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Dec.26/04 - Jan.2, 2005 |
4 - Local organizations indifferent to crisis
Anthony Mollica offers suggestions in increasing interest in the study of Italian language
By Antonio Maglio
Originally Published: 2002-12-22
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Franco Gaspari, Anthony Mollica
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It was Franco Gaspari who tabled the issue. Gaspari chairs the Cultural Committee of Toronto's Comites. He availed himself of the stage of the Second National Conference of Italians Abroad, held in Toronto last month. He spoke of "basic apathy and substantial indifference" by the Italian community and its representatives towards the reform of the Ontario school system, a reform that drastically reduced language courses, including those of Italian. "Such apathy and indifference," he continued, "can only be explained with a change in the attitude of Italian-Canadians in regard to their language and culture of origin."
Gaspari did not limit himself to underscoring the paradoxical invisibility of so large a community. With his distinctive good manners and with the pragmatism he derives from his activity as a mathematician, he also pointed out one of the reasons for this fracture between Italian-Canadians and their culture. "The organizations that represent our community," he said, "must cast their differences aside and realize that collaboration is the only way to get results."
After these statements he proposed his recipe: "Such a large community must be able to lobby, to become a political force to be reckoned with. Safeguarding the Italian language requires such an effort. I propose that the Comites organize a meeting with Italian-Canadian politicians at every level, from school trustees to city councillors to MPPs and MPs, asking them to commit unconditionally to defending the culture and language of what is, after all, their electoral base. However, the community organizations must also do their part, i.e. getting Italian-Canadians involved and mobilized on this issue."
Franco Gaspari had the misfortune of speaking in close proximity to Massimo Magliaro, director of RAI International, who chose the same stage to announce the official divorce from Telelatino and the intention of applying for an autonomous channel broadcasting RAI programs in Canada 24 hours a day. The audience was engrossed by this announcement, and paid little attention to what Gaspari was saying. Pity; there was food for thought in it.
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