Poesiaren Udaberria: enjoying the Basque poetry in Milan and Venice

On the occasion of the World Poetry Day held last March 21, on March 24 the University of Milan will host the event “En el umbral de la primavera / Poesiaren udaberria”, with the participation of  poets Rikardo Arregi, Julio Martínez Mesanza and Vanesa Pérez Sauquillo. Their poems have been previously translated into Italian for a better understanding by the local public. On another hand, two Uruguayan artists, the actor Milton Fernñandez and the musician Ángel Fernández Galzerano will offer the recital "Defense of joy" as a tribute to the poetry of Mario Benedetti.

This year, the Milanese spring poetic program wanted to give special importance to the Basque literature; for that reason, besides the presence of the poet Rikardo Arregi, Professor Iñaki Alfaro will lecture on the relevance of poetry in the history of the Basque language, focusing more specifically on bertsolaritza and songwriters. Besides, they will read and comment poems by four Basque classical authors (B. Etxepare, G. Aresti, A. and B. Atxaga Urretabizkaia). Beisdes, ona day later, on March 25,  Rikardo Arregi will also participate in a meeting with students of the Basque Language and Literature course taught by the Etxepare Basque Institute reader Iñaki Alfaro at the University of Venice.

On the occasion of the World Poetry Day held last March 21, on March 24 the University of Milan will host the event “En el umbral de la primavera / Poesiaren udaberria”, with the participation of  poets Rikardo Arregi, Julio Martínez Mesanza and Vanesa Pérez Sauquillo. Their poems have been previously translated into Italian for a better understanding by the local public. On another hand, two Uruguayan artists, the actor Milton Fernñandez and the musician Ángel Fernández Galzerano will offer the recital "Defense of joy" as a tribute to the poetry of Mario Benedetti.

This year, the Milanese spring poetic program wanted to give special importance to the Basque literature; for that reason, besides the presence of the poet Rikardo Arregi, Professor Iñaki Alfaro will lecture on the relevance of poetry in the history of the Basque language, focusing more specifically on bertsolaritza and songwriters. Besides, they will read and comment poems by four Basque classical authors (B. Etxepare, G. Aresti, A. and B. Atxaga Urretabizkaia). Beisdes, ona day later, on March 25,  Rikardo Arregi will also participate in a meeting with students of the Basque Language and Literature course taught by the Etxepare Basque Institute reader Iñaki Alfaro at the University of Venice.

This event has been organized with the support of the University of Milan, the cultural office of the Embassy of Spain in Italy, the Cervantes Institute in Milan and the Etxepare Basque Institute; and also thanks to the incalculable contribution of teachers and students of the University of Milan, who will also recite poems in Italian and will explain their gorgeous interest in poetry.

This year the Milanese athenaeum has opened a new program, coordinated by Professor Danilo Manera, entitled "Basque, Catalan and Galician Literature", that has been enthusiastically received by Italian students. The Basque language section is in charge of Professor Nora Santamaria Iribar, Donostiako Sustapena / Fomento de San Sebastián scholarship holder.