L’Italia del futuro e dei
territori
The Italian Program in the Department of Classical and Modern Languages, Literatures, and
Cultures at Wayne State University, with the COMITES, Dante Alighieri Society of Michigan,
and the NOI Foundation under the auspices of the Italian Consulate in Detroit
PRESENT
XII Week of the Italian Language in the World
Monday Oct. 15 and Thursday Oct. 18, 2012 11:00 am -1:00 pm
Alex Manoogian Hall
Program:
Day 1:

Monday, October 15
11:00-1:00
FLTC - Lab 368 Manoogian Hall
L’Italia del futuro/ The Future Italy
11:00-11:10
Welcome and Inauguration. Introductions. Dott.ssa Silvia Giorgini-Althoen
11:15-11:40
When the Future Saves and Preserves the Past. How technology, “the future,” saved
the artistic treasures of L’Aquila destroyed by the devastating earthquake of April 2009.
Video conference with Dr. Lucio Abate.
Performance of poem to remember the tragedy of April 6, 2009:
“Fontane amare”- by Rosetta Di Lorenzo
11:50-12:10
Italy: YOUR Future. WSU students talk about their experience in Abruzzo; how it has
changed their lives and how it impacted their decisions for the future. Performance of
poem to celebrate the Abruzzo Region hosting our Study Abroad Program
“La gran madre d’Abruzzo” - by Rosetta di Lorenzo
12: 15-12:45
Italian Through The Centuries. How the Italian language has evolved through the
centuries and what is to be expected for its future. Prof. De Benedictis
12:50-1:00
Q&A Session and Closing Remarks. Dott.ssa Silvia Giorgini-Althoen
Coffee and pastries will be served in the French Room at the end of the talks.
Program:
Day 2:
Thursday, October 18
11:00- 1:00
Romanian Room- 408 Manoogian Hall

L’Italia dei territory/Italy and its Territories- L’Italia dei territori, a poetic journey from
the Divine Poet to a contemporary poet, let’s travel and explore many territories…
11:00-11:10
Welcome and Inauguration. Introductions. Dott.ssa Silvia Giorgini-Althoen
11:15-11:55
Dante in Exile: The Restless Heart.
12:00-12:30
Il territorio dell’anima. How Poetry Helps us to Discover New Territories.
Dr. Di Lorenzo
12:35-12:45
A selection of poems from her collection “Voci suoni e colori della mia
terra … e di altri lidi” translated and recited by our WSU students.
12:45- 1:00
Q&A and Closing Remarks. Dott.ssa Silvia Giorgini-Althoen
Prof. Andrea di Tommaso
Coffee and pastries will be served in the French Room at the end of the talks.
Biographies
Dr. Lucio Abate
Dr. Abate is a historian and a native of Naples, Italy. He graduated from the University of “Suor Orsola Benincasa”
with a Laurea in “Cultural and Artistic Heritage” and from the University of Bologna with an M.A. in “Archival
Management.” He has been actively involved in the research and preparation of many major museum exhibits, and in the
important project of digitalizing archival documents. Most recently he organized the exhibit on Queen Margherita at the
Royal Palace in Naples. Last year he was our guest here in Detroit and we are grateful he kindly accepted to present for us
again this year. His presentation today will focus on the role of technology in preserving digitally all the archival drawings of
L’Aquila’s historical buildings. Thanks to his job, the reconstruction team will have the original drawings to rebuild all that
was lost during the tragic earthquake of April 6, 2009.
Prof. Raffaele De Benedictis
Prof. De Benedictis is Associate Professor here at Wayne State. He received his Ph.D. from the University of
Toronto in 1996, with a dissertation on Dante: Musica e ordine nella Divina Commedia. He completed his M.A. at Wayne
State University in 1990, and his B.A. at the University of Windsor in 1988. He studied Law at the Università degli Studi di
Napoli Federico II. His research and teaching interests comprise Dante, Petrarca, Boccaccio, Castiglione, Machiavelli, Italian
Culture, History of the Italian Language, and Literary Theory.
His recent book publication is called Wordly Wise: The Semiotics of Discourse in Dante’s Commedia, and it appeared
with Berkeley Insights in Linguistics and Semiotics in 2012. He is currently working on two book projects: A Semiotic
Approach to Multimodal Diffusions and Popularization of Dante’s Divine Comedy and a translation and critical edition of
Mario Equicola’s Libro de natura de amore. He has also authored several articles published in prominent academic journals.
His presentation today will focus on the evolution of the Italian language throughout the centuries and how it will develop
in the future.
Dr. Pasquarosa (Rosetta) Di Lorenzo
Dr. Di Lorenzo is a lawyer and a native of Pescara, Italy. She graduated from the “Collegio Ravasco” in Pescara and
then graduated in “Jurisprudence and Law” from the University “La Sapienza” in Rome.
She worked as a lawyer in Rome and in Pescara, received a teaching certificate in “Social Psychology and Public
Relations” in L’Aquila, and a specialization in “Canonic Law” at the “Pontificia Università S. Tommaso D’Aquino” in Rome.
A poet by passion, she has been writing verses for several years. Poetry is, for her, a way to record and express the
most important and significant aspects of her life through her soul’s experiences. Poetry is a voyage, often therapeutic, and
reflects her need for giving and sharing experiences. She authored a poem collection “Voci suoni e colori della mia terra… e
di altri lidi”. Her presentation today will focus on the “itineraries” her soul has taken and how poetry helped her to express
her love and passion for her own native Abruzzo Region.
Prof. Andrea DiTommaso
Prof. Emeritus Andrea DiTommaso is one of Wayne State University’s brightest stars. He retired in 2005 after 39
and 1/2 years of exceptional academic and professional achievements. He received his B.A. in 1962 and his Ph.D in 1970
from the Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland. While working on his dissertation, he attended the University of
Florence, Italy, taking classes with renowned Professors Eugenio Garin [Renaissance Thought] and Lanfranco Caretti
[Renaissance Literature]. After his Ph.D (1974-75) he went to the University of Bologna, Italy, where he attended the
classes of prominent Italian scholars such as Professors Umberto Eco [Semiotics] and Gianfranco Bettettini [Film]. Prof.
DiTommaso worked on a C.S. Peirce project with Professor Eco's Assistants. He also attended the Semiotics Institute at the
th
University of Urbino in the Summers of 1974 and 1975. He studied Dante with Charles S. Singleton (America’s greatest 20
C. Dante Scholar). He authored two books and several articles published in prominent scholar journals.
We are honored he accepted to share his extensive and passionate knowledge of Dante with us today. His
presentation will focus on the Divine Poet’s exile, and on the connections between exiles and immigrants.
Coffee and pastries will be served in the French Room at the end of the talks.