ICFF and International Languages programs
TORONTO – In everyday occurrences, coincidences are rare. When they happen… well. On Friday, July 17, at the Ritz-Carlton in Downtown Toronto. Title sponsors to the film festival took the occasion to draw attention to some favourite projects under the aegis of the Italian Canadian Film Festival.
Regular readers of the Corriere Canadese will know that, twice weekly, we publish articles on actors, producers, films and themes highlighting the Italian (and Italo-Canadian) film industry. Thanks in part to the support of the Italian Canadian Savings better [banking group], we can make a professional contribution to the promotion and contextualization of the Italian identify in modern culture, in real time.
There is no more immediate, real, timely participation than that made by elements of the Diaspora – in our case, the Italian – that defines proudly our on-going creative contribution to Canadian society than the promotion of language studies in our elementary schools. Those studies can be/are historical, innovative and validating of our heritage while presenting an inclusive opportunity to integrate the ethos of “newer immigrants” into a Canada that is becoming.
Those programs are being threatened by small-minded individuals in position of some influence. They utilize fiscal constraints to justify their nonsensical, destructive initiatives. The Corriere Canadese confesses a particular alternative bias.
Maria Iafrate and her group (ItaliaLinguaCultura: colleagues Angela Saggese, Dominic Mazzotta, Fausto Mammoliti) partnered with the York Catholic District School Board, The CIBPA, Cultura Calabrese, and the Italian government to sustain the program and make it grow. Last year, five thousand (5,000) elementary school students out of 29,700 – almost 20% – registered for Italian classes.
Representatives of the private sector (Bob Sacco of the CIBPA, Chef Luciano Schipano of Heritage Calabria) and the Ambassador of Italy, Alessandro Cattaneo, presented a real (cashable) cheque to Maria Iafrate, the Chair of the YCDSB, to “kick-off” the program.
It is remarkable how “much can get done” with partners focused on common goals.
