Dante’s importance includes his being the first to use the Florentine vernacular in a major literary work, rather than Latin, which had been accessible to only the well-educated. Dante set a precedent that later Italian writers followed, including Boccaccio and Tasso. This was an incredible accomplishment for the world, which enabled a wider audience among the populous, and, even more importantly, established his Italian as the accepted national language, unifying the people of Italy across diverse regions and dialects.

His Divina Commedia with Dante’s journey through Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso, guided first by Virgil, the ancient Roman poet, and then by Beatrice, his idealized love, takes the reader through his epic philosophical poem, considered to be the greatest poem of all times.

Join all in the 2021 year celebration and help celebrate the Legacy of Dante!

Go to the website of the ITALIAN HERITAGE & CULTURE COMMITTEE