Every two years, the Association of Italian Canadian Writers (AICW) partners with a local university to host a conference for its members. The venue alternates between Italy and Canada, and benefits from support by local cultural organizations. This year’s conference took place in Toronto and was held over two days at York University and the Columbus Centre.
The September 2024 event attracted a multigenerational audience, bringing together a diverse group of writers, scholars and artists to explore themes of literary and artistic culture under the banner “The Vines of Diaspora.” AICW members travelled from across Canada and as far as Italy to participate in the event.
The general public was also invited to enjoy presentations that highlighted the complexity of identity, migration and cultural heritage within the Italian-Canadian experience.
Event chair, Rosaria Moretti-Lawrie, commented that the conference theme more than lived up to its name.
“The works presented these past two days were by 60 distinguished creative and critical thinkers. They truly represent the evolution of the Italian and Italian-Canadian community because of the transformative way they choose to communicate their lives,” Moretti-Lawrie observed.
The first day of the event included thought-provoking panels on topics like “Eating Italian Culture,” which examined food as a conduit for preserving migrant identities, and “Italian Testaments,” focusing on the intersection of Italian and queer identities in the Canadian context.
The second day highlighted recording histories and memory, with a keynote address by acclaimed photographer Vincenzo Pietropaolo. Pietrapaolo presented some of the most galvanizing images of his career and engaged the audience with a passionate examination of the photo-literary book as a third way of storytelling.
The day continued with session topics ranging from dislocation and the rewriting of Italian identities to creative explorations of Italian-Canadian gardens, cuisine, and personal narratives through poetry, prose, and visual arts.
Several local volunteers, including aspiring novelist Daniel Scarcello, helped ensure the two-day conference ran smoothly.
“I’ve always felt a responsibility to do something meaningful with the opportunities my family sacrificed so much for. For me, that has always been writing,” explains Scarcello.
“I jumped at the chance to join the team of conference volunteers. After two days of engaging with established authors, it felt like everyone I met was actually volunteering to help me,” Scarcello observes.
A highlight of the event was a screening of a moving short film called For Nonna Anna by award-winning director Luis De Filippis. The short drama aligned with the intergenerational theme of the conference, featuring a young transgender teenager caring for her grandmother.
“The survey of talent at this conference goes beyond the usual definitions of diversity,” explains Christine Sansalone, President of the AICW.
“We had new writers and first-time presenters sharing their soon-to-be published work alongside celebrated novelists, academics and writers – such as Darlene Madott, Joseph and Emma Pivato—who have many books to their name” Sansalone continues.
Each session was filled with moments of tears, laughter, and deep silence as participants listened intently to poetry, stories, academic papers and film screenings, holding back their supportive applause until the final word.
During the breaks, it was difficult to keep the chiacchiere in the hallway to a dull roar, as members connected with their literary family.
New AICW member Lisa Meffe was struck by the warmth and generosity of the community.
“Each person I met wanted to know me, my writing, my goals, and how they could help. I was humbled – they are each so brilliant,” explains Meffe.
“I arrived not knowing what to expect but left with my passion and creativity renewed, and with a deep sense of being understood.”
The event ended with two emotional sessions: 97-year-old writer Aldo Colangelo, who shared a piece called L’essere umano, la vita e gli imprevisti, loosely translated to “Human life and unexpected events” and singer-songwriter Frank Moyo who treated the crowd to a tour-de-force performance of his most popular songs, including Alla Nostra and Nonna.
Plans are already underway for the next AICW conference in 2026, which will be held in Italy at Università degli Studi della Tuscia in Viterbo. For more information on the AICW, please visit aicw.ca.
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