The Italian Program at the College of Charleston presents “Italians Exploring the Arctic” on Friday, February 19 at 6:00 p.m. in Physicians Auditorium. This event combines a lecture by Mirella Tenderini (managing editor and writer) and a drum performance by Glen Velez. Music for the evening will have a Nordic theme and the lecture will focus on the life of the Duke of Abruzzi, the Father of Italian Mountaineering.
“The Duke of Abruzzi journey to the North Pole is equivalent to Americans reaching the moon,” said Massimo Maggiari, professor of Italian. “He is an Italian hero. His enterprise was a national endeavor that all Italians watched. I want students to discover this less familiar and exciting aspect of Italy.”
The event will be divided into three parts focusing on the life and explorations of Prince Luigi Amedeo of Savoy-Aosta (the Duke of Abruzzi). Besides considering his achievements, this lecture will also look at Italian history as well as geographic and scientific findings.
“I hope this lecture will generate interest not only in the Italian Program at the College of Charleston, but also in the ‘Italians in the Arctic’ course we are offering next year,” Maggiari says. “The course will cover history, geography and Italian culture while reading the personal accounts of the Italian explorers since the 19th century.”
For more information, contact Massimo Maggiari at 843.953.5489.
