In 2026, we celebrate the 200th anniversary of Carlo Lorenzini’s – AKA Collodi – birth in Florence in 1826, the creator of one of Italy’s most beloved and internationally recognized literary characters: Pinocchio.
In celebration of the Week of the Italian Language in the World, Wayne State University, the Consulate of Italy in Detroit, and the Dante Alighieri Society of Michigan present three days dedicated to Pinocchio, October 19–21.
Through conversations, presentations, and film screenings, we will explore the many lives of Collodi’s famous puppet, from the original Italian text and its translations to cinema, theater, advertising, and popular culture.
The program includes Pinocchio Across Languages, Prof. Anne Duggan’s Collodi in Translation, screenings of the films by Matteo Garrone and Roberto Benigni, and Pinocchio on Stage & Screen, an interactive look at the many ways Pinocchio has been interpreted and reinvented over time.
Three days to rediscover a story many of us have known since childhood and to see how an Italian literary classic has traveled across languages, cultures, and generations.
Free and Open to the Public – check the program for locations and times.
Manoogian Hall, Wayne State University
906 W Warren Ave, Detroit, MI 48201
Organized in conjunction with the theme of the 26th edition (19-25 October 2026), the theme will be Brilliant language: Conceiving, Designing, and Creating with Italian, with the aim of emphasizing the strong connection between growth and culture, and showcasing Italy’s dynamic image that, through its “brilliant” language inherited from a long and rich history and traditions, brings the very best of its expertise to the world across fields such as technology, science, engineering, design, fashion, and gastronomy.
~~Established in 2001, the Week of the Italian Language in the World is organized every year by the diplomatic-consular network and the Italian Cultural Institutes in coordination with traditional partners for linguistic promotion: the Ministry of Education and Merit, the Ministry of University and Research, the Ministry of Culture, the Swiss Embassy, the Accademia della Crusca, Cepell, CGIE, the Italophone Radio and Television Community, RAI, the Dante Alighieri Society, and Treccani.”
Under the High Patronage of the President of the Italian Republic.
Program Opening - October 19
Time: 12:30 -1:30 PM - Room 408, Manoogian Hall
Pinocchio Across Languages
A multilingual opening with the incipit of Pinocchio, followed by an interactive introduction to Collodi, his world, and his puppet's extraordinary journey.
Time: 6:00 PM, Manoogian Lab
Film Screening: Pinocchio, Matteo Garrone's acclaimed reimagining of Collodi's classic.
October 20
Time: 12:30-2:00 PM
Manoogian Hall: Room 408
Collodi in Translation
Prof. Anne Duggan explores Collodi's translations of Madame d'Aulnoy's fairy tales into Italian, followed by a conversation on translation, cultural exchange, and influence.
Time: 6:00 PM, Manoogian Lab
Film Screening: Pinocchio, Roberto Benigni's beloved adaptation of Collodi's classic.
October 21
Time: 12:30 -2:00 PM - Room 408, Manoogian Hall
Pinocchio on Stage & Screen
From cinema and musical to advertising and popular culture: an interactive journey through the many lives of Pinocchio
Time: 5:00 PM - Italian Heritage Room - General Lecture
Conferimento all'Ordine della Stella d'Italia with the Consul of Italy in Detroit
