Centro Scuola e Cultura Italiana continues to lead the way, promoting Italian language learning and cultural exchange opportunities for students from kindergarten to university. 

Centro Scuola organizes Saturday morning Italian classes for children, where learning comes through hands-on experiences such as cooking, art, music, dance, and games. Summer school credit courses in Italy, in partnership with the TCDSB and the YCDSB, give secondary school students the enriching experience of learning and living abroad for three weeks.

HISTORY 

Centro Scuola, conceived and founded by its director Alberto Di Giovanni between 1975 and 1976, has availed itself over the years of the collaboration of scholars and personalities of international renown, in agreement that the time had come for the Italian community to establish itself within Canadian society. In the mid-seventies, Pierre Trudeau, the Prime Minister of the time, introduced the concept of multiculturalism as the basis of the country’s cultural identity. The post-war wave of immigration also makes its influence felt almost everywhere, in workplaces, schools and universities. There are, therefore, all the conditions to adhere to the sociological change of the country and undertake this path of social and cultural renewal in favor of the dissemination of the Italian language and culture. In this endeavor, Centro Scuola is supported by the collaboration of numerous authorities, including Prof. Robert Harney of the Department of History of the University of Toronto, founder of the Multicultural History Society of Ontario, Prof. Giuseppe Biagi, and Prof. Paolo Biagi. Julius Molinaro, professor of the Department of Italian Studies at the University of Toronto and a member of the Royal Society of Canada, Reverend Leonard Boyle of the Pontifical Institute for Medieval Studies and, later also Prefect of the Vatican Library, Bishop Nicola De Angelis, at that time a member of the Board of Directors of the Catholic Schools and President of the Italian Pastoral Commission. In addition, Laureano Leone, President of the National Congress of Italian-Canadians and, later, Provincial Member of the Government of Ontario, Sam Marafioti, “trustee” of the Provveditorato agli Studi of Toronto, the Honorable Tony Silipo, member and president of the Provveditorato agli Studi of Toronto and then Minister of Education in the Provincial Government of Ontario, also collaborated.

Centro Scuola, once started in its cultural activity, increases the list of its founding members by including first-rate representatives of the teaching staff of the Department of Italian Studies of the University of Toronto, including Prof. Gianrenzo Clivio and Dr. Annamarie Castrilli, President of the Board of Directors of the University of Toronto and the National Council of Italo-Canadians, as well as a member of the Provincial Government of Ontario. Over the years, many authorities from every sector of the Italian-Canadian community have taken over the leadership of the Board of Directors of Centro Scuola, which is currently headed by Antonio Nicaso, renowned author and professor.  Today’s Centro Scuola is led with passion and dedication by Professore Domenico Servello, who has spent most of his career in education and believes deeply in promoting the Italian language and culture through todays youth.  The excellent results achieved by Centro Scuola would not have been the same without the contribution of its collaborators, incisive supporters of all the programmes promoted by Centro Scuola.

INSPIRING PRINCIPLES

The heritage of the Italian-Canadians is a valid and vital component of the Canadian cultural mosaic of the twenty-first century. The Italian School and Centro Scuola works to preserve this heritage, making it appreciate its value and passing it on to future generations.

 

VISION

  • To promote, develop and improve the teaching of the Italian language in Canada;
  • Collaborate with the study providers for the dissemination and organization of Italian language and culture programs in schools;
  • To realize and to publish didactic material purposely conceived for the Canadian school;
  • Encourage research on the phenomenon of immigration, with particular attention to the Italian presence in Canada;
  • Publish literary, historical and sociological works;
  • Promote cultural exchanges between Canada and Italy.

 

STRUCTURE

Since 1976, the Centro Scuola e Cultura Italiana has been an open window on the Italian-Canadian community and an important reference point for cultural events and activities. It is governed by a board of directors composed of eleven people who meet quarterly. The Director of the Centro Scuola is in charge of the programmes and reports to the Board of Directors.

Centro Scuola is a non-profit moral body, legally recognized by the Province of Ontario since 1977 and subject to the laws and regulations in force.