We are Sea - Siamo Mare Exhibition in Honolulu celebrates Italy's deep connection with the sea and its commitment to international collaboration and research. The photo exhibit explores the biodiversity of the Italian seas and offers an exhilarating perspective on Italian coasts, landscapes and seas to raise awareness conservation of its rich yet fragile marine ecosystems. More than 22 countries share the Mediterranean Sea.

Presented by the Italian Cultural Institute of San Francisco and the Italian Consulate, the exhibit is part of the festivities of Amerigo Vespucci's world tour that will visit over 30 ports to promote marine studies, education and science about the seas and oceans. 

The exhibit opens to the public from July 26 to September 8.

Watch the video about the exhibit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCZcmhrwy34

NOTE: The Friends of Italy Society of Hawaii is not responsible for any liability, cost, and damages which could arise from the programs; and does not provide any refunds, except if it cannot deliver the program, for instance in the case of insufficient enrollment.

QUESTIONS: Please contact info@friendsofitalyhawaii.org.

Registration:  This is the 11:00am tour. 

Location:  Pier 9, Aloha Tower

NOTE: The Friends of Italy Society of Hawaii is not responsible for any liability, cost, and damages which could arise from the programs; and does not provide any refunds, except if it cannot deliver the program, for instance in the case of insufficient enrollment.

QUESTIONS: Contact info@friendsofitalyhawaii.org.

Registration:  This is the 11:30am tour. 

Location:  Pier 9, Aloha Tower

NOTE: The Friends of Italy Society of Hawaii is not responsible for any liability, cost, and damages which could arise from the programs; and does not provide any refunds, except if it cannot deliver the program, for instance in the case of insufficient enrollment.

QUESTIONS: Contact info@friendsofitalyhawaii.org.

Become a member so you can attend this event! All Italy lovers are welcome!

Join Professoressa Iolanda Marinelli for a casual coffee hour where members can practice reading and speaking Italian in an informal setting of a coffee shop. Newspapers and magazines will be provided or bring your own tablet. Make new friends and let’s learn together. Pausa Caffe’ is targeted at multiple levels but a minimum ability to contribute to the conversation is required, so that participants can enjoy talking with each other on a variety of topics taken from the magazines (provided by the host).

About Iolanda Marinelli
A native of Italy, Iole earned her Laurea Magistrale (M.A.) in Foreign Languages and Literatures from University of Naples “L’Orientale,” She received her Teaching Certification in English Secondary Education from Italy’s Department of Education. Since 2006, she has adopted Hawaii as her home and has taught Italian at Saint Anthony School, Waimanalo Elementary and Intermediate School and Kailua Elementary School. Iole has served three terms on Hawai’i Association of Language Teachers Board of Directors as the Italian Representative. Currently, she works in Contracting with the U.S. Navy Pacific Command. She’s loved by her students for her fun and spirited approach to teaching and her background in children’s education.  

RSVP: By a week prior to event. Maximum 10 attendees. Please commit 100% to the event to honor the teacher's time and others' wish to attend.

Location: Specific location in Kahala to be provided to registered guests.

Members: All attendees must be members, no guests are allowed, not even for Dual members. 

Note: The Friends of Italy Society of Hawaii is not responsible for any liability, cost, and damages which could arise from the programs; and does not provide any refunds, credits, swaps, except if it cannot deliver the program, for instance in the case of insufficient enrollment.

Questions: Email us at info@friendsofitalyhawaii.org.

Join our membership so you can attend our language courses! All Italy lovers are welcome!

We are thrilled to launch our Fall courses with a new textbook! The paper copy includes an interactive e-book which allows you to access all contents, audio files, and exercises with self-correction online.

INSTRUCTOR: Chiara Logli is originally from Bologna (Italy) and holds a Ph.D. in international/cross-cultural education from the University of Hawaii and East-West Center. Currently, she is an Assistant Professor and Institutional Assessment Specialist for the Honolulu Community College. In the past, she worked for the University of California Berkeley's International House, University of California Santa Barbara's Multicultural Center, Arts Council for Monterey County, and USAID in Indonesia. She also received the Peace Fellowship from Rotary International in Thailand and collaborated with UNICEF, UNDP, as well as International Baccalaureate Schools. She started teaching Italian language when she was 23 years old and never stopped, including for the Dante Alighieri Society in Santa Cruz and the Italian Cultural Institute of San Francisco. In her free time, she dances hula with Halau Kaulakahi, loves the ocean, and enjoys traveling by boat around small islands or by foot on high mountains.

LEVELS: Sign up for the class that you think fits you best. On the first day of class, you can try other levels and change class if you wish. In addition to your level, you can also audit other levels throughout the whole course (listening only, no talking).

• Beginner Level 1 (4:30-6pm): For students who have no or minimal grasp of the Italian language—we’ll cover up to chapter 10.
• Intermediate Level 2 (6-7:30pm): For students who have mastered all grammar and vocabulary of Level 1—we’ll cover chapters 11-20.
• Advanced Level 3 (7:30-9pm): For students who have mastered all grammar and vocabulary of Level 2—we’ll cover from chapter 21 to the end of the book but mainly focus on conversation.

DATES: Eight Tuesdays. Pizza party optional on November 19.

BOOK: “Italian grammar in practice” with interactive ebook by Susanna Nocchi (2023, English edition). You can find it at Alma Edizioni, Libreria Pino, and other websites.

PARKING: First Unitarian Church of Honolulu, 2500 Pali Highway, Honolulu. Abundant free parking on site. 

NOTE: *All students must be members, no guests are allowed, not even for Dual members.* The Friends of Italy Society of Hawaii is not responsible for any liability, cost, and damages which could arise from the programs; and does not provide any refunds, except if it cannot deliver the program, for instance in the case of insufficient enrollment.

QUESTIONS: Please contact info@friendsofitalyhawaii.org.

Join our Caffe' Letterario for a discussion of award winning Dacia Maraini's latest novel “Chiara di Assisi: Elogio della disobbedienza” (In Praise of Disobedience: Clare of Assisi). You can read the Italian original edition or the English translation by Jane Tylus. You must have read the book to participate.

Novel: An author receives a mysterious e-mail begging her to tell the story of Clare of Assisi, the thirteenth-century Italian saint. At first annoyed by the request, the author begins to research Saint Clare and becomes captivated by her life. We too are transported into the strange and beautiful world of medieval Italy, witnessing the daily rituals of convent life. At the center of that life is Saint Clare, a subversive and compelling figure full of contradictions: a physically disabled woman who travels widely in her imagination, someone unforgivingly harsh to herself yet infinitely generous to the women she supervises, a practitioner of self-abnegation who nevertheless knows her own worth. A visionary who liberated herself from the chains of materialism and patriarchy, Saint Clare here becomes an inspirational figure for a new generation of readers. 

Author: Dacia Maraini is one of Italy’s most prominent contemporary authors. Her books have been translated into twenty-two languages and she has won the most prestigious Italian literature awards: the Formentor Prize for L'età del malessere (1963); the Premio Fregene for Isolina (1985); the Premio Campiello and Book of the Year Award for La lunga vita di Marianna Ucrìa (1990); and the Premio Strega for Buio (1999). In 2013, the documentary I Was Born Travelling about her life portrayed the story of her imprisonment in a concentration camp in Japan, to the legendary journeys around the world with her partner Alberto Moravia, her close friends Pier Paolo Pasolini and opera singer Maria Callas.

Location: In person in Honolulu. Registered guests will receive an email with address prior to the event. 

RSVP: A week prior to program.

Note: The Friends of Italy Society of Hawaii is not responsible for any liability, cost, and damages which could arise from the programs; and does not provide any refunds, except if it cannot deliver the program, for instance in the case of insufficient enrollment.

Questions: Email us at info@friendsofitalyhawaii.org.