The World in Italian

Il Mondo in Italiano

The Dante Alighieri Society of British Columbia

Promotes the study of the Italian language and culture.
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.

About Us

Our Story

The Dante Alighieri Society (Italian: Società Dante Alighieri) was founded in Italy in 1889 by Nobel Laureate poet Giosuè Carducci with the aim of promoting appreciation and understanding of the Italian language and culture across the world. It was named after the Florentine pre-Renaissance poet Dante Alighieri (1265-1321), author of The Divine Comedy and traditionally considered the father of the Italian language.

The Society's head office in Rome is the central reference point for over 500 chapters, 400 of which are located outside of Italy, in 60 countries across five continents.
The Society "is independent of political ideologies, national or ethnic origins or religious beliefs; it is a free association of people – not just Italians – but all people everywhere, united by their love for the Italian language and culture and the spirit of universal humanism that these represent.”