2025 Festival Program

2025 Festival Program

Special Event

TimeDescriptionPresenters
7 :30pm

OPENING EVENT

Information and RSVP
MOLISE MY HOME
Lino Rufo canta Giose Rimanelli

Dive into a world of music, poetry, culture, and community as we celebrate the rich heritage of Molise in this unique event.

Italian singer/songwriter Lino Rufo will take us on a musical journey to rediscover the poetry of celebrated Molisan author Giose Rimanelli on the centenary of his birth.
FOLLOWED BY FESTIVAL OPENING COCKTAIL		Lino Rufo featuring:
Dom Fiore
Andrea Ramolo
Nino Ricci

MC: Pal Di Iulio and Daniela Nardi

Festival Programming

Saturday May 3, 2025

TimeDescriptionPresenters
10:00 amNEW TRENDS IN ITALIAN CANADIAN LITERATURE
This panel explores emerging themes, voices, and genres shaping contemporary Italian-Canadian literature. From hybrid identities to experimental narratives, panelists will discuss how writers navigate heritage, language, and evolving cultural landscapes. 		Terri Favro
Nicole Haldoupis
Daniel Scarcello
Renée M. Sgroi


MODERATOR
Christine Sansalone

Organized by AICW
11:00 amMOLISE MIO
Rediscovering the writing of Giose Rimanelli

Luigi Bonaffini
Fred Gardaphé
Anna Maria Milone
Sheryl Postman

MODERATOR
Roberta Iannacito Provenzano
12:15 pmWOMEN ON THE MOVE
Italian Migration in the Feminine. Reflecting on the experience of women, those who left Italy with their families and those who more recently seek new paths on their own.		Loredana Cornero
Gina Valle
Michela Valmori

MODERATOR
Lisa Ariemma
1:15 pmLUNCH BREAK
1:45 pmSALOTTO DEL ROMANZO John Calabrò
Carmela Circelli
Genni Gunn
Michael Mirolla

MODERATOR
Rosaria Moretti-Lawrie
3:00 pmSALOTTO DELLA POESIA Josie Di Sciascio Andrews
Josephine LoRe
Silvia Falsaperla
Pietro Sostegno
4 pmWORKER TO SENATOR | Book Launch
A conversation about Peter Bosa, a towering figure in the Italian Canadian community, based on the book, From Factory Worker to Senator: A Biography of Peter Bosa, by Vincenzo Pietropaolo. The panel will follow a presentation of the book and reading by the author.
Peter Bosa emigrated to Canada at the age of 21 with only grade 5 education. He worked in a factory for nine years, studied at night, and became a highly-respected community leader and one of the first Italian-Canadian members of the Senate.
Annamarie Castrilli
Konrad Eisenbichler
Vincenzo Pietropaolo

MODERATOR
Happie Testa

Sunday May 4, 2025

TimeDescriptionPresenters
10:30 amPREMIO ITALIA RADICI NEL MONDO
A new Italian Award connects with the diaspora and selects an Italian Canadian writer as one of its inaugural winners!		Domenico Capilongo
Giovanna Di Lello

MODERATOR
Daniela Sanzone
11:00 amA LITERARY HARVEST
Presenting a new anthology of Canadian Writing About Wine and Other Libations		Rosanna Micelotta Battigelli
Damiano Pietropaolo
Giovanna Riccio

MODERATOR
George-Elliott Clarke
12:00 pmWE ARE WHAT WE EAT?
The importance of regional cuisine in shaping, preserving and sharing cultural identity		Paolo Granata
Cassandra Marsillo
Luciano Schipano

MODERATOR
Jenny Arena
1:00 pmLUNCH BREAK
3:00 pmPREMIAZIONI CONCORSO LIBRISSIMI SCUOLA
The Consulate General of Italy - Ufficio Scuola e Promozione della lingua italiana, in collaboration of Librissimi presents the Awards for this special Italian writing competition for children.

Presentation followed by a light reception offered by the Consulate General.		Organizing Committee:
Luca Buiani
Michela Di Marco
Laura Innocenti
Happie Testa

Exhibition – May 3rd and 4th

TitleDescriptionCurators
EXHIBITIONRICHES OF MOLISAN MEMORY

Many objects brought by immigrants upon migration evoke memories and fragments of the lives of their ancestors as well as the places they left behind. In this display, treasured artefacts, borrowed from families of Molisan origin, are identified by their traditional names, place of origin and/or use. The typewriter used by Giose Rimanelli and a signed manuscript will be a central component of this exhibit, along with other literary texts.

To further our knowledge of the newest and second smallest region of Italy, the exhibit also features a map of Molise, information on its immigration diaspora, its artisanal towns, its nature reserves and its historic transhumance paths.

The exhibition will also honour the achievements of Giose Rimanelli and Canadian molisani authors.		Produced by the Rimanelli Centenary Committee

Curated by Giuliana Colalillo