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have laid the groundwork for future independent exchange agreements between the University of L’Aquila and
the U.S. universities. In April 2010, a special initiative on volunteerism brought a volunteer from the Volunteer
Support Center of the province of L’Aquila to the United States to participate in a multi-regional International
Visitor Leadership Program.
Exchange to Italy: The U.S.-Italy Fulbright Program is supporting a Fulbright Specialist at the University of
L’Aquila. The specialist -- who holds an MBA and has expertise in aiding disaster impacted businesses -- is
assisting the University in building capacity so that it can be a stimulus for restoration of economic
development in the area. The specialist, who is currently the Executive Director of the Louisiana Business and
Technology Center, will present lectures, consult, and perform a needs assessment with the goal of assisting
the University to: 1) plan for the establishment of a sustainable business incubator, 2) develop strategies for
recovery of disaster impacted businesses, and 3) promote new business startup. The specialist will also consult
with the local governments because of their leading role in the reconstruction and in fostering economic
development. He will be in L’Aquila a total of 42 days, departing mid-June 2010.
English Language Teaching & Learning: A State Department grant to TESOL-Italy (Teachers of English to
Speakers of Other Languages) was given for a pilot project in Abruzzo targeted at schools serving displaced
students from L’Aquila. This project included the acquisition and distribution of Italian text books of English
for the primary, secondary and university levels, and supported seminars, talks, and e-tutoring with educators
in Abruzzo in order to make effective use of TESOL materials. The members of TESOL are volunteering their
time to support the educators in Abruzzo. In November 2009, a group of 22 secondary school teachers of
English from L’Aquila and surrounding areas attended the annual TESOL conference in Rome on Multiplying
Voices. TESOL distributed English teaching materials that included a book by keynote speaker Dr. Janet
Zadina, who returned to Italy a few months later to work more closely with the teachers from Abruzzo.
Preserving Archives: The State Department brought an expert archivist from the United States to perform an
in-depth assessment of information resources in L’Aquila and to evaluate the needs of various libraries in
L’Aquila, including digitalization of records. As a follow-on, the State Department also funded a University of
L’Aquila archivist/librarian’s participation in a regional conference on the digitalization of cultural heritage.
Donation of Information Resources: The State Department donated information and reference materials to
assist L’Aquila’s public libraries and school libraries. One contribution included giving 5,000 dictionaries for
English learners that are being distributed to all high school students in the earthquake-stricken area.
Fine Arts Curator: The U.S. Embassy has offered its experienced curator/conservator to the University of
L’Aquila for the period of one month to assist the university in an art inventory or restoration project to help
assess its art collection and any damage to the art caused by the earthquake.
Summer Activities for Youth: The State Department supported projects in the summer and fall of 2009,
undertaken by civil society groups in Abruzzo, to engage youngsters in the many tent camps with recreational
activities, such as sports and games. In particular, U.S. Embassy Rome worked with the Italian Civil Protection
Agency and the Italian National Basketball Federation to provide a basketball day camp for 130 young people
affected by the earthquake. The reaction of the youngsters, aged 6-12, on "graduation day" showed the
program’s value in helping to bring joy back into the lives of earthquake victims.
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