UNE celebrates 'Italian and the Sea'October 23, 2007

The University of New England is participating in a world-wide celebration of the Italian language and Italian culture this week.

The theme of this year's celebration – the seventh annual Settimana della lingua italiana nel mondo ("Week of Italian Language in the World") – is "Italian and the Sea".

The Italian Section in UNE's School of Arts has organised a half-day program of short illustrated talks, Italian music, poetry, food and wine, and finally an Italian feature film, on Thursday 25 October in Arts Lecture Theatre A2, beginning at 1 pm. Everyone is welcome to this free public event.

Benjamin Thorn and Cecile Michels will perform the music on authentic instruments (ocarinas, recorders and harp), and illustrated talks by Eric Acheson and Anna Cavallaro will evoke the maritime history and architectural splendour of Sicily.

Brennan Wales (Convener of Italian at UNE) will give some short poetry recitations, two students will read brief, sea-inspired Italian compositions of their own, and another student will sing an early 17th century love song with a sea-related theme.

Refreshments, served at 2 pm, will be followed by the screening of the film Mediterraneo (directed by G. Salvatores) – a romantic drama set on a Mediterranean island during World War II.

Short addresses by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Alan Pettigrew, the Pro Vice-Chancellor and Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Professor Margaret Sedgley, and the Head of the School of Arts, Associate Professor Kerry Dunne, will begin the program at 1 pm. Brennan Wales said that UNE's participation in this year's "Week of Italian Language in the World" was made possible – as in previous years – by the generous support of the Italian Consulate General in Sydney. "Our relationship with the Consulate continues to be a very productive one," he said, "and is of great benefit to us and our students."