The conference was held at the Wyndham Cultural Centre on August 20, and was aimed at Year 8 students who will decide this year whether or not to continue studying Italian.
Students were shown the benefits of learning a second language, particularly when it comes to career choices.
“It’s an important time for the students and we want them to make informed decisions by putting them in contact with people who use Italian in their jobs,” Ferraro said.
Guest speakers on the day included Mirna Cicioni, professor of Italian at Monash University, Gabriella Gomersall-Hubbard of Il Globo, Frank Lunardi of Qantas, and Richard Di Gregorio and Ninian La Page of Peregrine Productions.
Each speaker shared their own experiences and tried to get the students excited about studying Italian, demonstrating how the language has opened doors for them both in their careers and from a cultural perspective.
Paolo Bongiovanni and Frank Lotito of Masquerade Productions delivered their message in a fun and hilarious manner, with their show Mangia, mangia.
The conference was attended by 470 Year 7 and 8 students, who were inspired to continue studying Italian over the coming years.
“It was a successful day which allowed our students to look out into the real world, beyond school,” Ferrara concluded.
“The conference will be held again next year.”
