Studying Italian Culture in Italy

Centro Scuola sends nine local students to universities in Rome, Bologna, and Florence

Revealing the secrets of Italian culture to second- and third-generation Italian-Canadians through a direct contact with Italian universities is the purpose of Alberto Di Giovanni's latest initiative. The Centro Scuola e Cultura Italiana is allowing nine university students to spend eight days in three prestigious Italian universities from February 13 to 21.
The students (five girls and four boys), attending the first three years at the University of Toronto, are staying three days at Rome's La Sapienza; two days in Bologna, Italy's most ancient university; and three days in Florence. Eight of the nine left from Toronto, while the ninth, who's already in Florence, joined the group in Rome.
The nine Italian-Canadians will meet with students and professors of the hosting universities, discussing matters of Literature, Politics, and Economy, but most of all they will learn about the inner workings of Italian universities. The Canadian students will also have an opportunity to learn about the activity of the European and Italian Parliaments.
They will prepare reports comparing Italian and North American universities, describing differences between Italian and Canadian political and economic life.
This year the group includes nine students: Giancarlo Soppelsa, Alessia Soppelsa (who's attending a six-month course in Architecture in Florence), Rosa Jenco, Piero Carmela, Franca Gullotta, Matthew Di Giovanni, Danilo Lippi, and Annamaria Di Giovanni.
In future years the group should grow to 20.
"The purpose of these exchanges, which in future should get other universities involved," said Alberto Di Giovanni, "is to develop relations between the Old Country and young people of Italian descent. This will supplement the existing exchanges between high schools."
Alberto Di Giovanni has also another purpose, however. "The Italian experience of these students is one of the best tools at our disposal for preserving the cultural heritage of second- and third-generation Italian-Canadians. I noticed that when these youngsters return from Italy, they are proud of getting reacquainted with their origin. Moreover, at long last they find out how to pronounce their Italian names."
The effort of Centro Scuola also entails a financial cost, as over 50 percent of the expenses are paid by the Centro itself; but the objective - the protection of Italian culture and the valorization of a unique and much-envied patrimony - seems worthwhile.
The exchange programme of Centro Scuola will continue in March.
"Another group of 70 kids, high school students, and not all of them Italian-Canadians," concluded Di Giovanni, "will go there and gain their credit in Italian or Greek and Roman History. This project is carried out in collaboration with the York Catholic District School Board. They will be accompanied by a part of the Palestrina Chorus, which will perform in one of Italy's best theatres, in Fermo, in the region of Abruzzo."

Publication Date: 2004-02-22
Story Location: http://tandemnews.com/viewstory.php?storyid=3663