As part of the 26th Italian Language Week in the World, Italian writer Laura Imai Messina will be in Sydney and Canberra for a series of events in schools, universities, and conferences, thanks to the support of our Institute.
Thursday 22 October 2026 from 6.00 pm, the author will be a guest of the Italian Cultural Institute in Sydney for an evening event, organised in collaboration with the LibrInsieme Book Club and the Società Dante Alighieri of Sydney, entitled “Telling the Story of Expatriation: Storytelling in the Country of Arrival” with Laura Imai Messina.
Laura has lived in Japan for over 20 years, where she teaches and writes. Many of her books, set in the Land of the Rising Sun, are inspired by her observation of the reality of her host country. Japanese traditions, legends, and social habits are depicted in her most famous novels: “Tokyo Orizzontale” (Piemme, 2014), “Non oso dire la gioia” (Piemme, 2018), “Quel che affidiamo al vento” (Piemme, 2020), “L’isola dei battiti del cuore” (Piemme, 2022), and “Tutti gli indirizzi perduti” (Einaudi, 2024), most of them translated into English. During the event, Laura will guide us through the discovery of literary creativity in her host country, offering useful advice and insights for those living in Australia who wish to unleash their creativity through writing.
Who doesn’t have a book in their drawer? Who wouldn’t want to put their experiences far from home to paper? This event is designed for you too.
In the second part of the event, participants in the Librinsieme Book Club, moderated by Bob Farotto, will read excerpts and answer questions about the author’s books.
- “Telling Expatriation: Stories in the Host Country with Laura Imai Messina”
- Date: Thursday, 22nd October 2026, at 6:00 pm
- Venue: Italian Cultural Institute of Sydney
- 4/125 York Street, Sydney CBD
- In English with readings in Italian
- Free admission with bookings on our Eventbrite profile (HERE)
The “Week of the Italian Language in the World” is an initiative to promote the Italian language, organized by the cultural and diplomatic network of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation under the High Patronage of the President of the Republic. Every year, it celebrates the Italian language and creativity around the world. The initiative, founded in 2001 in collaboration with the Accademia della Crusca, takes place in the third week of October with the support of the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of University and Research, the Swiss Government, and the main language promotion partners.
The 26th edition will take place from 19 to 25 October 2026, and will have as its theme “Brilliant language: conceiving, designing, creating with Italian” aimed at promoting the Italian language, heir to a long and rich tradition, capable of exporting the best of technology, science, engineering, design, fashion, gastronomy, literature, art, and history to the world.
