Benvenuti!
The Melbourne Branch of the Dante Alighieri Society was established in 1896. Part of a global organisation committed to promoting Italian language and culture internationally, Dante Melbourne links Victoria to the heart of Rome. As the oldest branch of the Dante Alighieri Society in an English speaking country, we are a dynamic and ever-evolving part of the local and international Italian community.
NEWS
Join us to celebrate Italian poetry, language, community and il buongusto.
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APPLICATIONS NOW CLOSED
SCHOLARSHIPS TO STUDY IN ITALY IN 2024
The Dante Alighieri Society of Melbourne, with the financial support of the Italian Australian Foundation, is offering international travel scholarships of $8,000 each to teachers of Italian to travel to Italy to study Italian with one of the Dante Alighieri societies in Italy in 2024.
Applications will close on 8.00am Monday 2 October 2023. |
UNIVERSITY STUDENTS' AWARDS ANNOUNCED
For over 20 years the Dante Alighieri Society of Melbourne has been running the University Students’ Prizes of Excellence Program.
We thank the generous individuals, families, and organisations for their support and for sharing our mission to celebrate and promote Italian language and culture.
ABOUT THE AWARDS
The awards are made to students who have achieved outstanding results in their studies in Italian across the four universities. They are chosen by the lecturers of each institution.
The awards include: prize money, 12 month membership for the Dante Alighieri Society and this year, a copy of Una donna una rosa, the latest collection of poems by the well-respected Italian Australian poet Mariano CORENO.
DR SOCCORSO SANTORO PRIZE – THE UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE
The Dr Soccorso SANTORO Prize, awarded each year by the Dante Alighieri Society, Melbourne to three students at the University of Melbourne who have achieved outstanding results in Italian.
The Dr Soccorso SANTORO prizes are generously sponsored by the Santoro family, which has been involved with Società Dante Alighieri since at least 1931, when Dr Soccorso SANTORO became President of the Society – an office he would hold until 1959. To this day, Dr Soccorso SANTORO is fondly remembered by many also for his dedicated work as a general practitioner for the Italian migrant community in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. Soccorso’s son, Dr George, his wife Susan, George’s grandson Max and their family proudly continue to uphold Soccorso’s legacy in the cultural field.
Winners:
Margaret Oravecz
Cristina De Simone
Serfina Nouri
PROFESSOR COLIN McCORMICK & MRS JOSEPHINE McCORMICK PRIZE – MONASH UNIVERSITY
The Professor Colin McCORMICK & Mrs Josephine McCORMICK Prize, awarded each year by the Dante Alighieri Society, Melbourne to three students at Monash University who have achieved outstanding results in Italian.
Professor Colin Angus McCORMICK founded the Department of Italian Studies at the University of Melbourne in 1959, where he lectured until his retirement in 1981. He is well remembered, both in academic and in community circles, for his passion and capacity in promoting the Italian language and culture. Professor McCORMICK was for many years Vice President of Società Dante Alighieri, Melbourne. His late wife Josephine was also an enthusiastic member of the Society. This prize is generously sponsored by their children, who wish to honour their parents’ legacy by contributing a special encouragement for people who are studying Italian.
Winners:
Maria Hinen
Luca Aldo Brown
Chloe Pandaleon
ITALIAN CLUB CAVOUR PRIZE – AUSTRALIAN CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY
The Italian Club Cavour Prize, awarded each year by the Dante Alighieri Society, Melbourne to three students of the Australian Catholic University, who have achieved outstanding results in Italian.
The Italian Club Cavour, founded in Melbourne in 1917, shares with the Dante Alighieri Society the commitment to encouraging people to study the Italian language and culture and to develop and maintain connections with Italy. The club is very supportive of the Society’s activities and contributes generously to many of its programs for schools and universities.
Winners:
Dalemaree Florentine Willcocks
Sharon Croxford
Elizabeth Grace Brigid Mills
DANTE ALIGHIERI SOCIETY, MELBOURNE, PRESIDENT’S PRIZE – LA TROBE UNIVERSITY
Dante Alighieri Society President’s Prize, awarded each year by the Dante Alighieri Society, Melbourne to three students at La Trobe University who have achieved outstanding results in Italian. This prize was set up almost 20 years ago by the former long-serving President of Società Dante Alighieri, Thomas HAZELL, AO.
Winners:
Claudia Gelsi
Claudia Pironi
Amelie Milazzi
Thank you to our sponsors: The Santoro Family, The McCormack Family and the Italian Club Cavour.
Thank you to our partner universities and the staff:
University of Melbourne: Dr Vita GIORDANO, Ms Elisabetta FERRARI & Mr Matthew ABSALOM
Monash University: Dr Barbara PEZZOTTI
Australian Catholic University: Dr Anna MENICUCCI
La Trobe University: Dr Brigid MAHER & Dr Gregoria MANZIN
We thank the generous individuals, families, and organisations for their support and for sharing our mission to celebrate and promote Italian language and culture.
ABOUT THE AWARDS
The awards are made to students who have achieved outstanding results in their studies in Italian across the four universities. They are chosen by the lecturers of each institution.
The awards include: prize money, 12 month membership for the Dante Alighieri Society and this year, a copy of Una donna una rosa, the latest collection of poems by the well-respected Italian Australian poet Mariano CORENO.
DR SOCCORSO SANTORO PRIZE – THE UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE
The Dr Soccorso SANTORO Prize, awarded each year by the Dante Alighieri Society, Melbourne to three students at the University of Melbourne who have achieved outstanding results in Italian.
The Dr Soccorso SANTORO prizes are generously sponsored by the Santoro family, which has been involved with Società Dante Alighieri since at least 1931, when Dr Soccorso SANTORO became President of the Society – an office he would hold until 1959. To this day, Dr Soccorso SANTORO is fondly remembered by many also for his dedicated work as a general practitioner for the Italian migrant community in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. Soccorso’s son, Dr George, his wife Susan, George’s grandson Max and their family proudly continue to uphold Soccorso’s legacy in the cultural field.
Winners:
Margaret Oravecz
Cristina De Simone
Serfina Nouri
PROFESSOR COLIN McCORMICK & MRS JOSEPHINE McCORMICK PRIZE – MONASH UNIVERSITY
The Professor Colin McCORMICK & Mrs Josephine McCORMICK Prize, awarded each year by the Dante Alighieri Society, Melbourne to three students at Monash University who have achieved outstanding results in Italian.
Professor Colin Angus McCORMICK founded the Department of Italian Studies at the University of Melbourne in 1959, where he lectured until his retirement in 1981. He is well remembered, both in academic and in community circles, for his passion and capacity in promoting the Italian language and culture. Professor McCORMICK was for many years Vice President of Società Dante Alighieri, Melbourne. His late wife Josephine was also an enthusiastic member of the Society. This prize is generously sponsored by their children, who wish to honour their parents’ legacy by contributing a special encouragement for people who are studying Italian.
Winners:
Maria Hinen
Luca Aldo Brown
Chloe Pandaleon
ITALIAN CLUB CAVOUR PRIZE – AUSTRALIAN CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY
The Italian Club Cavour Prize, awarded each year by the Dante Alighieri Society, Melbourne to three students of the Australian Catholic University, who have achieved outstanding results in Italian.
The Italian Club Cavour, founded in Melbourne in 1917, shares with the Dante Alighieri Society the commitment to encouraging people to study the Italian language and culture and to develop and maintain connections with Italy. The club is very supportive of the Society’s activities and contributes generously to many of its programs for schools and universities.
Winners:
Dalemaree Florentine Willcocks
Sharon Croxford
Elizabeth Grace Brigid Mills
DANTE ALIGHIERI SOCIETY, MELBOURNE, PRESIDENT’S PRIZE – LA TROBE UNIVERSITY
Dante Alighieri Society President’s Prize, awarded each year by the Dante Alighieri Society, Melbourne to three students at La Trobe University who have achieved outstanding results in Italian. This prize was set up almost 20 years ago by the former long-serving President of Società Dante Alighieri, Thomas HAZELL, AO.
Winners:
Claudia Gelsi
Claudia Pironi
Amelie Milazzi
Thank you to our sponsors: The Santoro Family, The McCormack Family and the Italian Club Cavour.
Thank you to our partner universities and the staff:
University of Melbourne: Dr Vita GIORDANO, Ms Elisabetta FERRARI & Mr Matthew ABSALOM
Monash University: Dr Barbara PEZZOTTI
Australian Catholic University: Dr Anna MENICUCCI
La Trobe University: Dr Brigid MAHER & Dr Gregoria MANZIN
Dante Alighieri Society and CoAsIt New Memorandum of Understanding Signed

The Dante Alighieri Society of Melbourne and Co.As.It Italian Assistance Association have entered into a formal Memorandum of Understanding to cement our work together and promote Italian language and culture in Melbourne and beyond. This will mean the two organisations will coordinate a program of language courses, prizes, scholarships and events that will strengthen Italian culture in Melbourne. Read the article in Il Globo