San Diego’s premier Italian cultural organization. . .

Convivio Society for Italian Humanities, a nonprofit organization founded in 2004, promotes Italian arts, culture, and history in San Diego through education, research, and cultural events—embracing an innovative approach to cultural advancement. Our goal is to establish the Institute for Italian Culture in San Diego, a central resource that would include a language academy, reference library, computer and media lab, historical center and archives, and event and exhibit space. With an innovative model and philosophy, Convivio strives to accomplish the following:

1. •Promote the study of Italian language, arts, and culture
   

2. •Engage the community in innovative programs and activities
   

3. •Cultivate partnerships with academia
   

4. •Foster Italian community emerging leadership
   

5. •Provide scholarships and grants for Italian studies and cultural pursuits
   

6. •Preserve Italian history and identity and relate the immigrant experience
   

7. •Encourage closer cultural ties to Italy
   

Convivio sponsors myriad events such as literary workshops, film screenings, educational lectures, interactive presentations, artistic exhibits, artisan showcases, and musical festivals. The Italian Historical Society of San Diego, a Convivio auxiliary, focuses on local historical preservation through research and education. Convivio publications include il Vicinato, a quarterly newsletter focusing on Italian cultural news and events, locally and abroad; as well as Risorgimento, a literary and historical journal.

Vision Statement

By fostering leadership in the Italian community, Convivio aims to expand the scope and influence of San Diego’s rich and vibrant Italian culture and heritage. Convivio envisions an Italian cultural institute in San Diego that will serve to preserve and advance Italian culture on a grander scale than has been achieved to date. The institute will also be a unifying element for the Italian community: By serving as a catalyst for an effective partnership of the numerous Italian groups all working independently for the same cause, the institute would allow these organizations to share vital resources and increase their collective impact. It would also be a venue in which to showcase San Diego’s rich Italian contributions of the past along with new elements emerging from the culture.

Convivio will achieve its goals as a tribute to the Italians who helped to shape this city, as a legacy for the Italians of a new generation who want to preserve their background and advance their culture and heritage, and as a cultural asset and benefit for the general public interested in this endeavor and in Italian culture.

Ultimately, Convivio envisions increased social capital arising from the establishment of the Institute for Italian Culture in San Diego, adding an element of renewal to the whole of San Diego’s cultural landscape.

Values Statement

Convivio holds as its core values—

1. •Integrity
   

2. •Community
   

3. •Innovation
   

4. •Compassion
   

5. •Respect
   

Our Ethos: Convivio’s aim is to cultivate a sense of communitas through its approaches, combining scholarship, community engagement, and innovative programming to provide the community with a new model of Italian cultural advancement and preservation.