National Day of Dialect and of Local Languages
From words to images: dialects and varieties of Italian between spoken language and cinema
Thursday, 19 February 2026 – 6 pm – 8 pm
Istituto Italiano di Cultura, 4/125 York Street – Sydney CBD
On the occasion of National Day of Dialect and of Local Languages, the Italian Cultural Institute in Sydney, the Consulate General of Italy in Sydney, the Discipline of Italian Studies at the University of Sydney, and Com.It.Es. NSW are pleased to organise an event dedicated to the rich linguistic diversity of contemporary Italy.
Starting with the language spoken in Italy today, and simultaneously retracing the history of the use of dialects and other languages in Italian cinema, we will discover how and to what extent our country’s linguistic diversity has influenced the language we speak.
The presentations, in English, will be made by A/Professor Antonia Rubino (University of Sydney) and Professor Marco Gargiulo (University of Bergen, Norway), who will be connected remotely.
A welcome drink will be offered to all attendees.
Join us for this inspiring celebration of languages and cultures, where tradition meets modernity, and stories of identity and communication come to life.
This is a free event; please book on our Eventbrite profile.
Program
6:00 pm Welcome
6:15-6:30 pm Opening
Marco Gioacchini, Director, Istituto Italiano di Cultura of Sydney
Dr. Gianluca Rubagotti, Consul General of Italy in Sydney
6:30-6:50 pm “Dialect and varieties of Italian in Italy today”
A/Prof. Antonia Rubino (Italian Studies, University of Sydney)
6:50-7:20 pm “A Multilingual Italy: Dialects and other languages in contemporary Italian Cinema. From Neorealism to the present”
Prof. Marco Gargiulo (University of Bergen, Norway) ONLINE
7:20-7:30 pm Q&A
7:30-7:35 pm Closing remarks
Dr. Luigi Di Martino, President, Com.It.Es. NSW
Bio
A/Prof Antonia Rubino lectures in sociolinguistics and language in the Discipline of Italian Studies at the University of Sydney. She has research interests in multilingualism in migration contexts and applied linguistics. She has conducted extensive research on the linguistic practices of different generations of Australian Italians in various social contexts, on the intergenerational transmission of Italian and dialect, and on related educational and policy implications. Her work has appeared in highly regarded international journals and book series. She is an elected Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities.
Marco Gargiulo is Professor of Italian Language and Culture at the University of Bergen. He primarily works in sociolinguistics, focusing on multilingualism and cinematic and TV representation, the relationship between linguistic varieties and social space, the sociolinguistic structures of urban space, and the languages of youth cultures and subcultures. His latest publications include works on sociolinguistic heterotopias, glottophagia and linguistic camouflage, and on Italian in television and film. He is co-director of the Spazio per Mimesi Edizioni series.
Com.It.Es. NSW (Committee of Italians Abroad in New South Wales, Australia) is an elected body representing the Italian community in the state. It works with the Italian Consulate General in Sydney and local institutions to advocate for the rights, interests and wellbeing of Italian citizens. The Committee acts as a consultative and liaison body, providing information and support on social, cultural and educational issues. It is a key reference point for the Italian-Australian community in New South Wales.
Photo credits Rubino: Il Globo
