Contemporanea: Parole e Storie di Donne was born in the province of Biella, in Northwestern Italy, between Torino and Milano. In 2020, founder Irene Finiguerra created a space where people could connect with the voices of writers, artists, entrepreneurs, athletes, and female activists.
The goal was to let women today share their stories and thoughts with the world, while also honoring the women of the past who made this space possible. Contemporanea’s aim is not only to include women’s perspectives in male-dominated spaces, but also to share female success stories in any setting within their reach.
To that end, the program has held panels, immersed in Biella’s classrooms, hosted six literary events in Biella, collaborated in Rome and Milano, and now brought it to New York. Following a close relationship with Italian writer and New Yorker Annalisa Menine, the press office said, “It almost felt natural to come to the city that is more capable than any other city to offer opportunity and connection.”
Their mission in New York
While in New York, Contemporanea visited many American and Italian-American institutions. They were guests in the Italian departments at New York University and Columbia University; visited Guglielmo Marconi, the only Italian international school in North America; and met with middle and high school students from the United Nations International School (UNIS).
Contemporanea detailed positive reactions to their immersions in these spaces and said these experiences were “giving life to a high level of cultural exchange.”
Outside of schools, Contemporanea was also invited by the Permanent Mission of Italy to the United Nations to discuss the UN 2030 agenda, specifically goals 4 and 5 on quality education and gender equality.
About this meeting, Finiguerra said, “ We started in a small Italian town, working within our local community […] and we have learned that even a small-scale initiative can contribute to a broader discourse, […]Today, within an international context such as this, we wish to reaffirm one fundamental principle: there can be no true gender equality without a genuine opportunity for women to contribute to shaping our collective narrative.”
Becoming a Writer event
Contemporanea’s visit concluded on Saturday, Oct. 17, with the panel “Becoming a writer,” hosted at Sullaluna, an Italian bookstore, brunch spot, and cultural hub in the West Village. The event featured Italian author Stefania Auci and included a literary walking tour with Marta Perego through the West Village, Greenwich Village, Washington Square, and SoHo, followed by another evening interview with Auci.
At Sullaluna, Stefania Auci was the guest of honor and spoke about her relationship with writing, her experiences as a woman in the field, her dual role as a school teacher, and more. Auci has been exploring Italian literature with historical rigor in her work.
Originally from Sicilia and currently a teacher, she seamlessly weaves history and her identity into her books, which have become extremely successful—her 2020 novel The Florios of Sicily sold 1.5 million copies, was translated into 40 countries, and was adapted into a Hulu and Disney+ series.
This event brought together important modern Italian figures like Marta Galfetti, a reporter for Il Newyorkese, the most-read Italian newspaper in the U.S.; the founder of Italian Women in USA (IWUSA), Cornelia Pop, the biggest and first Italian women’s community in the United States with over 10,000 members; author Annalisa Menin; and more.
Finiguerra said, “We have always believed that culture should not be a privilege reserved for the few, but rather an accessible opportunity.” Contemporanea brings teachings for free wherever it goes—they chose New York to host the first edition of their international chapter—and allegedly could return in the following years.
