About this Event
Presentation and Panel Discussion
“The Struggle for Sicilian Independence and the Sicilian Language”
Join us on Saturday, April 27th, 2024 at 6:30pm at Italian Charities of America's non-profit building at 83-20 Queens Blvd. Elmhurst NY 11373 as Arba Sicula and Italian Charities of America host a presentation on the topic of "The Struggle for Sicilian Independence and the Sicilian Language". The event will feature Dr. Gaetano Cipolla, President of Arba Sicula who will present his publications of The Struggle for Sicilian Independence by Giuseppe Scianò and The Poetry of Ignazio Buttitta, A Bilingual Anthology.
After each book presentation there with a panel discussion led by Dr. Gaetano Cipolla and Board of Directors of Italian Charities of America; Domenic Giampino, President, Josephine Manzella, Board Chair, Dr. Alan Hartman, Vice President and Anthony Lofaso, Board Director. We will be discussing the counter history of the Garibaldi Expedition to annex the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies to the newly formed Kingdom of Italy under Victor Emanuel II. It is a history told from the Sicilian point of view, offering a different interpretation of what really happened in 1860 and the events that followed the annexation. The book as well as the discussion will also focus on the "Revolt of the Sette e Mezzo" of 1866 that was harshly repressed by the Italian army. The second book highlights Ignazio Buttitta, the most famous Sicilian poet of the last century who fought to defend the Sicilian language, culture, and identity for a more dignified way of life for Sicilians. The panel will discuss why his work is so important today; to help understand the state of the Sicilian language and to commit to preserving it in the face of the stigma and the oppression of the Sicilian language due to the unification of Italy and the pressures exerted by the Italian language at all levels. Dr. Cipolla and Italian Charities of America will speak to what they have been doing to combat the prejudice of the Sicilian language, while preserving and promoting it.
Italian Charities of America thanks Dr. Cipolla for taking the worldwide lead in this mission of promoting and preserving Sicilian language and culture. We have been using Dr. Cipolla's textbook in teaching our Sicilian language courses since Sicilian language courses were first organized by Italian Charities of America's President, Domenic Giampino in 2009. Italian Charities of America holds the world record in the modern era for teaching the Sicilian language in formal courses in a classroom setting, and now also available virtually.
Books will be availbe for purchase.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Italian Charities of America, 83-20 Queens Boulevard, Queens, United States
USD 0.00