On Monday, September 27, the Friends of the Academy in Italy gathered to welcome new AAR Director Christopher S. Celenza (1994 Fellow) and the new class of Academy Fellows. Founded in 2007, the Friends was established to foster dialogue between the Academy community and residents in Rome and further afield in Italy. About 180 attended the reception, where Friends brought each other up to speed on their summer activities, renewed their memberships, and had the opportunity to meet the new crop of AAR Fellows, Affiliated Fellows, and Residents, as well as many from the Academy staff.
Speaking briefly at the event were Friends founder and (with Vincenzo Racana) cochair Elizabeth Minchilli, McKim Medal Gala Chair Valentina Moncada di Paternò, and AAR President Adele Chatfield-Taylor (1984 Fellow). Then Celenza introduced himself and spoke on some aspects of his work on European intellectual history in the Renaissance, plus outlined upcoming events. This marks the fourth year that the Friends of the Academy has collaborated with AAR in developing a varied schedule of programs of broad mutual interest. AAR External Affairs Assistant Tina Cancemi serves as liaison to the Friends group.