BRISBANE - On October 21, a hundred teachers gathered at All Hallows’ School for the 8th National Conference of Italian Teachers in Australia, entitled Educating to Preserve.

The event was the culmination of the Week of the Italian Language in the World - this year dedicated to the theme Italian and Sustainability - and was organised by Co.As.It. of Brisbane, under the leadership of CEO Dina Ranieri and President Nereo Brezzi.

The day began with a video greeting from the Italian Ambassador, Paolo Crudele, who reiterated the immense value of the cultural link between Australia and Italy, as well Italy’s knack for innovation and continued attention dedicated to sustainability.

The Consul General in Brisbane, Luna Angelini Marinucci, spoke next. Marinucci highlighted the importance of promoting Italian language and culture in Australia.

“Language constitutes the first of social ties and, as an essential key to access the world and knowledge,” she said.

“It also becomes key to understanding and ‘sustaining’ the culture of sustainability, which is very strong in Queensland and in Brisbane, a city that is already projecting itself to the 2032 Olympic appointment from a green perspective.”

The Consul went on to provide some data on the study of the Italian language in Queensland, which is taught in about 80 public and private schools to a total of 17,000 students.

“The institutional commitment to language promotion in Australia, not only in Queensland, is constant, persevering and incisive,” she added.

The microphone was then passed to Professor Monica Barni of the University for Foreigners of Siena, who had those present conceptualise languages through the prism of a market.

“The condition of Italian is variable and dynamic. There is a high fluctuation around the world in interest compared to other languages that compete with Italian in the marketplace.”

The professor’s analysis highlighted the policies and legal instruments that would be needed to foster the growth and improvement of Italian teaching practices, while at the same time highlighting the shortcomings and gaps that would require corrections.

Valentina Biguzzi, director of the Education and Culture Office of the Italian Embassy in Canberra, announced the winner of the Italian Award, stressing that choosing among the 22 entries was incredibly difficult.

“It was difficult to evaluate because all the entries were extremely original and creative,” she shared.

Architect Maurizio Corrado then shared his research on the relationship between imagery and science, emphasising how the two dimensions can interact fruitfully in teaching Italian.

Associate professor and coordinator of Italian at the Australian National University in Canberra, Francesco Ricatti, shared his experience of a participatory approach with his students to whom he assigned the task of organising a public event outside university.

Finally, Sydney bilingual school leader Sara Villella presented the resources that Syndey’s Co.As.It. - whose education sector she coordinates with Melbourne’s Co.As.It. – use to prepare for the supplement inside In Classe..

In the afternoon, participants had the opportunity to participate in several workshops, during which innovative methods were presented for use in the classroom to make teaching Italian more engaging, creative, and effective.

Speakers included Matt Absalom, Tania Barbati, Sara Bologna, John Hajek, Manuela Leone, Lucia Masciullo, Michela Pellizon, Giulia Rivella, Ornella Roveda, Sara Villella and Sara Visocnik.

The 8th National Conference of Teachers of Italian in Australia was an important moment of sharing for all participants.

It was an opportunity to renew motivation and discover techniques and inspiration in order to maintain the high quality of Italian language teaching in Australia.

Thanks to the commitment of the teachers, students and institutions involved in this country, the language of the Bel Paese continues to grow and flourish.