About Us
The Dante Alighieri Society of BC is a non-profit organization based in Vancouver, BC dedicated to promoting Italian culture and language through in-person/online cultural events, courses and workshops. We also offer PLIDA certification exams for those wishing to get certified or applying for Italian citizenship.
We are part of Dante Global, the international network headquartered in Rome whose mission is to spread awareness and appreciation of Italy’s rich heritage while providing accessible language and cultural education to all.
Our History
The Dante Alighieri Society (Italian: Società Dante Alighieri) was established in Italy in 1889 by Nobel Laureate poet Giosuè Carducci, with a mission to promote a deep appreciation and understanding of Italian language and culture worldwide. Named in honour of the Florentine poet Dante Alighieri (1265–1321), author of The Divine Comedy and often celebrated
as the father of the Italian language, the Society has since grown significantly.
Headquartered in Rome, the Society serves as the central hub for over 500 chapters—400 of which are outside Italy—spanning 60 countries across five continents. Committed to a universal humanist vision, the Society embraces all individuals who share a love for Italian language and culture, welcoming people of all backgrounds, regardless of political, ethnic, or religious affiliations.
Our Goals
Promote Italian Culture Globally
Facilitate Access to Italian Language Education
Assist in Obtaining the
PLIDA Certification
Meet the Team
The Dante Alighieri Society of British Columbia
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Promotes the study of the Italian language and culture.
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Develops an appreciation of Italian achievements in the arts, literature, science, and industry.
The Dante Alighieri Society of BC in Vancouver is one of the 480 chapters located outside of Italy of the Dante Alighieri Society, with headquarters in Rome.
We administer the PLIDA Certification Tests recognized by the Italian Government and the EU to evaluate an individual’s linguistic competencies in Italian.
Meet our dedicated team of Board Members, Cultural Events Coordinator, School Coordinator And Administrator, and talented Instructors.
Our Board
President
Renato Zane
Renato Zane is a leadership consultant and podcast host.
He works with business clients interested in performance coaching.
Previously, he was a journalist, newsroom director and general manager at Rogers Sports and Media. His career at OMNI Television and Citytv spanned 32-years in three provinces. He holds a B.A. degree in English Literature from the University of Toronto. Renato was born in Torino.
Email: info@dantesocietybc.ca
Vice-President
Stefano Gulmanelli
Stefano Gulmanelli holds a PhD in Sociology and International Relations and a Master in Economics. He was born in the Middle East and has lived in Europe, Africa, Australia and Canada.
He has matured his professional experience in the corporate world, journalism and academia, He is currently a lecturer at the University of British Columbia and Simon Fraser University.
Vice-President
David Avren
David Avren is a founding Board member. Born in Canada, he is a longtime student of Italian, and an enthusiast for Italian culture. He is a lawyer and legal executive, most recently serving as Vice President, Legal at the BC Financial Services Authority.
Treasurer
Federica Ferruda
Federica Ferruda was born in Padua and grew up in Verona, where she graduated from Secondary School in Linguistic Studies. For over 20 years she has been working in partnership with her husband, a professional artist, in the management and development of his professional career.
Email: info@dantesocietybc.ca.
Secretary
Tom Henry
Tom Henry is a retired senior officer of the Royal Canadian Air Force and a retired senior business manager from a British Columbia technology company. He is a graduate engineer. He has studied the Italian language for many years and had the good fortune to visit Italy for work and pleasure many times.
Email: info@dantesocietybc.ca.
Dante Language School Liaison
Anna Foschi
Anna Foschi Ciampolini is an internationally published, award-winning short-story writer,
anthology co-editor, freelance journalist and translator. She co-founded the Association of
Italian Canadian Writers, and the F.G. Bressani Literary Prize. Anna retired after enjoying a long
career in social services and counselling in the field of family violence In 2005,she was inducted
in Vancouver’s Italian Cultural Centre’s Hall of Fame for her cultural and humanitarian activities.
Board Director - Sponsorships Committee
Benedicta Reis
Benedicta Reis is a CPA with an MBA and Bachelors in Accounting from the University of Central Oklahoma, USA. Having lived in a diplomatic household, she spent her formative years across several continents, before creating her own journey which led her to Vancouver, Canada, where she calls home and has lived for over 10 years. Her passion for Italian culture and language stems from her husband who hails from Rome and shares his deep passion for his city and country.
Benedicta is a finance executive with almost 20 years of experience spanning public and private sectors, leading business transformation projects, strategic financial transformation, charitable compliance, and enterprise governance. She hopes to share her knowledge and best practices with the Dante Society of BC and collaborate with the Board in furthering the awareness and appreciation of Italy’s rich heritage and language.
Our Cultural Events Staff
Cultural Events Coordinator
Arianna D'Agnino
Arianna Dagnino is a writer, lecturer and literary translator. She holds a Master's degree in Modern Languages from the University of Genoa and a PhD in Comparative Literature from the University of South Australia. Her novel and film script The Afrikaner (Guernica Toronto) is inspired by the 5 years she spent in South Africa as an international reporter for the Italian press. She teaches in the Italian Studies program at the University of British Columbia – www.ariannadagnino.com
Social Media Assistant
Morgana Gulmanelli
Morgana Gulmanelli is a 4th year student at the University of British Columbia, majoring in International Relations with a minor in Italian Studies. Born in Milan, Italy, she moved to Australia at a young age and then transferred to Canada. She is fluent in English and Italian and has a deep interest in promoting Italian culture in Vancouver & around the globe. Her most recent experiences include a communications internship with the Government of BCC and editor of UBC’s "Journal of International Affairs."
Our Volunteers
Our School Administration
School Coordinator and Communication, Marketing, and Social Media Manager
Simona Celano
Simona Celano, born in the charming Italian city of Asti, ventured abroad in 2014 in search of new work experiences and adventures.
With a background as a caregiver and travel agent, she discovered her passion for teaching Italian in 2017 while living in Melbourne. Simona arrived in Canada in 2021, where she continued her work as a travel agent before joining the Dante Society in September 2022. Starting as an administrator, she quickly grew into the role of Italian Language School Coordinator, as well as Communication, Marketing, and Social Media Manager.
School Administrator
Serena Piccoli
Serena Piccoli, poet, playwright, translator, photographer and teacher of English and Italian.
Born in Padova in 1974, she has lived in the USA, South Africa and England. She loves traveling around Italy and eating Italian food with family and friends. At the Dante Alighieri Society of British Columbia she works in administration, coordinates both our Book Clubs (the Advanced and the Intermediate Book club appointments).
Our Instructors
Instructor
Paola Marchegiani
Paola was born in Pescara (Abruzzo) but spent most of her life in Bologna. She obtained a bachelor’s degree in Biological Science from the University of L’Aquila and initially began her career teaching Science. However, [they] later transitioned into the IT field. After moving to Calgary, Paola earned a Teaching Assistant Certificate for Early Childhood in Alberta, which reignited her passion for teaching. Since then, Paola have been teaching Italian to students at the Calgary Italian School, as well as private students, both in-person and remotely. She joined the Dante Alighieri Society of BC in 2022 as a teacher, embracing another wonderful opportunity to promote the beauty and richness of the Italian language.
Instructor
Marzio Pelù
Marzio was born and raised in Massa, a beautiful town in Tuscany, and Italian is his mother tongue. He holds both a bachelor's and master's degree in Humanities from the University of Pisa, where he studied Ancient Greek and Latin. A professional journalist, Marzio worked for twenty-five years at the newspaper La Nazione in Italy before moving to Toronto. Currently, he works at Corriere Canadese, the Italian community’s daily newspaper, as well as at the Canadian multilingual news agency CNMNG.
In terms of teaching, while in Italy, Marzio taught his native language to foreign inmates in prisons in his province and also taught journalism at elementary, middle, and high schools. An independent musician, Marzio writes songs, rearranges international pop-rock classics and Italian oldies, and can occasionally be found performing downtown Toronto.
Instructor
Serena Piccoli
Serena Piccoli, poet, playwright, translator, photographer and teacher of English and Italian.
Born in Padova in 1974, she has lived in the USA, South Africa and England. She loves traveling around Italy and eating Italian food with family and friends. At the Dante Alighieri Society of British Columbia she works in administration, coordinates both our Book Clubs (the Advanced and the Intermediate Book club appointments), and she holds our Advanced Plus course.
Instructor
Eleonora Baldini
Eleonora is from Rome and holds a bachelor’s degree in Tourism Management from the University "La Sapienza" in Rome, with a strong passion for languages. Three years ago, she won an Erasmus Scholarship to study in Madrid for six months. During the Covid pandemic, she planned her new adventure in Canada, and has now been living in Vancouver for almost two years. She continued her studies in her field, earning a College Diploma in Travel and Tourism Business Management from the Canadian Tourism College in Vancouver.
Eleonora loves teaching and exploring the world. She considers herself patient, understanding, and passionate. Through her long student journey, she gained invaluable experiences and is eager to share her knowledge with her students while continuing to learn alongside them.
Instructor
Nadia Taha
Nadia Taha is originally from the picturesque Sanremo, known as La città dei Fiori (the city of flowers). She holds a bachelor’s degree in Italian Language and Literature from the University of Pisa, as well as a master’s degree in Humanistic Coaching and Neuro-Linguistic Programming from Pegaso University.
A polyglot, Nadia speaks Italian (her mother tongue), English, French, and Egyptian fluently. At the age of 24, she embarked on a journey to Egypt, where she worked with various Italian companies and began teaching Italian to adults. At 36, she moved to Canada, where she now resides in Ottawa.
Nadia’s professional experience includes contributing to the Federal Government of Canada and teaching Italian at the Italian Canadian Youth Formation Center, which serves the Italian community of Ottawa-Gatineau.
Outside of her professional life, Nadia is passionate about exploring Italy, immersing herself in its culture, enjoying Italian cuisine (both cooking and eating), and savoring the sounds of Italian music.
Instructor
Costanza Demaria
Costanza is from Turin, Piedmont, and is an anthropologist with a background in social and development studies. She worked for over five years on reception projects dedicated to the protection and integration of asylum seekers and refugees in Turin, as well as managing international cooperation projects in Italy and Portugal.
Later, Costanza embarked on a journey that led her to become a professional teacher of Italian as a second and foreign language, a field in which she discovered a true passion. After obtaining the CEDILS certificate, she moved to Montreal, Quebec, where she currently lives and works as a language teacher. She also plans to further enhance her expertise in second language education and adult education