Dr. Fiore Invited to a Meeting in Catania with Minister Counselor for Public Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Rome

On Sept. 14, 2025, Dr. Fiore was invited to attend a meeting presided by Minister Counselor for Public Affairs U.S. Embassy in Rome, Rachel Cooke. The meeting was held at Isola, a co-working space and innovation hub in Catania directed by Antonio Perdichizzi, the local host. Cooke visited Isola on the occasion of the closing of a program that the Embassy has funded for 2025. Called Fempreneurs, the program supports the growth of start-ups designed and led by Sicilian women. Before the closing ceremony, Cooke met with university professors, journalists, entrepreneurs and innovation specialists to discuss potential collaborations for the future.

Dr. Fiore, a former Fulbright scholar, illustrated the work done at Montclair State University in the field of internationalization of the education experience: from the focus on Made in Italy in the Tri-State Area with the BA in Language, Business, and Culture to the Translation Project which created unique internships in Italy for students specializing in subtitling and surtitling for the Performing Arts.

Fiore has highlighted two recent projects: her 2025-26 sabbatical project about the Allied Landing in Sicily, which has produced a series of events in the island this July as part of Agrigento Capitale della Cultura 2025, as well as the two-month internship in a Sicily-based musical for three Montclair State students of Voice, Musical Theater and Italian who have performed in Il risveglio degli dei in the Valley of the Temples of Agrigento for several magical dawns.

“Given the upcoming 250th Anniversary of the foundation of the U.S., there will be opportunities for collaborations to highlight the historical relationships between Sicily and the U.S. as well as relevant current projects,” Cook remarked.