Vittoriale Hosts International Literary Conference and Museum of War Opening
Great events at the Vittoriale degli italiani in Gardone Riviera. The day before yesterday, the inauguration of the new Museum of War in the Schifamondo was held, set up by Dr. Antonio Spada, and yesterday the proceedings of the XVII Conference of the International Association for the Study of Italian Language and Literature began. Led by President Carlo Ossola, a professor of Italian literature at the Collège de France, France’s most prestigious university institution, Aislli operates across five continents with the primary goal of fostering interest in Italian culture worldwide.
The Conference, which will continue until June 5 with 9 lectures and 70 presentations, is dedicated to “The Dwellings of Poetry.” No place seemed more suitable than the Vittoriale to host it. Discussions will focus on the homes of great writers: Petrarch, Machiavelli, Goldoni, Alfieri, Foscolo, Leopardi, Goethe, Tasso, Ungaretti, Salvatore di Giacomo, and, of course, d’Annunzio, whose residence stands out more than any other not only because it is a sumptuous citadel but also because the Vittoriale itself is a testament to the work and endeavors of the Vate (some even claim it is his most successful masterpiece).
Two hundred scholars from the most remote locations to Lake Garda have gathered for the occasion, including Prof. Van Hoan from Vietnam, Prof. John Scott from Australia, Prof. Solonovic from Russia, and many other Italianists from Canada, the United States, Argentina, Mexico, South Africa, as well as several European countries. Today at 11 a.m., the conference session will be paused for the public inauguration of the Museum of War.
During the ribbon-cutting ceremony, writer Gina Lagorio and the Garzanti heirs will donate to the Vittoriale the manuscripts of letters sent by d’Annunzio to Guido Beltrami, along with a painting depicting publisher Emilio Treves, dated 1904. On Sunday, June 4, the conference will instead feature a trip to Brescia, with a roundtable in the Vanvitellian Hall of Palazzo Loggia involving poets, writers, and philosophers such as Remo Bodei, Paola Mieli, and Paolo Fabbri.
This session will be followed by a guided tour for all participants to the Museum of Santa Giulia and a lunch in the picturesque cloister of San Cristo. The Gardonese conference was made possible by contributions from the Ministry of Culture and Heritage, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Province of Brescia, the Brescia Chamber of Commerce, and the Garda Community.
Sponsorships and International Significance
Due to its international relevance, the symposium also received the high patronage of the President of the Republic, as well as sponsorship from the Ministries of Culture and Heritage, Public Education, and Scientific Research, the Province of Brescia, and the Municipality of Gardone Riviera.
“For the Vittoriale,” explain the Gardonese Foundation, “organizing the conference involved two years of planning and a significant financial effort, but it is vitally important for the Foundation to communicate with the scientific community worldwide at the highest level.”
Finally, we recall that starting tomorrow, the Museum of War will be open to the public. The promotional ticket price is 5,000 Lire. Simone Bottura