About

One of the key aims of the Centre is to open Dante Studies to a wider public, and therefore to construct a public space which is inclusive and dynamic. The members of the Centre are all heavily involved in public outreach and engagement. In 2011 the Department of Italian set up the Annual Dante Public Lecture Series in UCC. The series attracts large numbers from all walks of life onto the beautiful UCC campus. The lectures are presented on an annual cycle of five and present speakers from across different disciplines to talk about the influence and role of Dante. The aim of the series is to open UCC up the public and be inclusive around such a canonical figure. There have now been over 50 separate lectures in the various series. All lectures are given by academics, poets and creative practitioners who in some way avail of Dante in their work. The Dante Public Lecture Series is now a fixed part of the UCC Academic calendar. It places the accent on an important research activity within the University, but more importantly it actively seeks to encourage people to come into the College and participate in these lectures.