News Sixth Form Italian students visit the Italian Institute of Culture 14.03.2024

On Wednesday afternoon, Sixth Form IB Italian students visited the Italian Institute of Culture where they had the privilege of attending a talk centred around two captivating novels: Nel Mare ci sono i Coccodrilli (In the Sea There Are Crocodiles) by Fabio Geda and Per questo mi chiamo Giovanni (That’s Why I’m called Giovanni) by Luigi Garlando.

In the first book they were introduced to the remarkable journey to Italy of an Afghan refugee, Enaiatollah Akbar. Through a vivid storyline, Geda describes a journey of resilience, courage and the pursuit of freedom. Our speaker prompted us to reflect on the human rights challenges young asylum seekers face on a daily basis, and the ongoing immigration issue in Italy.

The second book, set in Palermo, delves into the heart of the Mafia. We learnt of Giovanni who is taken on a tour of the city by his father, where he learns of the famous antimafia judge Giovanni Falcone. The book, and the analysis we were kindly given with it, shared with us a unique perspective on organised crime that Italy struggled with in the 1970/80s.

The IB students found their time at the Italian Institute truly enriching; not only deepening their understanding of two topics they are studying at school but also encouraged a global awareness of prevalent issues.