PRESIDENT’S REPORT  As we are now facing a whole new world reality brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, your Dante Alighieri Society Board of Directors deemed it necessary to convene a special meeting to determine our response to the situation. With the health and safety of our members and all those associated with the Society as our primary concern, it was decided that:

• all cultural programs be cancelled until June.
• the annual Scholarship Luncheon in May be cancelled. The Scholarship Committee will continue accepting student applications but will not award scholarships until a later date as the situation normalizes.
• all Italian language classes for the term beginning March 23 be cancelled.

We feel that our stance of “social distancing” is not only the responsible action required to prevent this disease from spreading further but will hopefully lead to a faster physical and economic recovery for our local and worldwide communities. We will continue to inform you of future developments but in the meantime, stay safe and help others do so when and where you can.  As always, please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. Grazie.

John Giardino, President Dante Alighieri Society of Denver

SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE

Applications for our Dante Alighieri Academic and Music Scholarships are now available online at the Dante website, https://dantealighieriofdenver.com/scholarships.

Colleges and universities have been notified of this opportunity for those students who are hoping to participate in study-abroad programs in Italy.

The application deadline is April 4, 2020, giving the Scholarship Committee ample time to determine scholarship winners prior to the Scholarship Awards Luncheon at the Arvada Center TBD.

Curious about Dante Alighieri?

Italy Establishes National Dante Day

Among the greatest poets of Italian and world literature, Dante was born in Florence in 1265, and died in exile in Ravenna in 1321. His tomb is still in Ravenna.  It was during exile that Dante composed his greatest work, The Divine Comedy, his vision of the afterlife where references to myth, history and scripture serve to comment on the politics and political figures of his day.

Learn more about The Divine Comedy