On Wednesday, October 15, 2025, students, faculty, and community members came together to celebrate Italian Language Day, an event organized by the Italian Program with support of the Italian Cultural Institute in Los Angeles and the Ferrucci Institute. This celebration was part of the annual Settimana della Lingua Italiana nel Mondo (SLIM), or Week of the Italian Language in the World, promoted by the Italian government. This year marked the 25th edition of SLIM, dedicated to the theme Italofonia: la lingua oltre i confini—Italian Beyond Borders.
To celebrate the linguistic, social, and cultural space of Italian across borders, the event featured a keynote address by Dr. Luciana Fellin (Duke University) and poster presentations by students from Dr. Mattavelli’s upper-division class ITAL 202/344.
Dr. Fellin’s talk, “Transnational Italian: Language Across Borders,” examined how Italian has evolved through migration, from regional language patterns in Latin America, Canada, Australia, and Europe to major contact phenomena – hybridization, bilingualism, and translanguaging -highlighting the deep connection between language and identity. A special focus was placed on Italian in the U. S., tracing its journey from early immigrant communities to today’s third-generation speakers. Drawing from her field research, Dr. Fellin offered fascinating examples of creative language use by the third generation.
Students contributed with research projects exploring the presence of Italian language worldwide, with a focus on migrant communities and “Little Italies” in the U.S. Their posters highlighted the global reach of Italian, with topics ranging from Italian enclaves in Los Angeles, New Jersey, Argentina, and Switzerland, as well as broader cultural themes like Italian cuisine, music, and cinema.
Dr. Mattavelli emphasized the educational value of the event: “I wanted students to be involved in SLIM because it’s a great educational and professional opportunity. Presenting research to an audience of 80–100 people is no small feat, and they did brilliantly. They inspired other students by showing that what we do in class connects to the world outside. Learning about other cultures by immersing in them is what being a global citizen is about.”
Sophia Zonni, Italian Studies minor, said: “I loved answering questions about the Los Angeles Italian community because it’s where I come from. Researching its history strengthened my connection to my heritage and deepened my appreciation for the diversity and resilience of Italian communities worldwide.”
Abby Lofrano, Italian Studies minor and program assistant, added: “It was amazing to see the audience so engaged with the speaker and the student projects. Everyone was curious and appreciative of the work.”
The Italian Studies Program extends heartfelt thanks to Dr. Emanuele Amendola, Director of the Italian Cultural Institute in Los Angeles, for his support and to Dr. Luciana Fellin for sharing her insightful research and engaging with our students. Grazie mille!
