culture. connection. consciousness.

essence

the elements of convivio

Culture, Connection, and Consciousness–Italian Style

What is Convivio? Convivio is a literary work by Dante in which he commented on the philosophy and culture of the day. Convivio is also a state of mind…

Whenever you may see a group of people breaking bread together as the Italians so famously do—enjoying the moment, the company, and the conversation—that is the essence of Convivio. When you think of Convivio, think of love of life and culture.

What do you bring to the Convivio table?
You may have the universe if I may have Italy. ~Giuseppe Verdi

 

MISSION STATEMENT
Convivio advances Italian cultural identity through scholarship, community engagement, and innovative programming while striving toward increased community coherence and social consciousness through a humanities approach. In essence, we celebrate all things Italian while fostering a deeper sense of community for San Diego.

leadership

 

OVERVIEW
Convivio, a nonprofit organization founded in 2003, promotes Italian arts, culture, and heritage in San Diego through education, research, and cultural events—embracing an innovative approach to cultural advancement. Our vision is to establish the Convivio Institute for Italian Culture and Heritage, a community resource at NTC Promenade to be founded in conjunction with academia in order to promote Italian Studies. Our immediate goal is to establish the Convivio Center in Little Italy, a community/cultural center that will include an espresso bar and retail store, gallery, reference library/reading room, archives/heritage-research room, and exhibits, events, and programs. With an innovative model and philosophy, and an emphasis on community development and social consciousness, Convivio strives to accomplish the following:

  • Promote the study of Italian language, arts, and culture
  • Engage the community in innovative programs and advocacy issues
  • Cultivate partnerships with academia
  • Foster Italian community emerging leadership
  • Provide scholarships and grants for Italian studies and cultural pursuits
  • Preserve Italian heritage and identity and relate the Italian immigrant experience
  • Encourage closer cultural ties to Italy

Convivio sponsors myriad events such as literary workshops, film screenings, educational lectures, interactive presentations, artistic exhibits, artisan showcases, and musical festivals. Our auxiliary Web sites include ItalianSanDiego.com, a virtual piazza for local Italian-community resources; and ItalianArchives.org, the digital repository of Italian-community historical photographs, documents, and oral histories. Our newsletter, From the Italo-Files, highlights the local Italian community news.

 

By fostering leadership in the Italian community, Convivio aims to expand the scope and influence of San Diego’s rich and vibrant Italian culture and heritage and strive toward increased social consciousness. Convivio envisions an Italian cultural institute in San Diego that will serve to preserve and advance Italian culture on a grand scale and help to promote Italian Studies. As part of that vision, we have begun by establishing the Convivio Center, a community cultural and social facility in San Diego’s Little Italy. The Convivio Center represents a unifying element for the Italian community: By serving as a catalyst for an effective partnership of the numerous Italian groups all working independently for the same cause, the center will allow these organizations to share vital resources and increase their collective impact. It will also be a venue in which to showcase San Diego’s rich Italian contributions of the past along with new elements emerging from the culture.

Convivio will achieve its goals as a tribute to the Italians who helped to shape this city, as a legacy for the Italians of a new generation who want to preserve their background and advance their culture and heritage, and as a cultural asset and benefit for the general public interested in this endeavor and in Italian culture. Ultimately, Convivio envisions increased social capital arising from the establishment of the Convivio Center and the Convivio Institute, thus adding an element of renewal to the whole of San Diego’s cultural landscape.
Convivio holds as its core values—

  • Integrity
  • Community
  • Innovation
  • Compassion
  • Respect

Our Ethos: Convivio’s aim is to cultivate a sense of communitas and caritas through its approaches, combining scholarship, community engagement, and innovative programming to provide the community with a new model of Italian cultural advancement and preservation.

:: 2012

•Opening of the Convivio Center, Little Italy San Diego

:: 2011
•Space secured for the Convivio Center

:: 2010
•Convivio Community Endowment established

:: 2009
•San Diego’s Fishing Industry print volume published
•Convivio Center campaign launched

:: 2008
•Italian School of La Jolla established
•Films al Fresco launched

:: 2007
•San Diego’s Little Italy print volume published
•Italian Community Archives physical repository established at UCSD

:: 2006
•Italian Historical Society of San Diego established
•Italian Community Digital Archives established

:: 2005
•Several events highlighting arts and science are co-sponsored with Honorary Italian Vice Consulate of San Diego

:: 2004
•Convivio charter established

:: 2003
•Convivio founded