Sicilian Culture: The News & Views: Marconi's 100th Anniversary is Honored & The Gugliemo Marconi Scholarship 2001-2002

Sicilian Culture

The People, The History, The Culture

The News & Views
Marconi's 100th Anniversary is Honored &
The Gugliemo Marconi Scholarship 2001-2002
By Laura D'Amelio
Posted at ilpostinocanada.com
Volume 1, Number 8 - May 2001
On Dec. 12, 1901, Guglielmo Marconi, a man born in Bologna, Italy, stood atop Signal Hill in Nfld, Canada and received the first signal to be transmitted across the Atlantic Ocean. The beacon was originating from Cornwall, England and the event was to become a starting point for the advancement of telecommunication for the next 50 years. Marconi's progression with his experiments would lead to breakthroughs in communications both in radio and broadcasting and in navigation systems.
It would affect everyday lives of citizens and connect the world in ways never thought possible.
The Embassy of Italy recognized the historic importance of Marconi on April 25th as Mario Boffo, acting Italian ambassador to Canada, told the invitees to a dinner at the Ambassador¹s residence of the events planned in Marconi's honour. Marconi's achievements as an Italian working in Canada have been a special interest to the Italian Embassy. Boffo emphasized the importance of Italy and Canada working in cooperation in high technology to continue Marconi's vision and outlined the steps that have already been taken to achieve this goal.
Through Marconi celebrations, the Embassy would like to convey three specific messages to both Canadian and Italian citizens. The first is that Italy has a tradition of science and technology and is not just a country of artists and writers. Italian scientists such as Galileo, Volta and Fermi dispel the notion that Italy¹s role in innovation is anything less than significant.
"Marconi was not an isolated case, but the expression of a culture," says Boffo in explaining the second message they wish to communicate: Italy is not the backwards country it is often portrayed to be. Italy has contributed to the advancement and modernization of humankind and will continue to do so.
The third message lies in the events themselves. The commemorative projects are based on the notion that relations between Canada and Italy have always had a technological element from the beginning. The voyage of Caboto is cited as an example. For the celebrations and commemorative projects the Embassy is working with representatives from Heritage Canada for the philosophy of the celebrations and the Industry Canada for the industrial and technological aspects of the initiatives.
The government of Newfoundland is also getting involved in the event by organizing a conference for Italian and Canadian telecommunication specialists in September. The Wireless Vision Congress will gather experts in telecommunications in St. John¹s, from Sept. 26 to 28. The goal of the conference, according to promotional literature for the event, is to "look beyond the day to day to the vision of what the world will become" with advancements in telecommunications. Congress Chair John Kelly has insisted that this is not a trade show but a "thinkers' congress."
Interactive sessions between panelists and delegates who develop new technology and those who actually use it will hopefully create an exchange ideas. Also issues to be discussed with cover protection of cultural identity and diversity, overcoming distance in rural and remote areas, and sea-to-sky possibilities. Speakers at the conference will include Jean Monty, chairman and chief executive officer for BCE Inc., Frank Plastina, president of Wireless Internet at Nortel Networks and Brian Tobin, Minister of Industry.
All these events were spurred by the positive results of an Italy-Canada Investment Forum which took place in February as well as a Memorandum of Understanding agreed to and signed by the two countries in Ottawa. In the Memorandum the ministries of Foreign Affairs and Trade for both countries agreed to such things as an exchange and comparison of information on international business practices, information technology, interdepartmental coordinating and exploring forms of cooperation.
Eventually the groups will meet to discuss these subjects and incorporate private sector expertise to establish a Canada-Italy Business Sector. While using the celebration of this historic anniversary as an opportunity to foster and extend business relations between the two countries, Boffo made it clear that they must also send a message to the citizens, both Canadian and Italian and get them involved.
Canadian telecommunication experts can now also take advantage of the year's festivities through the Guglielmo Maroni scholarship established by the Italian government. This scholarship allows Canadian researchers and specialists in telecommunications undertake advanced studies in Italy. The Italian Embassy hopes that this will promote the development of contacts while sending the message that Italy has the ability to train more than artists and musicians. "We expect that Canada will soon establish a similar scholarship for Italian Citizens, thereby doubling the results of this program," says Boffo.
Through the three-fold message Boffo laid out, the embassy hopes to change the stereotypes often associated with Italy. Boffo said that it is important to banish the traditional cultural view of Italy, which "suffers from an excess of tradition and folklore, it is often too regional and focused on the past." With this image in the minds of Canadians and young Italian-Canadians, it would be hard to get them interested in what Italy has to offer. To see Italy as a progressive and advanced country, rather than a backwards, traditional nation, will draw researchers, investors and tourists to a country prepared to take the world stage.
More importantly however, Boffo said this must be done "in the interest of Italians in Canada, who can once again make their heritage interesting to their children." Perhaps Marconi's work will do more than keep communication alive in the end, but will help to maintain a culture through his innovation and spirit. For more information on the Wireless Vision Congress, you can visit www.wirelessvision.nf.ca. For information about the 100th anniversary commemorate events in Newfoundland and Labrador go to www.gov.nf.ca/marconi.
The Guglielmo Marconi Scholarship, 2001-2002
Guglielmo Marconi received many honours and several honorary degrees for his work in telecommunications. In 1909 he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics for the development of wireless telegraphy, he sent as delegate to the peace conference in Paris of 1919, was nominated to the Italian senate in 1929 and chosen president of the Royal Italian Academy (1930).
Now Canadian researchers can receive the honour of working in the name of Marconi to continue his dream. Inspired by the work of Marconi, the Italian government is offering a nine month scholarship to Canadian citizens wishing to pursue research and internship programs in Italy in the field of telecommunications. Post-graduate students, professionals, teachers and specialists in this field who meet the necessary requirements will be selected and start their program in November. Knowledge of Italian is mandatory unless applicants have applied for self-directed research or the course or research they are doing is held in their language.
The monthly stipend is 1,200,000 lira, however the scholarship does not cover airfare and room and board. The deadline for applications is June 15, 2001. For more information, contact the Embassy of Italy, Cultural Office, (613) 232-2401 or visit www.italyincanada.com.

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