Founded in 2005 by JCU professors Brunella Antomarini, Berenice Cocciolillo, and Rosa Filardi, the InVerse festival is one of the University's most important cultural events and has filled a need in Rome for a forum in which to read, translate, and discuss Italian poetry. It is a chance to listen to some of the most interesting voices in contemporary Italian poetry read their work, which is also read in English translation.
At the root of the project was the desire to introduce English speakers, especially American students, to modern Italian poetry. We wanted to give our students the opportunity to understand how Italian culture is transmitted through the language of poetry. JCU Vice President of Academic Affairs Mary Merva observed: "As a foreign university in this wonderful country of Italy, JCU has a special role in promoting cultural exchange between Italy and the United States. The InVerse Poetry Festival is a shining example of very thoughtful and provocative cultural exchange."
The bilingual InVerse anthologies, published by John Cabot University Press, collect the works of well known poets who already belong to the history of Italian poetry, in addition to younger and less known poets whom we believe deserve to be known.
