Società Dante Alighieri Auckland Annual General Meeting 2026 and President's Report

Dear Friends,

The Annual General Meeting of the Società Dante Alighieri Auckland was held yesterday, Saturday 7 March, in the new Dante Rooms of the Freemans Bay Community Centre, Auckland. Please find below the President's report.

We also would like to inform our members that it is time to renew your Dante membership, and that the committee has deliberated that there will be no changes on membership fees for 2026, as we wish to keep these low and affordable to everyone.

You can renew your membership online, with a bank transfer to Società Dante Alighieri BNZ a/c 020192-0309263-00 with the reference "LASTNAME/MSHIP”.
Language students can also pay by eftpos when they attend classes.

If you like you can also add a donation to the Society with your membership. The Dante Alighieri Society of Auckland is a registered charity with ‘donee’ status, and we can provide receipts for your donations on request. 

Any donation, no matter how small, greatly helps us with the day to day running of our society.

Grazie for all your donations!

The current annual subscription for membership (including GST) is: Single membership - $30 per person Couples or family - $40 per couple or family Seniors and tertiary students - $15 per person

Children up to 18 years of age come under Student or Family membership.

Vi ricordiamo che la Società Dante Alighieri è una Charity e che come tale accettiamo con entusiasmo le vostre donazioni e volontariato. 

Le donazioni possono essere dedotte dalle tasse e permettono alla nostra Società di offrire classi, attività ed eventi culturali.

Dante Auckland AGM – President's Report

Cari amici e soci della Dante Auckland,

 

Welcome everyone and thank you for joining us for our 2026 Annual General Meeting.

 

This has truly been a year of change and new beginnings for our Society. After many years in our historic rooms, we moved into our new home at the Freemans Bay Community Centre.

This move marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for the Società Dante Alighieri Auckland.

It took months of planning, organising, packing, and decluttering. There were moments of chaos along the way! But thanks to the dedication of our committee and volunteers, we made it happen. This has given us a space that will allow more flexibility and more opportunities to grow our activities and bring our community together. At the same time, we are aware that the move has increased our fixed costs, and we remain mindful of managing these responsibly.

I would like to sincerely thank all the committee members who helped to make this move possible. In particular, thank you to Valeria Santillo, Luca Manghi and Riccardo Lucignani, as well as the many volunteers who supported us before, during and after the move. A special thank you also goes to our students for their patience while we adjusted to our new space.

 

Despite the challenges of relocating, we continued to offer a rich programme of activities.

Our CineDante film series brought several screenings, followed by engaging discussions.

Our monthly Cantastorie sessions continued to be a wonderful opportunity for families to come together. These mornings allow children and parents to reconnect with their Italian background through stories, play and conversation in Italian. 

Dedicated to the children was also our Festa di Pasqua, another lovely occasion to share the Italian traditions with the youngest in our community.

Our Colazione gatherings also continued, together with activities such as the Italian Quizzone and special guest speakers, including Federica Bressan, who presented her book Nel cuore della Tuscia.

 

In October, we celebrated the Italian Language Week under the theme Italophony – A Language Beyond Borders. Thanks to Professor Bernadette Luciano, Barbara Martelli and Elia Bressanello, a rich programme of talks, screenings and events was organised at the University of Auckland, finishing with the beautiful All Vivaldi Concert and Aperitivo.

 

We ended the year with a joyful Festa di Natale, which also marked the official opening of our new space. It was lovely to welcome members and friends to celebrate together, with live music from the Auckland Mandolinata Orchestra, games for the bambini and families, panettone and other Italian treats, and the photographic exhibition Italians of Auckland by Francesca Brugnoli.

 

As always, we began the year with our popular Intensive Course, which welcomed more than 50 students for a five-day immersive experience in Italian language and culture.

None of this would be possible without the support of our members, students, and volunteers. I am pleased to say that the Society is in a stronger financial position compared to previous years and has achieved a positive result for the year. Our Treasurer, Lynne Webb, will shortly present the financial report in more detail. Because of this positive position, the committee is pleased to confirm that membership fees will remain the same for the coming year.

 

I would also like to thank our committee members and teachers. 

In particular, I would like to acknowledge Valeria Santillo, who has decided to step down from the committee after many years of dedicated service, including her time as Treasurer. We are very grateful for her contribution and are pleased to offer her an honorary membership.

Fiorella Tomasi is also stepping down from the Committee as she prepares to move back to Italy. Fiorella spent a long time managing our playgroup, where her energy and creativity were both inspiring and contagious. Her generosity and always going above and beyond will be greatly missed. We wish her all the very best in this new chapter.

At the same time, we are also delighted to welcome back Martina Depentor to the committee. Martina has been part of our Society for many years, and we are very happy to have her supporting us again — both from Auckland when she is here and from Treviso when she is in Italy.

 

Finally, a very special thank you to Lynne Webb, who stepped into the role of Treasurer last year. Her expertise and dedication have been invaluable. Under her guidance, our Society was formally re-registered under the Incorporated Societies Act 2022 on 2 December 2025 — an important achievement for our organization.

 

As we look ahead, the committee remains committed to offering a lively and meaningful programme that promotes and celebrates Italian language and culture in Auckland.

Grazie a tutti for your continued support, enthusiasm, and for being part of our community.

 

Flavia Berucci
President
Società Dante Alighieri Auckland

 

 

Dante Auckland AGM 2025, and President Report

 

A thousand thanks to Valeria Santillo, our fantastic Dante Auckland treasurer for many years! Valeria will step down as treasurer next month but will remain on the Dante committee.

Cari amici e soci della Dante Auckland,

 

Welcome to our 2025 Annual General Meeting! 

 

Looking back on the past year, I’m pleased to say that 2024 was a positive and productive one for the Dante Team. We hosted a full calendar of engaging talks, workshops, and activities, while continuing our regular classes. It’s been a year of growth, learning, and cultural exchange, and I’m proud of everything we’ve accomplished together.

 

First, I want to thank our teachers and committee members for all their hard work in organizing and supporting these events. Your dedication is what makes our society so special.

 

Also, a special and very personal thank you goes to Valeria Santillo, who has been an integral part of the Dante Society for many years and served as our Treasurer for the past seven years. Valeria has been a pillar of support, managing our finances and assisting with many other administrative tasks. Her dedication and professionalism have been invaluable to the society. Valeria has decided to step down as Treasurer, but she will continue to support us as a Committee member. Her official time as Treasurer will end on April 1st, and we’re deeply grateful for all the hard work she’s done over the years.

 

As we thank Valeria for her incredible contributions, we’re also excited to welcome Lynne Webb as our new Treasurer. Lynne brings a wealth of experience from her work as a Finance Manager, leading accounts and payroll teams and supporting local organizations. We’re confident that she will bring her skills and expertise to our society, and we look forward to working with her. 

 

I also want to give a special thanks to Barbara Martelli, who led our Creative Writing Workshop “Una Storia in Italia.” Under Barbara’s and Elia’s guidance, a group of our students wrote a beautiful short novel, Trieste, addio! This project was a wonderful exploration of both the Italian language and the power of storytelling. The experience was incredibly rewarding for both tutors and students, as it allowed participants to challenge their language skills while creating a compelling narrative. The novel was presented during the Settimana della Lingua Italiana nel Mondo with the theme “L’italiano e il libro: il mondo fra le righe.” This project was made possible thanks to the generous support of the Dante Alighieri Society of Rome.

 

I would also like to acknowledge Riccardo Lucignani for his insightful workshop on Caravaggio, Caravaggio in Rome: The Painter and the City 1500 – 1600. Riccardo’s expertise gave us a deep dive into the life and works of this iconic artist, and we appreciate him sharing his knowledge with us.

 

During the year we continued our monthly Colazione appointments organised by Matteo Telara with several interesting talks that were part of these events. Among them were a special talk by Dr. Giulia Dondoli on anti-money laundering, a session on Italo Calvino with Professor Bruno Ferraro, and a fascinating history talk with Giulia Borelli about how Italy became a Republic. These gatherings have been a great way for us to stay connected and engage with Italian culture.

 

This year, for the first time, the Dante Alighieri Society of Auckland attended the 84th International Congress of the Società Dante Alighieri in Rome. Alessandra Zecchini represented our committee where she participated in three days of meetings, events, and networking opportunities. It was a fantastic chance to connect with other Dante Societies from around the world and strengthen our bonds within the global Dante network.

 

In November, we had the privilege of hosting the Tenores di Neoneli concert, which brought the music and traditions of Sardinia to New Zealand. It was a beautiful celebration of Italian culture, and we were thrilled to share this experience with our community. I’d like to thank Luca Manghi for organising this beautiful concert and for his contribution during the concert. It was just magical to see him playing together with the Sardinian musicians and their ancient instruments.

 

The year concluded with our annual Mercatino di Natale (Christmas Market), which was a lovely way to bring our community together and celebrate the festive season and the new year kicked off with the return of the Festival Italiano in Auckland. The festival was a huge success, bigger and better than ever. Our Dante stand was well-represented, thanks to the hard work of Alessandra Zecchini and all the volunteers who helped out. We are also very grateful to our sponsors, La Marzocco, Segafredo, All Good, and Coffex, for their support. The Festival Italiano was made possible by the Newmarket Business Association, Only Event, with the support of the Waitemata Local Board, the Italian Embassy, and thanks to all the sponsors and stallholders.

 

In addition to these special events, we also continued with some of our regular activities, such as the Cantastorie, our monthly children’s program and our ever-popular Intensive Italian Course in January, both led by our School Director Sandra Fresia.

 

These activities, along with everything else, are reflected in our financial statement, which shows that the society has been able to realise a small operational profit compared to previous years. Valeria Santillo will share more details on the finances shortly.

 

Looking ahead to 2025, we know there will be some challenges, but I am confident that the society is in a stronger position to handle them. With that in mind, we are pleased to announce that membership fees will remain the same as last year, with no increases.

 

In closing, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all of our members and students for your continued support. Together, we have accomplished so much, and I am excited for another year full of activities, events, and opportunities for growth and connection.

 

Grazie a tutti, e ci vediamo presto!

Flavia Berucci

President 

Società Dante Alighieri Auckland

Membership fees for 2024 and President Report

Dear Friends,

It is time to renew your Dante membership. At the last AGM, held on 2 March 2024, the committee has decided that there will be no changes on membership fees for 2024.
We would like to invite all current members to renew their membership, this can be done online with a bank transfer to Società Dante Alighieri BNZ a/c 020192-0309263-00 with the reference "LASTNAME/MSHIP”.
Language students can also pay by eftpos when they attend classes.

If you like you can also add a donation to the Society with your membership. The Dante Alighieri Society of Auckland is a registered charity with ‘donee’ status, and we can provide receipts for your donations on request. 

Any donation, no matter how small, greatly helps us with the day to day running of our society.

Grazie for all your donations!

The current annual subscription for membership (including GST) is: Single membership - $30 per person Couples or family - $40 per couple or family Seniors and tertiary students - $15 per person

Children up to 18 years of age come under Student or Family membership.

Vi ricordiamo che la Società Dante Alighieri è una Charity e che come tale accettiamo con entusiasmo le vostre donazioni e volontariato. 

Le donazioni possono essere dedotte dalle tasse e permettono alla nostra Società di offrire classi, attività ed eventi culturali.

President Report

Cari amici e soci Dante Auckland,

Welcome to our 2024 AGM and thank you all for being here today. 

It has been a privilege for me to spend this past year as the President of Dante Alighieri Society of Auckland.

Having been part of the Committee for the last ten years, I have been very much involved in all the activities of the Society and throughout these years, I have witnessed the genuine affection of our members and students, who continue to support our community and school. 

First and foremost, I extend my gratitude to all of them. I personally experienced the kindness of our members and students when our school’s rooms were affected by flooding last year. Many of them came forward to help cleaning up the rooms. We are deeply thankful for your assistance in that occasion and for your ongoing support.

I also extend my thanks to all our committee members and teachers who with tenacity and passion run the school and its numerous activities. 

This year will see the departure of Kerri Fergusson from our Committee. Kerri has been a valued member for several years. Always ready to lend a hand, embracing any challenges with a fun and proactive attitude. We have all loved working with Kerri, and we wish her the very best for her new exciting commitments in Hamilton and Wellington. 

In 2023 our Committee has been involved in the promotion of the FIFA Women World Cup where we have been appointed as ‘Community Champion’. We engaged with the Italian community to support the tournament and promoted it across our social media platforms. The Tournament and the Multicultural Fan Engagement program was an outstanding success, bringing joy and excitement to all involved.

We welcome more and more of these international events in Aotearoa.

Additionally, we continued our ‘Cantastorie’ appointments for Italian children on the last Sunday of each month implementing it with special workshops dedicated to the ‘Teatro d’Ombre’.

Thanks to the support of the Sede Centrale della Società Dante Alighieri of Rome, we organised a festa for the Italian families and children at the end of the workshop. We were amazed by the success of the event and delighted to see how many Italian families are living in Auckland.

To all of them, we would like to renew our warm invitation to join us. We value your input, and we would like to explore new ways for sharing our cultural heritage. Our doors are open! Families and children have always been very dear to the Dante Auckland, and we believe that there can be many more opportunities for us to grow together. 

Our beloved Colazione continued throughout the year featuring many interesting talks dedicated to Italian Arts and Literature. I would like to acknowledge Matteo Telara’s commitment and dedication for organising the majority of these talks. We have also recently introduced a ‘books exchange’ during our Colazione events which has proven to be very popular and is a lovely way to catchup and share a few chats in Italian.

Although we missed The Festival Italiano this year, we look forward to welcoming it back soon. In the meantime, our Mercatino di Natale was a great success, we enjoyed the festive atmosphere and all the delicious products on offer. The perfect way to close the year. 

From the financial point of view, the Society did slightly better compared to 2022 but unfortunately did not break even as our treasurer, Valeria Santillo, will explain shortly.

Nevertheless, for 2024 we remain committed to expand our opportunities of getting together through new events and activities. We hope to count on the involvement and the support of all our members and I am pleased to communicate that our membership fees will remain unchanged for 2024.

Grazie a tutti,

Flavia Berucci  

President

Società Dante Alighieri Auckland

AGM of the Società Dante Alighieri Auckland

Dear Dante members,

Due to the high number of Omicron cases in the city of Auckland the Dante committee has decided that this year our AGM will be held via Zoom.

If you wish to attend online please send an email by 8pm this evening, 4 March, to info@dante.org.nz to request the link to access the meeting.

Please find the Agenda for the day below.

Cordiali Saluti

The Dante Team 

 

AGENDA OF THE 2022 AGM OF THE SOCIETÀ DANTE ALIGHIERI AUCKLAND

 

HELD AT  10.00  ON SATURDAY 5 MARCH 2022 VIA ZOOM

 

1       APOLOGIES, MINUTES AND CORRESPONDENCE

  

2       PRESIDENT’S REPORT

  

3       TREASURER’S REPORT

  

4       ELECTION OF OFFICERS, MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE AND AN AUDITOR. 

  

5       APPOINTMENT OF PERSONS TO OPERATE THE BANK ACCOUNT

  

6       FIXING THE ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION FOR ENSUING YEAR

 

7       GENERAL BUSINESS

Floor open to members and guests

 

 

AGM closes

 

Dante Auckland AGM 2021 - President Report

On Saturday 27 February the Società Dante Alighieri di Auckland held the Annual General Meeting. We were fortunate to have the AGM the day before Level 3 lockdown in Auckland, and to celebrate together the challenges and successes of 2020. Please find below a transcript of the President Report, which also has important information regarding the future of Festival Italiano. 

Sir John Kirwan, President, and committee member Dr. Luca Manghi, cutting cake for morning coffee after the AGM.

Società Dante Alighieri di Auckland - President Report

Cari amici e soci Dante Auckland,

Welcome to our 2021 AGM, and thank you all for coming today.

Last year was challenging for all, including for Dante Auckland, and more than ever I would like to acknowledge the work of our committee members who, I believe, have exceeded themselves in 2020 with the running of the society.  

I would also like to thank all our members who support us every year and our students for not giving up on learning Italian over the past months during lockdown. I would like to acknowledge the great work and effort of all our teachers who were able to promptly switch to online teaching and keep the classes running. Thank you also to Valeria Santillo for managing the finances so dutifully, to Stefania Perrotta for delivering our monthly newsletter, and to Vice President Flavia Berucci for making my work as president smooth as! 

We are truly blessed that life in New Zealand has been good when compared with the rest of the word, and that between lockdowns we were able to organise many events, including an important international art exhibition for Artweek Auckland and the Italian Language Week: Illustrators for Gianni Rodari – Figure per Gianni Rodari. For this I would like to acknowledge the curators Alessandra Zecchini and Nicoletta Benella, and our local sponsors: the Italian Embassy in New Zealand, Oratia Books and Newmarket Business Association, as well as the exhibition creators Fiera di Bologna, BCBF, Regione E-R, Regione E-R Cultura d’Europa, Einaudi Ragazzi, Vivere all’Italiana (MAECI).

Other events during the year included our monthly colazione, classical music concerts, lectures, school holiday programmes and movie screenings, all organised thanks to the efforts of Luca Manghi, Matteo Telara, Sandra Fresia, Fiorella Tomasi and other committee members and volunteers. 

We also had another successful Italian Festival Season. The decision to hold the event was a courageous one, but it paid off and feedback from the public was outstanding; although the event was smaller than 2019, we had the happiest crowd to date, and praise from the local authorities and our guests from the Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team. Thank you again to our major sponsors who made the Festival possible: the Waitematā Local Board, Newmarket Business Association and Rialto Centre, and supporting sponsors like Ghella, Aperol NZ, the Italian Embassy, and many others. To be acknowledged are also the dozens of smaller but nevertheless precious sponsors, and the many volunteers and staff who worked with our Dante Team Festival Italiano was created by the Dante Auckland in 2005, and since its inception it has grown into a big production, while our Society has remained the same small community group.  So, after careful and extensive consultation, the Dante committee also decided that it was best for both us and the Festival to no longer to organise the event, but to pass it on so that it can prosper and grow.

The Dante Auckland, owner of the Festival Italiano logo mark (registered with IPONZ), will offer the use of the name, logo and all in collateral to the new organiser, who will commit to continue the event in the spirit in which it was created, and to keep it free entry for the public. Naturally the Dante will promote the Festival, take part as an exhibitor, and continue to support it.

Our historic Festival partner, Newmarket Business Association, has agreed to take on Festival Italiano, and the Dante Auckland is now working towards a smooth transfer of the event. There will be no money transactions involved, since Festival Italiano is a not-for-profit community event, not a business. The terms of the transfer will be reviewed yearly by all parties involved.  

We are delighted that Festival Italiano will continue to thrive, as it is such an important event for our community, for the city of Auckland, and for the promotion of Italian language, culture, and lifestyle in New Zealand.

On behalf of the committee I would like to take this opportunity now to thank Alessandra for creating such a unique event and for running it for 16 years with total dedication and love. 

We finished 2020 with our yearly Mercatino di Natale, which is now a well-established event, and started the year 2021 with another successful Intensive course, led by Sandra Fresia. 

Today the Dante Auckland stands with a strong committee as we welcome two new members, Kerri Fergusson and Zeyna Jalil, and we salute our departing member Jackie Shearman, who will be spending less time in Auckland this year and thus have decided to step down from committee duties after many years with us. Grazie Jackie for all your work, and for your friendship. 

In summary, 2020 has been a positive year for activities and, as our treasurer Valeria will shortly confirm in the Treasurer Report, also positive financially. 

With this thought the committee has deliberated to not increase the membership fees for yet another year, so that everyone can easily afford to belong to the Dante Society and enjoy a taste of Italy right here in New Zealand. 

 

Sir John Kirwan

KNZM MBE           

President

Dante Alighieri Society of Auckland

 

Dante Auckland AGM 2020, President's Report

Dante Auckland Committee, from left: Stefania Perrotta, Sir John Kirwan, Matteo Telara, Flavia Berucci, Fiorella Tomasi Lady Kirwan, Cav. Sandra Fresia, Cav. Alessandra Zecchini, Jackie Shearman, Valeria Santillo. Missing: Luca Manghi and Kelly McKinnon)

Cari amici e soci Dante Auckland,

Welcome to our 2020 AGM. It is a joy to see you all here today.

As always, I would like to start my President's report by acknowledging my colleagues from the Dante committee, who are truly dedicated to our Society and run it with passion and love. Secondly, I would like to thank all our members who support us every year, attend our events (and often volunteer with enthusiasm and great energy), and generally help us spread Italian culture and lifestyle in New Zealand. Thank you also to all our language students for having chosen our school to learn Italian.

2019 was another busy year for the Dante, rich with events like the wonderful musical Aggiungi un Posto a Tavola, directed by Matteo Telara and Luca Manghi, which featured professional singers as well as our own Dante students. The Dante in Rome generously contributed toward the cost of this production. 

We also had another successful Italian Festival Season full of events and celebrations of everything Italian, which ended with a truly epic Festival Italiano, the biggest and best to date. Thank you again to our three major sponsors who made the Festival possible: the Waitematā Local Board, Peroni, and Newmarket Business Association, and supporting sponsors Ghella, the Italian Tourist Board of Australia and New Zealand, Aperol NZ, and the Italian Embassy. To be acknowledged also are the dozens of other sponsors, big and small, old and new, and the many volunteers and staff who worked with Festival Director Alessandra Zecchini. 

We finished the year with our yearly Mercatino di Natale, which is now a well-established event, and started 2020 with another successful Intensive language course, led by Sandra Fresia. 

Other events during the year included book presentations, our monthly colazione, free concerts, lectures and movie screenings run in collaboration with other organisations, including the Italian Embassy and the University of Auckland. All of these activities are advertised, and reviewed afterward, in our monthly newsletter, curated by Stefania Perrotta, and through our social media accounts, which are steadily growing in followers and popularity.

  

Due to work and travel commitments last year I couldn't participate in many of these events, so I would like to thank my Vice President, Flavia Berucci, for stepping in to fill my shoes when needed. I hear that she has now become very good at public speeches!

To sum it up 2019 has been a good year for activities and, as our treasurer Valeria Santillo will confirm shortly in the Treasurer’s Report, also financially: we had an increase in our membership numbers and we were able to offer more language classes.

With this thought the committee has decided not to increase the membership fees for yet another year, so that everyone can easily afford to belong to the Dante Society and enjoy a taste of Italy here in New Zealand. 

I would like to conclude my report with a thought for those who are suffering because of the Coronavirus. Although at present we are safe in New Zealand with only one case reported so far, many of us are worried about family and friends, may not be able to travel as planned, and may also be starting to feel the ripples of the economic effects from the lockdowns in Italy. We hope for the outbreak, back at home and elsewhere in the world, to be contained as soon as possible, and for those who are sick to get better soon.  

Sir John Kirwan

KNZM MBE           

President

Dante Alighieri Society of Auckland

2020 DANTE AGM

Our Society AGM (annual general meeting) will take place on Saturday 29 February at 10am (with Italian coffee, of course 😊) at the Dante Rooms in Freemans Bay Community Centre, Auckland. All Dante members welcome 🇮🇹 🇳🇿
Image #repost from the Instagram account of Segafredo Zanetti New Zealand

Dante AGM, the new committee and membership.

We had a wonderful breakfast and AGM at Segafredo Zanetti NZ last Sunday, thank you to our host Mario Archidiacono from Segafredo, and to all who attended. The AGM went smoothly and we are delighted to announce the Dante Committee for 2017:

• Sir John Kirwan, President
• Flavia Berucci, Vice President
• Kelly McKinnon, Secretary
• Rhonda Graham, Treasurer
• Cav. Sandra Fresia, School Director
• Alessandra Zecchini, Italian Festival Director
• Newsletter Editor: Stefania Perrotta
• Martina Depentor, Luca Manghi, Jackie Shearman, Fiorella Tomasi Kirwan, Joanna Walsh, Matteo Telara, Kelly McKinnon, Alessandra Di Marco

We are pleased to announce that the Society has decided not to increase the fees of the annual subscription for membership which will remain

(including GST):

Students and Seniors - $15 per person

Single membership - $30 per person

Couples or Family - $40 per couple or family

Supplement for hard copy newsletter - $5 per year

Children up to 18 years of age come under Student or Family membership.

Please click here if you wish to join or renew your 2017 subscription, otherwise email info@dante.org.nz for more info.

Grazie for supporting Società Dante Alighieri Auckland, and remember that with your Dante Card you can get discounts with our Business Friends of Dante in New Zealand, and in many museums, hotels and tourist attractions in Italy (click here to see the main ones) and worldwide.