Our Events in 2026
XXVI SETTIMANA DELLA LINGUA ITALIANA NEL MONDO “Lingua geniale: ideare, progettare, creare con l’italiano”
XXVI WEEK OF THE ITALIAN LANGUAGE IN THE WORLD “Brilliant language: conceiving, designing, and creating with Italian”
Sotto l’Alto Patronato del Presidente della Repubblica
Under the High Patronage of the President of the Italian Republic
SATURDAY 24 OCTOBER 2026 – 4.20pm for 4.30pm start
Cross Street Chapel, Cross Street, Manchester
Lingua geniale: ideare, progettare, creare con l’italiano / Brilliant language: conceiving, designing, and creating with Italian
IT – Tale tema ha l’obiettivo di valorizzare il legame strategico tra cultura e crescita economica dell’Italia, di cui l’italiano e’ uno strumento privilegiato. L’italiano, lingua “geniale”, erede di una lunga e ricca storia e tradizione, esporta nel mondo il meglio del proprio saper fare, costituito da tecnologia, scienza, ingegneria, design, moda, gastronomia, letteratura, arte e storia, contribuendo così a plasmare una immagine dinamica e proiettata in avanti del nostro Paese.
EN – The theme highlights the importance of the connection between culture, language, and innovation across fields like technology, science, engineering, design, fashion, and gastronomy.
This event is organised by Societa’ Dante Alighieri Manchester with the support of the Consulate of Italy in Manchester.
The brilliance of Italian female architects: Exploring their work over the last 100 years
The talk will be given in English.
Speaker: Lorenza Casini (architect, urban designer and energy practitioner, with an MSc in environmental and energy science)
ENGLISH
In our cultural understanding of Italian architecture and design, we are very familiar with male names: starting from Leonardo Da Vinci, Brunelleschi, Michelangelo, Palladio to the modern and contemporary architects such as Renzo Piano, Ettore Sottsass, Carlo Scarpa, Achille Castiglione. Far less is known of the incredible work that has inspired design innovation and architectural quality by Italian female architects over the last 100 years. This event will provide an insightful overview, with the hope to unveil new discoveries for the audience.
ITALIANO
Collettivamente, quando si pensa al patrimonio culturale dell’architettura e del design italiano, i nomi maschili, e le loro opere, ci sono molto familiari. Dai grandi nomi del Rinascimento come Leonardo Da Vinci, Brunelleschi, Michelangelo, Palladio, fino ai più moderni come Renzo Piano, Ettore Sottsass, Carlo Scarpa, Achille Castiglione e molti altri. Conosciamo meno, invece, dello straordinario lavoro svolto da architette e designers italiane nell’ultimo secolo. Creatività e progetti che hanno anch’essi ispirato innovazione nel design ed eccellenza nel campo dell’architettura. Questo incontro offrirà un’interessante panoramica capace di svelare al pubblico nuove scoperte.
Bio: Lorenza is a qualified architect. An alumni of The Manchester School of Architecture, she has over 20 years experience. She is also a co-founder of Carbon Co-op, an energy services and advocacy cooperative, established in 2011, where she leads one of its teams. She bridges the understanding and experience of the built environment, spatial planning and working with communities bringing a strong passion for a just and equitable energy transition.
Her career spans across two decades developing solutions to combat climate change. She has worked both with the private and public sectors, supporting them to produce, in cooperation with their communities and stakeholders, innovative projects.
She has also taught at universities across the North of England for over 15 years. She is currently a design tutor at the Manchester School of Architecture.
Venue: Cross Street Chapel – Cross Street, Manchester M2 1NL
The talk (in English) will be followed by a social gathering with a glass of wine and nibbles.
To better arrange seating and refreshments, it would be helpful if you could book in advance by emailing us at dante@newfuture.org
Pinocchio: A Universal Character
SATURDAY 26 SEPTEMBER 2026 – 4.20pm for 4.30pm start
Cross Street Chapel, Cross Street, Manchester
To celebrate the bicentenary of Carlo Collodi, the beloved Italian author of “Le avventure di Pinocchio/The Adventures of Pinocchio”
How a disillusioned journalist hit the jackpot by turning to children literature and writing a book, that so far is ranked the Italian most translated book in the world. We will talk about that, the originality of his famous book, its cinematic adaptations, and how Ancona and the town of Collodi created a bond to this timeless story.
Speakers: Talk by Silvana Serra and Lucia Baldini
Venue: Cross Street Chapel – Cross Street, Manchester M2 1NL
Admission: members and our students of Italian FREE / non-members £ 3.00
The talk (in English) will be followed by a social gathering with a glass of wine and nibbles.
To better arrange seating and refreshments, it would be helpful if you could book in advance by emailing us at dante@newfuture.org
Storytelling: European Day of Languages
Saturday 26th September, 12 pm – 2 pm
Manchester Central Library – FREE
Celebrate the European Day of Languages with a multilingual Storytime and Singalong event at Manchester Central Library! Come along as we sing and bring stories to life in English, Spanish, Italian and Polish.
Whether you are looking to introduce your child to new sounds, practice a second language, or simply enjoy the magic of live storytelling, this interactive session offers a fun, welcoming space for listeners of all ages.
To mark the occasion, our storytellers bring the beloved children’s book The Gruffalo to life in four languages, celebrating the rich linguistic diversity of Europe!
The Gruffalo is a renowned children’s tale written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler. It follows the story of a quick-witted mouse taking a stroll through the forest, who fends off potential predators—a fox, an owl, and a snake—by inventing a terrifying imaginary creature called the Gruffalo, only to be shocked to encounter the actual monster later on.
Organised by the Instituto Cervantes Manchester in collaboration with Società Dante Alighieri Manchester, Manchester City of Literature and Read Manchester – National Literacy Trust.
Recommended age: 3-7
Free multilingual activity in Spanish, English, Italian and Polish.
PREMIO DANTE ALIGHIERI – JULY 2026
SDA Prize winners for this academic year’s BA (Hons.) Modern Languages Graduates at the University of Manchester
Congratulations to the winners of the 2026 Societa’ Dante Alighieri prizes for Italian Studies at the University of Manchester.
Best overall performance in Italian Studies: Marcus Williams
Best performance in Italian Language: Hatty Baldacchino
The prizes have been presented at the Graduation ceremony on 13 July by our Honorary President, Professor Stephen J. Milner, FRHistS | Italian Studies Programme Director | Serena Professor of Italian | University of Manchester
MANCHESTER – luglio 2026
ASSEGNAZIONE “PREMIO DANTE ALIGHIERI”
Presso The University of Manchester si e’ svolta l’assegnazione annuale del Premio Dante Alighieri, indetto nel 2008 dal nostro Comitato e destinato a studenti dal significativo rendimento accademico coniugato ad una buona conoscenza della lingua italiana. Il premio consiste in libri sull’Italia.
SOCIETA’ DANTE ALIGHIERI MANCHESTER 30th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
This is more than simply a social gathering: it is a celebration of thirty years of shared history, friendship, and commitment to Italian language and culture
SATURDAY 13 June 2026 – 4.15pm for 4.30pm start
Cross Street Chapel, Cross Street, Manchester M2 1NL
Let’s come together to celebrate the Manchester Committee of the Societa’ Dante Alighieri, founded in 1996 at the Consulate of Italy in Manchester, and the Manchester Dante Society, founded in 1906 by Bishop Louis Casartelli, on the occasion of its 120th anniversary.
The Societa’ Dante Alighieri (SDA) was established in Rome in 1889 by a group led by the Italian poet Giosue’ Carducci, with the aim of promoting the Italian language, literature and culture throughout the world. Carducci, who became the first Italian recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1906, contributed greatly to the growing interest in Italian culture in the United Kingdom and his works generated significant interest in the literary circles.
The Manchester Dante Society (MDS) was founded in September 1906. The Inaugural President was Rt. Rev. Dr. Louis Casartelli, Bishop of Salford, and the Vice Presidents Mrs Enriqueta Rylands and Sir Alfred Hopkinson, Vice Chancellor of the University of Manchester. The Society met regularly over the following ninety years until its amalgamation with the Manchester branch of the SDA in 1996.
Prof. Stephen Milner and Manuela Costanzo, together with a few long-standing members of our Committee, will briefly guide us through our origins, history and growth.
To conclude the presentation, our fellow member Ben Collingwood will introduce us to the Langhe and Monferrato, the picturesque wine region of Piedmont in northern Italy, renowned for its rolling vineyard landscapes and its ancient hand-carved underground cellars (Infernot), now recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Our refreshments will offer a taste of the traditional ‘merenda sinoira’, the hearty aperitif from the region that originated as a sustaining meal for 19th-century farmers who needed a hearty boost to get through long hours of field work until sunset.
Admission: members and our students of Italian FREE / non-members £ 5.00
Booking is requested by Wednesday 10 June 6.00pm – Please note that, due to the purchase and preparation of refreshments, we will unfortunately be unable to accept late bookings.
RSVP: dante@newfuture.org
KINOFILM MANCHESTER INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL – European Short Films at the Instituto Cervantes
Wednesday 13 May (Spanish programme) and Thursday 14 May (Italian programme)
Kinofilm Manchester International Short Film Festival was established in 1995 and its focus is primarily on UK and European shorts.
Welcome to this year’s edition which will include two special FREE screenings of Spanish and Italian Shorts programmes at the Instituto Cervantes, Deansgate, presented in partnership with the Instituto Cervantes Manchester and Societa’ Dante Alighieri Manchester.
Doors open at 6.00pm, programme starts at 6.30pm
Thursday 14 May 2026 – ITALIAN SHORT FILMS 6.00pm (6.30pm start)
Introduction in English by Dr Silvana Serra (PhD in Film Studies)
Italian Shorts – Full details and FREE ticket link
Wednesday 13 May 2026 – SPANISH SHORT FILMS 6.00pm (6.30pm start)
Spanish Shorts – Full details and FREE ticket link
Annual General Meeting / Riunione Annuale Soci (Zoom)
Wednesday 29 April 2026 – (ZOOM – Members only)
We will present the current state of the society in Manchester and Rome, review our local activities over the past year and discuss future events.
The AGM will last approximately one hour.
Please confirm your attendance to dante@newfuture.org and you will receive the Zoom link a couple of days prior to the meeting
THE COUNCIL OF TRENT: A TURNING POINT FOR THE HISTORY OF ITALY
SATURDAY 21 MARCH 2026 – 4.20pm for 4.30pm start
Cross Street Chapel, Cross Street, Manchester M2 1NL
THE COUNCIL OF TRENT (1545-1563) – With the involvement of Popes, Emperors and Kings, the Council of Trent was a momentous event, surrounded by controversy, argument and even riots. It was to be the last ecumenical council in the Roman Catholic Church for over 300 years and its repercussions are still being felt today.
Speaker: Talk by STEVE MILLWARD
(Steve Millward has been teaching history, music and art since 1986 for a range of institutions including Manchester University. He has also presented Radio Manchester’s jazz programme, worked as Radio 5’s ‘pop pundit’ and was the jazz critic of the Manchester Evening News from 2003 to 2006. He is the author of four books including the acclaimed Music And Politics trilogy.)
Venue: Cross Street Chapel – Cross Street, Manchester M2 1NL
Admission: members and our students of Italian FREE / non-members £ 3.00
The talk (in English) will be followed by a social gathering with a glass of wine from the Trentino region and nibbles.
To better arrange seating and refreshments, it would be helpful if you could book in advance by emailing us at dante@newfuture.org
Boccaccio and Bibliomania in Industrial Manchester
SATURDAY 21 FEBRUARY 2026 – 4.20pm for 4.30pm start
Cross Street Chapel, Cross Street, Manchester M2 1NL
The year 2025 marked the 650th anniversary of the death of Giovanni Boccaccio (1313–1375), author of the Decameron and a key figure in the tradition of Italian and European narrative prose.
To round off the celebrations in Italy and around the world, you are invited to a talk exploring Boccaccio’s reception in the North West.
Giovanni Boccaccio’s ‘Il Decamerone’ (1348-53) is often described as the ‘human comedy’ in contrast to Dante’s earlier ‘divine comedy’. Yet it has also been described as a ‘mercantile epic’, focusing as it does on the everyday life of late medieval Italy, and especially the self-determining city-states run by the new class of civic merchants. This talk examines the reception of this mercantile epic in mercantile Manchester during the Industrial Revolution. For Boccaccio’s arrival and accommodation in the city’s libraries and reading rooms can be used as a prism through which to read fundamental changes in the social fabric of nineteenth-century Britain. With the emergence of the shock cities of the modern world, education and libraries became accessible to an ever wider social demographic. The arrival of Boccaccio to the industrial Northwest presents a particularly rich case study of this translation of cultural capital during the ‘age of the machines’.
Speaker: Talk by our Honorary President, Prof. Stephen J. Milner (Serena Professor of Italian Studies, The University of Manchester)
Venue: Cross Street Chapel – Cross Street, Manchester M2 1NL
Admission: members and our students of Italian FREE / non-members £ 3.00
The talk (in English) will be followed by a social gathering with a glass of wine and nibbles.
To better arrange seating and refreshments, it would be helpful if you could book in advance by emailing us at dante@newfuture.org
ITALY, YET DIFFERENTLY – Art, archaeology, history in the island of Sardinia
This event is organised in collaboration with the Dante Alighieri Society in Loughborough
SATURDAY 7 FEBRUARY 2026 – 4.20pm for 4.30pm start
Cross Street Chapel, Cross Street, Manchester M2 1NL
A talk about the many cultural aspects of Sardegna/Sardinia. This island in the centre of the Mediterranean with a rich history, has oscillated over the centuries between East and West, influenced by Rome and Carthage, Spain and Italy. This unique characteristic is evident in its culture, which has engaged in fruitful dialogues with artistic movements from the Italian mainland throughout the centuries.
Speaker: Alessandro Picciau (President of the Cultural Association Atobius – Cultura e Turismo in Sardegna)
Venue: Cross Street Chapel – Cross Street, Manchester M2 1NL
Admission: members and our students of Italian FREE / non-members £ 3.00
The talk (in English) will be followed by a social gathering with a glass of wine and nibbles.
To better arrange seating and refreshments, it would be appreciated if you could book in advance by emailing us at dante@newfuture.org
Giornata Mondiale del Cinema Italiano / World Day of Italian Cinema
This event is organised by Societa’ Dante Alighieri Manchester with the support of the Consulate of Italy in Manchester
SATURDAY 24 JANUARY 2026 – 4.00pm for 4.20pm start
Cross Street Chapel, Cross Street, Manchester M2 1NL
La Giornata Mondiale del Cinema Italiano è una ricorrenza nazionale che si celebra il 20 gennaio di ogni anno, volta a rafforzare e a valorizzare la cinematografia italiana all’estero.
La data, più precisamente, ricorda la data di nascita del regista italiano Federico Fellini.
The World Day of Italian Cinema is celebrated every year on the 20th of January.
The initiative was unanimously established by the Parliamentary Intergroup for Cinema and Performing Arts, in celebration of the 100th anniversary of Fellini’s birth (20th January 2020). It has the main purpose to promote abroad the high quality of Italian Cinema, through the work of the new authors as well as the great masters.
To celebrate the day, Societa’ Dante Alighieri Manchester and the Consulate of Italy in Manchester invite you to an award-winning screening.
Il Capitale Umano / Human Capital
by Paolo Virzì – 2013
1h 51m – Italian with English subtitles
Introduction in English by Dr Silvana Serra (PhD in Film Studies)
Paolo Virzì has enjoyed a consistent success from critics and audience alike since his debut. Il Capitale Umano / Human Capital was awarded with the David di Donatello (Italian equivalent of the Oscar) for Best Film and Best Screenplay. It was also selected to represent Italy for the 2014 Oscar in the Best Foreign Film category.
The film deals with a social issue ever more relevant to our times. It also represents the director’s stepping out of his usual stylistic comfort zone, offering an interesting visual experience.
Non mancate / Don’t miss it
The screening will be followed by a small social gathering with a glass of wine and nibbles.
Venue: Cross Street Chapel, Cross Street, Manchester
Admission: FREE
To better arrange seating and refreshments, please book in advance by emailing us at dante@newfuture.org
