“It was Thursday, August 4, and I had just finished a series of meetings with some Intercultura contacts regarding upcoming exchanges, when, checking my email, I found a message from the consul in Perth, Nicolò Costantini, informing me that the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, had awarded me the honour of Cavaliere Ufficiale dell’Ordine della Stella d’Italia,” Fulvia Valvasori says excitedly.

As stated in the Consulate’s official communication, Valvasori was bestowed this important title:

“For her extraordinary commitment demonstrated over the decades to the diffusion of the Italian language in Western Australia, which has contributed significantly to the deepening of the friendship between Italy and Australia.”

It cannot be said that Fulvia Valvasori has not earned the title of Cavaliere.

She has dedicated her entire life to teaching the Italian language and culture, with energy and great generosity.

At WAATI – Western Australian Association of Teachers of Italian – she served as president for 12 years, and member of the executive board for 35 consecutive years.  At the MLTA – Modern Language Teachers’ Association – she was president for nine years, and at the AFMLTA – Australian Federation of Modern Language Teachers Associations – she was also a member for several years.

These are only some of the Valvasori’s commitments; she also boasts the merit of having organised an exchange project with AFS Intercultura, which has been active in Western Australia since 1988.

“It feels strange to receive such a prestigious award for something that, for me, represents a passion, a vocation, more than a job; it’s something I believe in very much,” the teacher comments.

Fulvia Valvasori’s story begins in Alexandria, Egypt, where she was born after her parents had left Friuli-Venezia Giulia in search of work opportunities, which were scarce in the small Italian region at the time.

At the age of two, Fulvia left with her family for Western Australia, where she still lives.

“When I started going to kindergarten, I was frustrated because no one understood me. Then as I acquired English, I abandoned Italian at home, much to my father’s disappointment,” Valvasori recalls.

“At school I resumed the study of Italian as a second language, and after university I started working in schools. When I taught Italian to children, I felt a special joy.”

Careerwise, Valvasori was the head of the Language Department at Prendiville Catholic College for 26 years; it was here, in 1988, that she managed to get the exchange project with AFS Intercultura off the ground. This is a program that allows young people to live in Italy for eight weeks, a period in which they stay with a family, go to school and totally immerse themselves in the life and culture of the country.

“Eight weeks is a long time; it’s a beautiful but intense experience. It’s not for everyone,” Valvasori adds.

That is why Valvasori has come up with an alternative for students who are not ready to leave their friends and family for two months, offering them the option of a group trip to Italy for four weeks:

“Thanks to a twinning with two Italian schools, we are still able to let the students experience family and school life for a fortnight and then be tourists for the following weeks, visiting the most important cities.”

As Valvasori recounts, one of the many consequences of Covid is that it has decreased the number of students studying a second language:

“Since the incentive of exchange has disappeared, many have lost interest. We hope that in 2023, with the resumption of the program, the situation will improve.”

Now awaiting her decoration ceremony and the decree of appointment, Fulvia Valvasori is extremely proud of her well-deserved title.