Italian Professionals Meet at Medical School

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The Association of Italian Professionals (API) held its 12th International Conference at UKZN’s Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine campus.

The theme of the Conference was: “Finis Terrae Finis Mundi: the Apocalypse in Italian Literature”, which was hosted by Italian Studies at UKZN.

Papers were delivered by delegates from local universities as well as from the Italian Universities of Padua, Trento and the La Sapienza (Rome), Cork College in Ireland and Banja Luka in Bosnia Herzegovina.

Various apocalyptic interpretations were presented ranging from the writings of Consolo, Eco, Corona, Sciascia, Santacroce and Nuruddin Farah to the apocalypse/genesis in the Italian language.

Professor Rosemary Wildsmith, Head of the former School of Languages, Literature and Linguistics, opened the Conference emphasising the challenges language departments were facing in South African universities today.

Wildsmith said in a changing South Africa it was important for language departments to rise to the occasion and seek new avenues in teaching.

Ms Federica Bellusci, President of API and a Lecturer at UKZN, thanked the Italian government, represented by Dr Paolo Bonissone of the Italian Embassy, for its unwavering support of Italian Studies at UKZN.

‘It is thanks to continuous funding that the Conference was made possible, not only enabling research in the areas of Italian language and literature, but also renewing collaboration between Italian departments at a global level.

At the close of the Conference, the delegates were entertained by the talented UKZN Opera students of the Opera Studio and Choral Academy.

-          Federica Bellusci