On Thursday, November 18 takes place the ceremony of graduation of the School of Italian Language and Culture of the Community of Sant'Egidio. It is an opportunity to look at our country and migration through different eyes: those of thousands of foreigners who study and learn our language successfully.

The School of Italian Language and Culture of the Community of Sant'Egidio, one of the oldest in Italy, is recognized by the Ministry of Education as a School of Italian Language, and it is in agreement with the University of Perugia as a seat to get the CELI certificate (a certificate of knowledge of Italian language).

More than 45,000 students have learned the Italian language or acquired basic or higher language skills at the school in Via Dandolo or in other sites in Rome (5 seats) or other Italian cities (9 seats).

The teaching experience gained over the years by Sant'Egidio has allowed the development of a method for teaching Italian immigrants, and produced 3 Books (Italian as a friend), now at their 17th edition.

The School has been a mirror of the changes in migration flows in Italy: in recent years, the origin of the students are mainly from Eastern Europe (Ukraine, Poland, Romania, Moldova, Bulgaria), and, in a lower extent, from Egypt, Brazil and Philippines.

The courses are held free of charge by teachers of the Community of Sant'Egidio. The School of Italian Language and Culture is a key point for social integration. Greater language proficiency is a prerequisite for reducing alienation and marginalization. The school becomes a place of socialization and cultural exchange, as well as an opportunity of friendship between Italians and foreigners. Immigrants of many nationalities are driven from the beginning to respect and look with sympathy different religious and cultural experiences.

Over the years it has been created also a Professional Training School for intercultural mediators approved by Latium, where every year 50 people have graduated since 2000. They are immigrants who have been living in Italy for a long time and almost naturally have become reliable cultural mediators who work in many situations to reduce frictions and to accelerate the social integration of immigrants and social acceptance by Italian citizens.

The degrees will be delivered by the President of the Community of Sant'Egidio, Prof. Marco Impagliazzo together with Prefect Angela Pria, Head of Department for Civil Liberties and Immigration of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

 

Thursday, November 18, 2010
h 5.00 pm
Via di San Gallicano, 25
Rome