Dante Alighieri Society

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Società Dante Alighieri

Founded	1889; 132 years ago (1889)
Type	Cultural institution
Location	Rome
Area served	Worldwide
Product	Italian cultural and language education
Key people	Andrea Riccardi (President)
Website	www.ladante.it

The Dante Alighieri Society (Italian: Società Dante Alighieri) is a society that promotes Italian culture and language around the world. Today this society is present in more than 60 countries.

It was formed in Italy in July 1889. The society was named after Dante Alighieri (1265–1321), a pre-Italian Renaissance poet from Florence and the author of The Divine Comedy. Dante is considered the father of the Italian language.

In October 1948 the society was restructured at a meeting in Venice to give total autonomy to all chapters of the Dante Society so that each could conduct its activities independently, under the direction of its own elected officers, in a manner that best suited local needs, preferences, and capacities while adhering to the Society's basic principles.

The cultural role of Dante Alighieri[]

The sole purpose of the Dante Alighieri Society is to "promote the study of the Italian language and culture throughout the world...a purpose independent of political ideologies, national or ethnic origins or religious beliefs, and that the Society is the free association of people – not just Italians – but all people everywhere who are united by their love for the Italian languages and culture and the spirit of universal humanism that these represent."

The society operates throughout the world, with branches from the United States to Australia.^[1] Many societies offer language courses, ranging from tourist and beginner's Italian to advanced literature, in addition to their cultural activities.

In 2005, the Dante Alighieri Society (along with the Alliance française, British Council, Goethe-Institut, Instituto Cervantes, and Instituto Camões) was awarded the Prince of Asturias Award for Communications and Humanities.

By country[]

Europe[]

The Netherlands[]

• Dante Alighieri Society in The Netherlands

Poland[]

• Dante Alighieri Society in Katowice

Switzerland[]

• Dante Alighieri Society in Zürich
• Dante Alighieri Society in Geneva

North America[]

Canada[]

British Columbia[]

• The Dante Alighieri Society of British Columbia

United States[]

Georgia[]

• Societa' Dante Alighieri Atlanta

Florida[]

• Societa' Dante Alighieri Miami

Massachusetts[]

• Dante Alighieri Society of Massachusetts, Inc

Michigan[]

• Dante Alighieri Society of Michigan

New Jersey[]

• ^[2]

Washington[]

• Dante Alighieri Society of Washington

South Carolina[]

• [1]

South America[]

Argentina[]

• Asociación Dante Alighieri de Buenos Aires

Asia[]

Hong Kong

• Dante Alighieri Society in Hong Kong

Philippines[]

• Societa' Dante Alighieri Manila

Australia[]

Australian Capital Territory[]

• Dante Alighieri Society of Canberra

New South Wales[]

• Dante Alighieri Society Sydney

Queensland[]

• Società Dante Alighieri Brisbane
• Dante Cairns
• Società Dante Alighieri Gold Coast
• Dante Alighieri Society Townsville

South Australia[]

• The Dante Alighieri Society of South Australia

Victoria[]

• Società Dante Alighieri Melbourne
• The Dante Alighieri Society of Mildura

Western Australia[]

• Dante Alighieri Society of Western Australia

See also[]

• Istituto Italiano di Cultura

References[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Società Dante Alighieri.

Literature[]

• Mariella Totaro-Genevois (2005). Cultural and Linguistic Policy Abroad: The Italian Experience. Multilingual Matters. pp. 30–31, 44, 88–90. ISBN 9781853597992.