Patricia Peterle, professor at the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), was appointed the first foreigner to the Scientific Committee of the Strega Poetry Award, in Italy.
The confirmation came in January of this year. The award was created in 2023 as an extension of the renowned Strega Prize, with the aim of valuing contemporary poetry and encouraging literary debates.
The committee is made up of teachers, editors and poets. Its functions include nominating 12 works, of which five will become finalists. The winner will be chosen by a popular jury, called Friends of Poetry, made up of 100 members. The teacher will remain in the group for one year and may be reappointed.
“I was very happy, as it is a recognition of the work I have been developing on Italian poetry inside and outside Brazil”, says Patricia.
She points out that poetry still has a limited circulation, especially within Italian literature. Therefore, she considers participating in the award an important opportunity to expand its reach.
The professor says that in recent years she has been invited to courses and events in Italy. Among the authors she works with are Andrea Zanzotto, Fabio Pusterla, Elisa Biagini, Mariangela Gualtieri, among others. Many of these names have been translated and published by her in Brazil.
“Being part of this committee is truly an honor. Reading the more than 160 books entered or nominated for the prize by the committee itself, despite the work involved, is a super powerful contact with what poetry is and how it is being written today. It is something that excites me,” he says.
The 12 competing works were announced in Milan on March 21. The finalists will be announced on May 7 at the MAXXI Museum in L'Aquila. The winning work will be announced on October 8th.
Teacher's trajectory
Born in São Paulo, Patricia studied at the Guglielmo Marconi Italian School, located at the Italian consulate in São Paulo. She graduated in Literature from PUC-Rio and completed her master's degree at UFRJ.
In 2009, she began teaching Italian literature at UFSC. In addition to being a teacher and researcher, she works as a translator of literary and philosophical works. She is the editor of the magazine Italian Mosaic and collaborates with several periodicals in Brazil and abroad.
He is currently a member of the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures and the Postgraduate Program in Literature at UFSC.
About the Strega Poetry Award
Created in 2023, the Strega Poesia Award seeks to value contemporary poetic production and promote dialogues about literature. The initiative brings together critics, writers and teachers who select outstanding works in the field of poetry.
The winner receives €5 and the “L'infinito Premio Strega de Emilio Isgrò”.
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