Circulating Ideas: “Scrittori d’Italia” at Gabinetto Vieusseux

Gabinetto Vieusseux - November,13th Prof  Marino Biondi -University o Florence presented to American students the writer Italo Calvino

Gabinetto Vieusseux – November,13th Prof Marino Biondi -University o Florence presented to American students the writer Italo Calvino

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SUF students at the conference at Gabinetto Vieusseux “Scrittori d’Italia” on Italo Calvino

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Loredana Tarini (left)- Coordinator of SUF Italian Department who promoted the project and Livia Frescobaldi – member of Gabinetto Vieusseux Committee

Italo Calvino, New York City, 1983Last semester, on occasion of the” 2013 Year of Italian Culture in the United States”, Syracuse University in Florence adhered  to the proposal promoted by the Gabinetto Vieusseux, and also this semester is collaborating with the Center Palazzeschi /Aldo Palazzeschi to present a series of lectures about some of the great authors of Italian literature intended for all American students in U.S. Study Abroad programs in Florence. It is a library founded in  1819 by Giovan Pietro Viesseux. It began as a reading room that provided leading European periodicals for Florentines and visitors from abroad in a setting that encouraged conversation and the exchange of ideas. A circulating library with the

latest publications in Italian, French and English was installed next to the reading room.
Throughout the last century the prestigious  Gabinetto Vieusseux  www.vieusseux.it made great efforts to spread  American culture, make American books available in its library, and host famous writers such as Mark Twain, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Henry James during their stays in Italy.
By participating in this series of lessons, Syracuse University of Florence renforces the cultural exchange Italy/USA specifically the Italian Department, aims to highlight the extraordinary opportunities for learning and exploration that the Gabinetto Viesseux offers to American students.

The lessons are in Italian and take place in the prestigious Sala Ferri in Palazzo Strozzi; every session is interactive, using pictures and reading literary excerpts, thanks to the collaboration of university docents and scholars who have experience working with and educating American students.Also Italian students  participate in all of the lessons.scrittori LOGO VIEUSSEUX

American and Italian students have the opportunity to continue informally the discussion about the lecture during the receptions after the lesson.

In 2013 were given the lessons about the following writers :

Boccaccio, Calvino, Machiavelli,  the next conference will be on

March 13th 2014, about Aldo Palazzeschi presented  by Prof Gino Tellini -University of Florence  and

April 1st   “Italian Women Writers of the 20th Century” presented by the writer Dacia Maraini

The lessons will take place in
Sala Ferri, 5:30 pm

scrittori VECCHIO VIesseux

2013 – The Year of Italian Culture in the United States
” Classical and Modern Writers of Italy”
Series of Lectures on the Occasion of the Year of Italian Culture in the United States
Academic Year 2013-2014

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The “FAB 4” Judges by Carlotta Fonzi Kliemann

The Syracuse University in Florence Award for Best Short Film goes to “Left Side of the Face” by Martin Bortkiewicz (Poland 2013) for its excellent camerawork and montage and in support of a highly original photographic project which illuminates issues of time, ageing, and loneliness through a variety of individual accounts.

This is the “verdict” of the SUF “Fab 4”  judges of the first edition “Syracuse University in Florence Award”  for the “54 Festival dei Popoli 2013 – Reality is More Exciting than Fiction” November 30/December 7 2013 –  http://www.festivaldeipopoli.org/festival/giuria_premi/2013    www.festivaldeipopoli.org

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Slow Water al Museo

Ecco come si possono innaffiare i fiori del nostro giardino o del terrazzo senza sentirsi colpevoli di sprecare, “l’oro bianco”, come viene oggi chiamata l’acqua.

Ed ecco che cosa succede quando un architetto, una coltivatrice di fiori, un designer di terrecotte, tutti e tre con la passione per il verde e la sostenibilità ambientale, non vogliono  naturalia1rinunciare alle fioriture nel giardino o nel terrazzo in vista dell’imminente estate da crisi idrica?

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Villa Rossa Turns Green

The new sustainable vegetable garden in Villa Rossa

Last July, 2nd the Philanthropist and former SUF Grad Student Mary Jo Weinig
cut the ribbon of the brand new SUF sustainable vegetable garden.

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Mary Jo Weinig and Sasha Perugini cutting the ribbon of the new sustainable garden in Villa Rossa

Mary Jo Weinig is the founder of the “Read a Recipe for Literacy’ organization (http://readarecipeforliteracy.org/)

RRL uses recipes – literal and figurative ones – to build literacy.  “Recipes” are created with the help of local partners.  Because of their hands on involvement, young boys and girls learn about their local environment and also build healthier lifestyles. Mrs. Weinig’s visit to Florence was the occasion to present  the garden to the public and reinforce the cooperation with “RRL”association. It marks the  start of what will be eventually  a larger sustainable project.

 

 

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(On the right) Peter Fischer, Mary Jo Weinig, Sasha Perugini and Richard Ingersoll with  students  in front of the sustainable garden

The new  vegetable garden’s name is “nomad garden,” whose installation has been overseen by Richard Ingersoll, is the start of a what will eventually become a larger sustainable garden project to be overseen by Peter Fischer. Thanks to Prof. Fischer -Consultant and Responsible “Development Sustainable Projects” at SUF and Prof.Ingersoll  -School of Architecture

Read  the inspiring essay by Prof Richard Ingersoll “Eat the City”: http://placesobserver.net/feature/eat-the-city-the-art-of-urban-farming/37909/

 

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Richard Ingersoll, Mary Jo Weinig and Marina Clauser Chief Manager of Orto Botanico – Università di Firenze, she invited students and professor to visit their “sensitive garden” that is a section of the biggest garden in the world, a sustainable garden.in Via Micheli, 3
Volunteers, retired ‘nonni’ teach school tours how to get gently fruits from hearth. Marina Clauser donated to SUF some red pepper plants

 

 

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SUF students will take care of the garden

 

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Syracuse o Siracusa? di Giulia Chellini – Università di Firenze

syracue citysiracusaCITTA'Se mettiamo a confronto alcune foto di Syracuse, una delle più importanti città dello Stato di New York, insieme a quelle di Siracusa, città del Sud-Est della Sicilia, le differenze saltano all’occhio e colpiscono il nostro immaginario. Si va dalla classica cittadina nordamericana dai moderni ed Continue reading

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Discover Florence: l’Arte “Nascosta” by Carolyn Murin – SUF Art History MA

orsanmichele chiesa

Orsanmichele church

Hey guys! Let’s explore more ‘hidden’ places and masterpieces in town.

Right in the heart of Florence is Orsanmichele with its famous (copies of) sculptures of the patron saints of Florentine guilds. While many people often stop to take pictures of these sculptures displayed on the church’s exterior, not many visitors take the time to actually go inside the church where more wonders await. The dim, quiet interior of the church is lined with beautiful stained glass windows Continue reading

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Get off Campus and Be Part of the City by Morgan Slade* – University of Bucknell

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SUF students/volunteers at the Fenice Center for homeless at the candle-making workshop

I studied at Syracuse University in Florence in the Spring of 2012 and it was the first time I committed myself to participating in a volunteer program. The program gives American students the opportunity to know diverse parts of Florentine reality and much more.

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“Close-Knit” Volunteers by Julianna Duva – University of Southern California

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SUF Knitting Club: Maibritt, the leader (middle) with host moms and students

Volunteering  was one of the most enriching experiences during my time in Florence. I had the opportunity to make candles at a homeless shelter, work with felt at a retirement home, help students with their English homework, and knit with my roommate, other students and my host mom. Every experience was so beautiful because I was able to see a new side of the Italian culture that I Continue reading

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Discover Florence: l’Arte “Nascosta” by Carolyn Murin SUF Art History MA

santa maria maddalena dei pazzi

The cloister of Santa Maria Maddalena de’ Pazzi

For few months Florence is your adopted home, and you’re probably eager to explore the city and see all it has to offer. The ubiquitous hordes of tourists wait in line outside of the Uffizi or jostle for space in the Accademia in front of David as they check Continue reading

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I (taly)Tunes – Learning Italian through Music

Mappa-musica-italiana

Map of the Italian music

It is common for people to make generalizations about people from other countries using stereotypes. The Swiss, for instance, are generally considered to be very precise  and punctual, the Germans fussy and strict, and the English formal and boring. What about Italians? Italians are thought to be romantic lovers, creative people who are sociable and full of life. Words often associated with the country as a whole are “pizza,” “mafia,” or “mandolin.”

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