Italian Dual Language Program in New York: An Endangered Species?
Dear Direttore, You may remember the official launch of the Dual Language program in Italian of June 13, at the Italian Culturale Institute, at the presence of Giorgio Van Straten and Consul General Francesco Genuardi. The event was well attended by people from different boroughs and school districts, it managed to attract several Italian speaking...
Bernice Bartolucci
Bernice Bartolucci, 86, passed away peacefully at home on July 26, 2018. Bernice was born and raised in Visalia, CA, where she met and married John Greer. They moved to Santa Rosa, CA, where they raised their three children. Bernice then married Henry Bartolucci in 1982 and relocated to Lake County. In 2009, Henry and Bernice relocated to Manteca,...
Sal the butcher's meat store dream comes true: From Sicily to Staten Island
Sal Civiletti's business, Sal's Prime Meats and Salumeria, opened over 14 months ago. And the reason why Sal is happy and smiling in his toils around the store is because the butcher is truly a happy man -- his dream of proprietorship, specifically of solely owning a salumeria, finally is reality. "I come from Palermo," said Sal. "I started in thi...
How Sicilian Ghost Story’s directors are transforming Italian cinema
While the film is based on a true story, it is interwoven with fictional elements. It isn’t until the final title card arrives that the film openly acknowledges its real-life roots. Sicilian Ghost Story follows the story of Luna and her friend Giuseppe. The two schoolchildren are best friends, and Luna nurses a crush on Giuseppe, despite her mother...
5 Italian White Wines That Beat The Summer Heat
Traditionally, the red wines of Italy have garnered the country’s greatest recognition, but as awareness of the country’s wine diversity grows, so too does the world’s appreciation for Italian white wines. From north to south, all of Italy’s regions produce white wine, typically crafted from local grape varieties. While they can vary from light to...
Curious knowledge about the Italian language
A while back I was on the website of one of my favorite history magazines, when I came across a very interesting article about the Italian language and its history. I did a good deal of linguistics and philology in my university years, so many of the historical considerations made were not new to me, but – I admit it – I did learn something I didn'...
Brendan Riley’s Solano Chronicles: The Italian Stallion and Vallejo’s Horse-Breeding Scandal
For the sake of national pride during World War II, Benito Mussolini “nationalized” a champion race horse to prevent its sale outside Italy. But the war was over and the dictator was dead when Ortello was sold for $60,000 in November 1946 and sent to Bill Stremmel’s Glen Cove Stud Farm. The stallion arrived safely in Vallejo after a long journey by...
Antonello Taurino's Stand-Up Comedy
Thursday August 16, 18:30 to 20:30 PDT. Istituto Italiano Cultura SF - 601 Van Ness Ave, Ste F, San Francisco 94102. Buy tickets here (Free admission). A taste of Italian comedy right here in San Francisco--in Italian! Whether you're looking to immerse yourself in Italian culture or enjoy state of the art stand-up, this is the event for you! Antone...
89th Annual Italian Festa in Dunlap, IL
The Italian-American Society of Peoria will hold its 89th Annual Summer Festa Picnic on Sunday August 12th from 12:00 noon to 5:00 pm CDT at Hickory Grove Park in North Peoria. (12403 North Hickory Grove rd., Dunlap, Illinois 61525 - Hickory Grove Road off Knoxville Ave, follow signs). The Festa is the major fund raiser for our four scholarship pro...
Premio internazionale di giornalismo “Gaetano Scardocchia”: Letizia Airos, direttore a New York del Network i-Italy, è la vincitrice dell’edizione 2018
Il nome di Gaetano Scardocchia impresso nel logo e nel bronzo di un ambìto Premio internazionale di Giornalismo riservato alla Stampa italiana all’estero, giunto alla quarta edizione: partecipare all’evento è davvero una bella sensazione per gli amanti del giornalismo qualificato, ricco di cultura e di fantasia, ma sempre ancorato alle regole del m...
Openings at NIAF: Communications and Social Media Manager
The Communications and Social Media Manager is responsible for conveying NIAF’s internal and external messages, effectively describing and promoting the organization and its programs, creating and managing all social media content, building social media campaigns aligned with NIAF’s mission and engaging our audience and community to grow NIAF’s mem...
Barbara Wolanin (Curator Emerita for the “Architect of the Capitol”)
When a fellow Italian like Constantino Brumidi gets to be called the “Michelangelo of the Capitol”, the readers of We the Italians understand that this is one of the topic that deserve to be addressed in an interview. This is why we are honored and grateful to have with us Dr. Barbara Wolanin, Ph.D. in art history, Curator Emerita (from 1985 to 201...