CALDWELL COLLEGE & ITANJ
Present
FOCUS ON SICILY IV

"GIUSEPPE GARIBALDI TO GIOVANNI FALCONE:
HEROS AND ANTIHEROS OF THE LAST 200 YEARS IN SICILY"
Saturday, April 17, 2010 9am-12noon
Alumni Theater
(Tickets will be available in early Spring 2010 through the
Center for Graduate and Continuing Studies-973-618-3214)

GAETANO SALEMI, Ph.D.
is a native Sicilian who has been conducting tours of his homeland for ten years. At the University of Catania, he studied foreign literature and culture and has a vast knowledge of the Greek civilization and influence on the island. He creates specialized tours of Sicily and one of his major clients is NIAF, the National Italian American Foundation. He especially enjoys introducing Italian-Americans to Sicily.

This is the fourth annual lecture on Sicily by Gaetano Salemi at Caldwell College. Dr. Salemi is a dynamic speaker with a profound knowledge of Sicily’s history and culture. He is the favorite guide for the NIAF (National Italian American Foundation) tours of Sicily and many of our audience in the past three years have traveled and enjoyed Sicily with him.

His first lecture, in 2007, was entitled “ The Geology and Early History of Sicily.” During this lecture, he gave an overview of the immense Greek influence on the island. In 2008, Gaetano returned to introduce the next stage in Sicilian history, the time of Arab and Norman domination, and King Frederick. Last year, 2009, the topic was “The Sicilian Middle Ages.” Gaetano explained how Sicily became a territory of the Spanish Bourbons and how it was affected by the Inquisition.

His fourth lecture will highlight some of the outstanding figures of the Eighteenth through Twentieth Centuries in Sicily from the national hero Giuseppe Garibaldi to the antimafia judge Giovanni Falcone, through the bandit Salvatore Giuliano and the scientist Ettore Majorana. We will learn how they impacted the more modern history of the island.

Beginning in January 2010, NIAF will again offer tours of Sicily. Call them or go to their website for more information. Dr. Sally Jo Weber of the Caldwell College Foreign Language Department is currently planning to offer an 8 day Caldwell College trip to Sicily, in May 2010, especially for Caldwell students. There may be room for travelers from outside the College as well. (If you are interested, please call Dr. Weber at 973-618-3397)