THE NEXT ITALIAN MEETING of the 2018-2019 PROGRAM YEAR
IS THIS COMING WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27 at St. Patrick's Church, Social Hall, 2702 Broadway E, Seattle
Our speaker will be Cecilia Strettoi on the topic of " Recent Italian Literature on Migration". The presentation will be in Italian.
We have all seen pictures of the boats filled with refugees and immigrants from North Africa, landing in Sicily and especially on the island of Lampedusa, the symbolic gateway to Europe. Cecilia Strettoi's presentation will trace the links between the current situation of immigration to Europe and the attempts of some Italian writers and journalists to transform the general problem into the stories of individuals with their own history and their own experience. These narrative are founded on the clear intent to humanize immigrants whom current governments, both in Italy and elsewhere, try to portray as a threat to national security.
Cecilia will focus on three recent books by noted contemporary Italian authors that tell the stories of the immigrants:
Non dirmi che hai paura, Giuseppe Catozzella
Io sono con te. Storia di Brigitte, Melania Mazzucco
Lacrime di sale, Dr. Pietro Bertolo e Lidia Tirotta
A couple of these books are available from Amazon in both the original Italian and in an English translation.
Cecilia Strettoi is an instructor of Italian language, literature, and culture with over two decades of educational experience. She has taught in several institutions and is very well known in Seattle among people interested in Italy. Cecilia’s main interest is offering a well-rounded understanding of Italy through the lens of literature, history, and current events. She is particularly intrigued by cross-cultural comparisons and thrives in offering her students a multifaceted perspective of Italy.
As usual, the evening will begin with food and conversation at 6:30. There is no cost for the meeting, but please bring an antipasto, dolce or vino to share. The presentation which will be in Italian will start at 7:30.
This meeting will take place in the Parish Social Hall at St. Patrick's Church.
To reach St Patrick's from the North, follow I-5 S. Take exit 168A for Boylston Ave toward Roanoke St. Merge onto Boylston, turn left at light onto E Roanoke St. Turn left at the first cross street onto Harvard Ave E.
To reach St. Patrick's from the South, follow I-5 N. Take exit 168A for Lakeview Blvd E. Turn left onto Lakeview Blvd E, and continue onto Boylston Ave E. Turn right at the light onto E Roanoke St. Turn left at the first cross street onto Harvard Ave E.
The parking lot will be on your right off Harvard. The door to the Social Hall is located from the parking lot in back of the Church.
Feel free to come early to help set up the room and start visiting. And, in any case, please come.
A presto -
Dan DeMatteis,
President, Dante Alighieri Society of Washington
