Let your imagination soar free! Week of the Italian Language in the World writing competition

Have you ever browsed through some book titles, and automatically imagined what the story would be about? (And, if you are like me, regularly got your guess wrong?) This is what the writing competition for this year's Settimana della Lingua Italiana nel Mondo - Week of the Italian Language in the World asks you to do, in keeping with the theme of Brilliant Language: Imagining, Designing, Creating with Italian: let your imagination soar free!

• Choose any book from our Italian collection and write an original short story inspired by the title. Reading the book itself is optional 🙂
• The story must be in Italian, but, fear not, the competition welcomes both fluent speakers and learners of Italian.
• Enter by filling in the form on the website of the Dante Alighieri Society in Christchurch by 25 October 2026.
• The best entries will be in to win Elena Ferrante's celebrated L'amica geniale series, known in English as the Neapolitan Novels.

Following the success of last year's writing competition for the 25th Week of the Italian Language in the World, prizes will be awarded this year to two entries. The winner will receive the complete four-book set of the Neapolitan Novels in Italian, and the runner-up will receive the complete four-book set in English.

Christchurch City Libraries is thrilled to collaborate once again with the Dante Alighieri Society in Christchurch in co-hosting the competition. The Dante has been sharing Italian language and culture in Ōtautahi since 1960 and is a welcoming community for Italians, Italophiles, learners, and lovers of Italian culture.

Find out more

• The Italian collection at Christchurch City Libraries
• How to enter the competition

Browse

• Books in Italian for adults
• Books in Italian for children

Learn Italian

Can't take part in the competition because you don't know any Italian? Why not make this the incentive to start learning? Who knows, by the next Week of the Italian Language in the World in October 2027, you might be fluent enough to participate! We have many resources to help you learn Italian (and other languages), including:

• Mango Languages: an online language-learning system which provides access to over 70 languages for those wanting to learn a language from basic right through to advanced levels, with grammar and cultural notes.
• Languagenut: easy online language learning with activities and games to learn Italian as well as more than 30 other languages, including Te Reo Māori and Pasifika languages.
• LOTE4Kids: digital books in World Languages that allow children (and adults) to enjoy the magic of books in LOTE (Languages Other Than English). Each book comes with English translations. 
• Italian language study and teaching books and audiobooks

Buona fortuna! Good luck whether you are entering the competition or starting your language learning journey!

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