About this Event
Many Italian words have become part of the global imagination, in the realms of cuisine, design, fashion, and music. Italian objects and brands have also become daily references in many parts of the world. What do words reveal of the Italian mindset? And which words better reflect Italy’s approach to innovation and creativity? In this lecture, celebrating the Week of the Italian Language in the World, Dr. Luca Cottini (Professor of Italian Studies at Villanova and creator of the YouTube channel Italian Innovators) presents the pillars of Italian culture and entrepreneurship through 10 exemplary words, investigating the relationship between language, business, storytelling, and knowledge.
Presented by the Istituto Italiano di Cultura Toronto.
ABOUT DR. LUCA COTTINI
Dr. Luca Cottini is a professor, author, and content creator. He teaches Italian literature and design at Villanova University and is the host & creator of Italian Innovators, a YouTube show exploring Italy’s model of entrepreneurship and innovation through cultural profiles, interviews, and lessons across different disciplines. He has published four books: a critical essay on Italian writer Italo Calvino (I passaggi obbligati di Italo Calvino, 2017), a biography of chocolate tycoon Michele Ferrero (Il fabbricante di cioccolato, 2023), a cultural history of the origins of Italian design (The Art of Objects, 2018), and a study on the American soft power in Italy at the turn of the 20th century (The Rise of Americanism in Italy, 2025). He is regularly featured as speaker in academic and corporate venues on such issues as storytelling and entrepreneurship, Italy’s approach to innovation, design thinking, or Italian cultural history. He holds a PhD from Harvard, an MA from Notre Dame, and BA in classics from the University of Milan.
ABOUT THE WEEK OF THE ITALIAN LANGUAGE IN THE WORLD
The Week of the Italian Language in the World, established in 2001 and promoted by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, is an annual celebration of Italian as a language of both classical and contemporary culture. Held each October under the High Patronage of the President of the Republic, the program features conferences, exhibitions, performances, and meetings with writers and cultural figures, engaging Embassies, Consulates and Italian Cultural Institutes around the world.
Event venue & nearby stays
Istituto Italiano di Cultura, 496 Huron Street, Toronto, Canada
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.