The Week of the Italian Language in the World concluded with great success, and this year aimed to celebrate the centenary of Andrea Camilleri’s birth—one of the most beloved and widely translated contemporary Italian authors—through two seminars.
The first seminar, titled “A Window on Sicily: Andrea Camilleri,” offered participants an in-depth look at the unique role of Sicily in the history of Italian literature. From the great tradition of post-unification masters to Camilleri, author of the famous Inspector Montalbano novels, the seminar highlighted how the island’s literature reflects not only Sicilian life but also the major cultural and political issues of our time. Professor Mauro Novelli from the University of Milan guided the audience on a journey into Camilleri’s writing and imagination, in collaboration with the Andrea Camilleri Foundation.
The second seminar, “Representation of the mafias: a literary perspective across Asian secret societies and Camilleri’s Sicily,” explored the phenomenon of organized crime from an international viewpoint, connecting Sicily’s historical experiences with those of Singapore and other Asian regions. Through Camilleri’s works and his Inspector Montalbano novels, participants could understand the nuanced and controversial connection between literature and organized crime. Among the speakers, in addition to Professor Mauro Novelli, were Alastair MacBeath, Southeast Asia coordinator of the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, and Lee Kok Leong, cultural heritage researcher from Singapore, in collaboration with the National Library as the venue partner.
The Embassy sincerely thanks all those who made these events possible: the speakers, the partners, and the Andrea Camilleri Foundation for their invaluable collaboration. It was a true privilege to celebrate the richness of Italian language and culture through the voice of a master storyteller, once again strengthening the cultural bond between Italy and Singapore.
