Greetings from the new Director of the Italian Cultural Institute in New York
Claudio Pagliara
Dear friends of the Italian Cultural Institute in New York,
I am thrilled to have been appointed at the helm of this prestigious Institution. I intend to make it the home of Italian culture, open to all who love it: Italians, Italian Americans, and Americans. In a year when American democracy celebrates its 250th anniversary, most of the initiatives will be organized under the umbrella of “250 Years of Friendship.”
Culture has always been a bridge between the two countries and continues to be so, today.
To fulfill this mission, the Institute—in accordance with the Italian Embassy in Washington and the Consulate General of Italy in New York—intends to develop collaborations with the major Cultural Institutions of the city.
In addition to revitalizing our usual activities, I am announcing some new projects right away.
I will open the Institute’s wonderful library—30,000 volumes—to the public with two cultural initiatives:
- A book club, to create a community of Italian and American lovers of Italian literature.
- A reading in Italian, for children and teenagers studying in English who wish to remain connected to Dante’s language.
I will also be hosting monthly conferences titled: The Courage to Dream. Italian scientists and researchers will share their achievements and how they made their dreams come true.
Having worked in journalism for decades, I will be in frequent contact with you through my social media accounts and those of the Institute. I also invite you to register on our website to receive our newsletter, which will also cover the main initiatives promoting Italian culture by other organizations. I also intend to launch a podcast titled “Zoom”.
Stay tuned; the Institute is opening its doors and awaiting your visit!
About the Institute
The Italian Cultural Institute in New York was founded in 1961 by the Italian Government. Its mission is to promote Italian language and culture in the United States.
Under the guidance of its trustees at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, its advisory board, and its staff, the Italian Cultural Institute in New York fosters cultural exchanges between Italy and the U.S. in a variety of areas, from the arts to the humanities, to science, and technology.
Central to the Italian Cultural Institute’s activity is its collaboration with the most prominent academic and cultural Institutions of the East Coast. The scientific exchanges, the organization of, and support to, visual arts exhibitions, the grants for translation and publication of Italian books, inspire and nourish the Institute’s initiatives.
In particular, we focus on the relationship between memory and innovation, and the multiplicity of identities in the Italian civilization. The Italian Cultural Institute in New York, therefore, provides an “open window” on main cultural and social aspects of past and current Italy.