The Italian government has provided funding for the continued support of Giuliano-Dalmati clubs since the exodus of the years 1947-1951 and thereafter, thus recognizing the importance of sustaining the cultural traditions of our people abroad. These clubs are spread over four continents ( South America, Australia, Europe and North America), and in turn these clubs regularly schedule conferences and reunions in their respective cities. In the mid-1990’s, our parent clubs began to devote increased attention to securing the future of the cultural life of the community, and organized a series of conferences which allocated discussion time to the subject of the “next generation.”
In October, 1994 ERMI (Ente Regionale di Emigrazione Italiana) organized a conference in Sudbury, Canada. Youth representatives from Giuliano-Dalmati, Friulani, and Slovene clubs gathered for three days of discussion on this matter, and conferences have also been organized in Toronto (for the presentation of Robert Buranello’s book I Giuliano-Dalmati in Canada in 1995), Hamilton (1996), and Vancouver (1999). Different youth appeared to speak at the various conferences, and articles on the subjects discussed there – ranging from the use of the Internet to the question of language and dialect – were subsequently published in the journals of various clubs, most notably and regularly in El Boletin (Toronto) and Il Faro (New York/New Jersey). In September, 2000, the Giuliano-Dalmati youth will organize a panel of speakers on this issue at the conference to be held in Niagara Falls (see below).
The picture that has emerged from these discussions is that the Giuliano-Dalmati “youth” comprise a broad spectrum of age groups and cultural backgrounds. Some of us were born in Italy before the exodus, while others were born abroad. Nearly all second, third and fourth generation Giuliano-Dalmati share a mixed cultural heritage, and in recent years the question of how to define our identity has become a prominent issue at the conferences, dinners and social meetings. Who are we? What will we be? And how will we carry on the traditions of our culture in the coming years?
Call For Essays for Giuliano-Dalmati Youth panel in Niagara Falls (September 1-3, 2000)
The organizing committee for the Niagara Falls Conference is accepting informal and formal 5-7 page essays on any subject relevant to Giuliano-Dalmati youth issues. Informal presentations may be creative writings, poetry or autobiographical pieces, and formal essays may range from essays on literary and historical subjects to reviews of contemporary debates in Giuliano-Dalmato culture.
A maximum of three papers will be accepted for presentation on a panel at the conference. There is no age limit, and all essays submitted will be considered. Please send your questions, proposals or ideas to:
University of Pittsburgh
Dept. of English
501 CL
4200 Fifth Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA. 15260-0001
c/o Henry Veggian