 |
| Rome viewed from Villa Aurelia's terrace |
The American
Academy’s Villa Aurelia proudly crowns the Janiculum Hill, aloof and elegant and full of history. It is not easy to arrive by
public transport and for years it
was a place mostly frequented by the resident scholars, lucky recipients of the prestigious Rome Prizes.
Over the past several years the American Academy has continued its policy
of opening up to local creative people
of all nationalities thus enriching the scholars in residence and enlarging the
circle of scholarship and community.
 |
| security at Villa Aurelia |
 |
| Villa Aurelia by night |
Last Tuesday it was a pleasure to see a full house listening attentively to the speakers at the
conversation about Women and the Social Media.
Among those present the newly arrived Irish
Ambassador, Bobby McDonagh, local bloggers, academics, art historians, students and journalists.
 |
| a goup of local writers and journalists |
The emphasis was
on how social media, internet, the 24-hour news cycle and the democratized
internet can be used to empower women worldwide. The panelists each narrated personal incidents, discussed the
present day situation and strategies for
the future.
 |
| the distinguished panelists |
The Italian
speakers lauded their American
counterparts for their knowhow and gumption, for it was pointed out that Italian women are woefully behind perhaps due to shyness and cultural mores.
“But”, Sabina
Ciuffini explained, “ we Italians are better cooks”.
 |
| Sabina Ciuffini, a blast from the past |
 |
| Linda Douglass |
 |
| Mary Beard speaks with Kim Bowes |
The bilingual conference
included a Skype connection with Dr.
Cecilia Kyenge in Strasbourg and was skillfully
coordinated by Kim Bowes of the
American Academy.
Panelists were author Mary Beard, the former White House Communications Director for Health Care Linda
Douglass, blogger and entrepreneur Sabina Ciuffini www.unaqualunque.it and former Italian Minister Dr. Cecilia Kyenge .
 |
| prosecco after the conference |
