i c l e f o r t h o u g h t a n d much of Italy's "intangible cultural heritage." Italian is d y n a m i c a n d c o n s t a n t l y evolving, like the society it represents, acting as a lens t o c o n n e c t w i t h n a t i o n a l sentiments and to under- stand the dynamics of "liv- ing Italian." It serves as a light, illuminating the Ital- ian way of thinking, con- n e c t i n g w i t h o t h e r s , a n d understanding the Italian lifestyle. Data on the spread of Italian worldwide shows that over two million for- eigners choose to study our language to gain access to the country's rich artistic and social heritage. The congress provided an o p p o r t u n i t y t o r e i g n i t e Italy's pride in its language a n d t o u r g e i n s t i t u t i o n s , businesses, and cultural fig- ures to use Italian at major international events to high- light its immense cultural value, aesthetic beauty, and historical significance, and t o p r o m o t e i t s t e a c h i n g abroad. A b r o a d , a s R i c c a r d i pointed out, there is "a great w o r l d b e y o n d I t a l y t h a t w a n t s t o b e I t a l i a n " a n d connect with the country. This desire exists "even in places where there has been l i t t l e I t a l i a n e m i g r a t i o n , such as Asia. People choose it," he said, "as a gateway to beauty and humanity," just as third-generation descen- dants are rediscovering the language and requesting to l e a r n i t a s a s e c o n d l a n - guage. The global network of the Dante Alighieri Society alone has 135,000 students. The history of the Dante Alighieri Society deserves its own chapter. Founded in 1889 at the initiative of Gio- s u è C a r d u c c i , a p o e t , w r i t e r , a n d I t a l y ' s f i r s t Nobel laureate in literature, it was created with the mis- s i o n o f p r o m o t i n g a n d spreading the Italian lan- guage and culture both in I t a l y a n d a b r o a d . T o d a y , with a network active in 80 countries, including over 450 committees, schools, a n d l a n g u a g e c e n t e r s , a s well as 380 exam centers issuing the PLIDA language c e r t i f i c a t i o n , t h e S o c i e t y boasts a vast and well-estab- l i s h e d s t r u c t u r e . T h i s ensures the teaching and dissemination of Italian lan- guage and culture world- wide. In 2021, the Society embarked on a major digital t r a n s f o r m a t i o n w i t h t h e launch of the "Dante.glo- bal" online platform and a "phygital" (physical-digi- tal) teaching project that established hybrid class - r o o m s i n D a n t e S o c i e t y committees globally. This was part of a new inclusive c o m m u n i c a t i o n s t r a t e g y . T h e p l a t f o r m a l s o s p e a r - headed a literary tourism initiative, "Dante's Italy," which developed the first cultural tourism itinerary The Italian language: a guiding light for the world's culture and heritage BARBARA MINAFRA NEWS & FEATURES TOP STORIES PEOPLE EVENTS CONTINUED TO PAGE 6 Dante Alighieri is considered the father of the Italian language (AI image created with the assistance of DALL-E 2)

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