Heritage

2015 marks the 200th anniversary of the death of Giovanni Meli, Sicily’s most celebrated poet, who died of pneumonia on December 20, 1815. Prof. Giovanni Ruffino, director of the Centro di Studi Filologici e Linguistici Siciliani, in collaboration with Sicily’s …

As the color guard walks in carrying the majestic Italian, American, and Californian flags, the audience who attended the “Celebrate Italy Event” bonded in a moment of silence in commemoration of their shared cultures across generations, creating a shared sense …

If it were not for her nonna, Mary Tedesco would not be doing the work she is doing today: helping people from around the world find their Italian roots. A professional genealogist, Mary established ORIGINS ITALY, an Italian genealogy research …

October has become the official month to celebrate the Italian American culture and heritage after the 1989 proclamation by President George H. W. Bush designating it as National Italian American Heritage Month.   In the five centuries since Christopher Columbus set …

As announced the Culture Undersecretary Francesca Barracciu, a government tax break on art-related donations has encouraged patrons of the arts to give over 25 million euros in support of the country’s cultural heritage.   The so-called art bonus allows for a 65% …

One of the benefits of social media is the ability to connect with people from other parts of the world. And one of the benefits of traveling to other parts of the world is the chance to actually meet one …

Rome is a city famous for its fountains. The largest and most celebrated one is the Fountain of Trevi, so called because it is situated at the center of three converging streets (tre vie). Some say that the Trevi fountain …

Growing up in the suburbs of New York City among a big Italian-American community, Professor Vincent J. Cannato has respect for his Italian origins. “My grandfather was born in Sicily and grew up in Calabria and came to America when …

One of the many unique features/characteristics of Lecce is its dramatic architecture.  Every where you look–and you must look every where–your gaze will be met with rich Baroque ornamentation.   Lecce is often referred to as the “Florence of the …

Legend says that, on a cold and rainy day, a soldier from Rome named Martino, while riding his horse, saw a man on the road almost freezing because of the low temperature. Martino really wanted to help the man, but …