November 6th, 2015 – Icon, the university consortium that works with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to promote and spread the Italian language and culture in the world, goes to New York. Mirko Tavoni, president of the Consortium, will engage in four days (Nov. 11-14) of meetings and lectures in the city that never sleeps. Tavoni will take part in the initiatives of the John D. Calandra Institute of Italian American Studies, the Department of Italian Studies of New York University, the Department of Italian of Columbia University and the General Consulate of Italy. The first meeting, scheduled for Nov. 11 at the John D. Calandra, is with Dean Professor Anthony Tamburri and with the faculty of the Italian Department of Queens College (City University of New York). The following day, Tavoni will hold a lecture at New York University. At 6:30pm, the Department of Italian Studies has invited the Icon President to talk about Dante’s del Convivio e del De vulgari eloquentia, part of the syllabus in Maria Luisa Ardizzone’s course. On Nov. 13, at 10:30am Columbia University will instead host the lecture on “Dante imagining his journey through the Afterlife”, part of the Medieval Seminar directed by professor Teodolinda Barolini. On Nov. 14, Tavoni will speak at a Icon-Iace seminar (open to school principals and the managers of the consular network in the US) promoted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From 9:30am to 4pm, the Consulate General in New York will host a day of training dedicated to the analysis of best practices to promote the Italian language. The meeting will explain strategies and techniques that may be implemented in the teaching of the Italian language in those areas under the jurisdiction of the School Offices of te Consular Network in the US. The day will be introduced by the Consul General Roberto Frangione, and will continue with speeches by Carlo Davoli, school director for the NY Consulate, Berardo Paradiso, presidente of the Italian American Committee on Education, and by Tavoni. (red)
