NOTIZIARIO

May 2025

‍PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

From the time it was chartered in 1985, the mission of the Dante Alighieri Society of Denver was to not only celebrate and share the Italian culture but to also ensure that it would continue its relevance across generations. To that end, the founders decided to provide scholarships to qualified local college students who would be studying in Italy. Over the past forty years, the Society has awarded over $400,000 in both academic and music scholarships to hundreds of young people, enabling them to expand their education at the epicenter of Italian culture, language, music, and history – Italy!

Several years ago, the Dante Alighieri Society realized the importance of acknowledging the impact Italian women have had not only on our Italian community but also on our society as a whole. With the establishment of the Donne di Merito Award, recognition is now given to those women, both historical and contemporary, who have made exceptional contributions to the Dante Alighieri Society’s mission of celebrating and sharing the Italian culture.

On Sunday May 4, 2025 at the Annual Awards Luncheon, those students and women selected by their respective committees were recognized and presented with their awards. As those who have attended this inspiring event in the past will affirm, this is one of the highlights of the year for our Society. I thank all who attended and look forward to seeing you at future events.

Spero di vederti lì, John Giardino

June 2025

‍PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Best laid plans….; only constant is change……; etc. Those old adages that are often scary to think about can, in my mind anyway, be considered other meanings for “dynamic”. The Dante Alighieri Society is currently in a “dynamic” state as we are faced with making changes necessary to continue providing the cultural and education experiences expected of the organization. But rest assured, our foundation will not change though processes might. In the meantime, we have a lot of experiences in the works over the next several months as we continue to fulfil our mission “to share and celebrate the richness of the Italian culture and language with the entire community”.

John Giardino

April 2025

‍PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

The first thing I need to do is congratulate the Italian American Business Association (IABA) on a very successful Bravo! Awards Gala! With well over a hundred people in attendance, it was a perfect example of the collaboration of several organizations working together to strengthen our common goal of promoting the Italian culture. I’m proud to say that the Dante Alighieri Society of Denver was again a supporter of this effort. I also want to congratulate Suzanne Fasing, a long-time member and former Chair of the DAS Language Program, on her nomination for IABA Italian-American Volunteer of the Year Award. Her contributions to our Society and the Italian community are in no way diminished despite not being chosen for the honor.

In some unexpected news, a partnership between the Società Dante Alighieri in Rome and the National Italian American Foundation has recently been announced. During a brief ceremony, Presidents Andrea Riccardi of SDA and Robert Allegrini of NAIF signed an agreement for promoting Italian language and culture in the United States. At this point I’m not exactly sure what will now become available to us, but I suspect the benefit to our local community will be great. I’ll keep you informed as we learn more.

Finally, as always, I’m here to serve our members so let me know what’s on your mind.

Grazie, John Giardino

March 2025

‍PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Last month I talked about the fact that October 2025 will mark the 40^th anniversary of the Dante Alighieri Society of Denver. Plans are currently underway for not only the commemoration of this landmark date but also a rededication to the mission of the Society, to “share and celebrate the richness of the Italian culture and language with the entire community”. Plan now to join with the Dante Alighieri Society and other members of the Denver Italian community at large, to be a part of the celebration. We’ll keep you updated on details as planning moves forward.

I was recently introduced to a concept I’ve never heard of before, the “third place”. Ray Oldenburg, an American sociologist, created this term to describe the places outside of the home (the first place) and the workplace (the second place) where people go to converse with others and connect with their community. I strongly suspect that the founders of the Dante Alighieri Society of Denver found their “third place” when establishing and then maintaining this very important and relevant organization. And I know that many of us, including myself, have found the DAS to be their “third place” as well. I would hope that every member, whether active or not, might give some consideration to making the Dante Alighieri Society your “third place” where you can become an integral part of sharing and celebrating the richness of the Italian culture and language with each other and with the entire community.

Grazie, John Giardino

February 2025

‍PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

The Dante Alighieri Society of Denver will be celebrating its 40th anniversary in October!

The Dante Alighieri Society of Denver was chartered in 1985 by a handful of people dedicated to celebrating and sharing the many traditional, wonderful aspects of the Italian culture. As you would expect, the organization has gone through many changes in operations, programs, and leadership over the years. But it has continued to fulfill the mission upon which it was created -- bringing the Italian culture to life in the Denver area. It’s only appropriate that the Dante Alighieri Society of Denver should celebrate not only its successes of the past forty years but also its promise of continued successes in the future.

Credit must go to Gianfranco Marcantonio who painstakingly documented the history of the Dante Alighieri Society in a series of photo albums until his passing last year. His wife, Pamela, has now taken on the project and continues to memorialize the Society’s activities. If you are interested in seeing pictures, articles, programs, etc. from long past to present, please let us know. I can’t think of a better way to understand and appreciate why celebrating forty years of existence is so meaningful.

Even though we were living in Leadville at the time, I joined the Dante Alighieri Society of Denver in the early 90’s because I recognized that this was an organization primarily focused on the Italian culture. Living a hundred miles away, I rarely had the opportunity to take advantage of all the Society had to offer. But when we moved to Denver in 2004 that changed. At first, I was just a general member, then I became a member of the Scholarship Committee, then served as its Chair for more than ten years, eventually becoming president of the Society. Though it does require a good deal of time, I have no regrets about leading this time-proven organization that continues to change and grow to meet the demands of the times in order to fulfill its mission. I can’t imagine that the Dante Alighieri Society won’t be here for another forty years. We’d like to think you feel that way too.

Grazie, John Giardino

January 2025

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‍PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Buon Anno! May the New Year bring forth our strength and
goodness to create a more loving and peaceful world.

Last month, my message reflected on the events and achievements within the Dante Alighieri Society over the past year. As I begin my fourth two-year term as president, I’m looking forward to our 2025 plans. Early next year, the Board will devote time to review and adjust our vision for where we want the Society to be in the future. With that vision in mind, we’ll direct new and enhanced efforts toward our new goals. You may notice some changes in how we operate, but rest assured! You, our members, are the primary inspiration for everything we do to advance the Society's mission.

Speaking of change, things have changed at our “mother ship”, the Dante Alighieri Society in Rome. Technically, the Società Dante Alighieri still exists but now has developed a new public persona, Dante Global. You’ll find more information about this change and what it means to our organization in this issue of the Notiziario.

As always, I’m available for questions, recommendations, complaints, etc. I hope to hear from you in the coming year.

Grazie, John Giardino

December 2024

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‍PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Buon Natale! As we look forward to the upcoming Christmas holiday, enjoying the celebration of the season, we invariably look back on the past year. When I reflect on 2024, I recall the successes, the changes, and the losses the Dante Alighieri Society has experienced. Our successes were many, including growing our membership, another Italian Heritage Month of note, enlightening cultural programs, expanded language classes, tasty culinary experiences, and fun social gatherings. As for changes, with the help of people who understand our unique market, we have embarked on a journey to increasingly spread the word about our Italian organization. Finally, with much sadness we mourn the loss of one of the founding members of the Society. Gianfranco Marcantonio was, and always will be, a cornerstone of the Dante Alighieri Society of Denver.

I want to take this opportunity to express my sincere thanks to all our members who support our efforts to stay true to our mission statement: “….to share and celebrate the richness of the Italian culture and language with the community”. I want to say a very special “Thank You” to my Board members who have supported not only my efforts as president but, more importantly, your interests as members of the Dante Alighieri Society. With this kind of support, I look forward to an even greater 2025.

Finally, I want to wish all of you a most Blessed Christmas! May you experience the love and joy of family and friends that is so precious at this time of year. Che Dio benedica

Grazie, John Giardino

November 2024

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‍PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Remember the old TV ad, “This is not your father’s Oldsmobile!”? How about the iconic phrase “We’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto!”? Unfortunately for Oldsmobile, their campaign didn’t produce the results they hoped for, finally halting production in 2004. In contrast, Dorothy, with help from her “new” friends, figured things out and safely “got back” to Kansas. The Wizard of Oz, which came out in 1939, has since become a movie classic.

In October of 2025, the Dante Alighieri Society of Denver will be celebrating its 40th Anniversary! Unlike Oldsmobile, your Society is still producing cultural programs, Italian language classes, college scholarships, culinary classes, and social events. As happened in Wizard, guidance from its dedicated leaders and members, the Dante Alighieri Society has found its way to becoming a true classic in the realm of Italian organizations.

At November’s Annual Meeting, membership will hear reports on the state of the organization. Additionally, those in attendance will elect the next officers to the Board of Directors. The people who have agreed to run have shown the dedication and passion necessary to ensure the Dante Alighieri Society of Denver will change and grow appropriately in order to continue providing those things which have made it the premier Italian cultural organization. Please attend this special meeting to show your support for your leaders, or even consider running for a leadership position yourself. Hope to see you there.

Grazie, John Giardino

October 2024

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‍PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Now is the time for all good Italians, Italian wannabes, Italophiles, or anyone who appreciates and wants to experience a bit of Italian culture to attend the events being offered during Italian Heritage Month. Listed here in this issue is the list of activities to check out. There’s fun, food, film, and friends awaiting. For more detailed information check out our website. I look forward to seeing you there.

Grazie, John Giardino

August 2024

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‍PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

My wife and I recently took our three youngest grandchildren to New York City, wanting them to experience the vibrance, chaos and history of arguably the most famous city in the world. In a few short days we walked the Brooklyn Bridge, saw the Statue of Liberty, visited the 911 Memorial, walked through Central Park, toured the Tenement Museum, awed at Times Square, and more. More included the obligatory tour of Little Italy. Though this iconic part of lower Manhattan is shrinking, it still retains the flavor of its namesake, Italy. Wandering down the bustling streets brought back memories of North Denver when I was growing up - three of four Italian restaurants in walking distance, three Italian markets nearby, the fresh fruit and vegetable truck that came by Nanie’s house in the morning, and of course, the church, Mt. Carmel. While Our Lady is still there, the neighborhood has become a weird mixture of the traditional and the neo-modern. Over the years I’ve heard rumblings of a “Little Italy” in the downtown Denver area, but nothing so far. It would be wonderful if that ever happened but, in the meantime, let’s do everything we can to hold on to the culture and the language we know and love. The Dante Alighieri Society of Denver is committed to that purpose. We’ll always welcome your collaboration in doing so.

Grazie, John Giardino