The Orange County Italian Cultural Association (OCICA) calls for submissions to the 1st Italian Language Poetry Contest in the County of Orange

The contest is inspired by our organization’s goal to promote the Italian Language and Culture in Southern California and to bring together all local Institutions involved in Italian studies to celebrate the richness and beauty of the Italian Language. Every year the contest will have a theme and for our first time a subject very close to any Italian was selected: MOTHERS.

OCICA coordinates the event and a panel of six Professors of Italian Literature at the University of Udine, Italy will judge the poems. Three winners will be selected and their poems will be awarded cash prizes for a total of $1,000. First Prize $500, Second Prize $300 and Third Prize $200. The winning poets will be invited to read their poems at OCICA’s Annual Fundraiser Gala to be held at Villa Fiorile on Sunday May 1st 2011 at 4:00 pm.

Guidelines

1. The contest is open to everybody and university students are particularly encouraged to participate.

2. Poems must be submitted via email no later than MARCH

31, 2011 to ocica.board@ yahoo.com. Poems submitted after this date will not be considered.

3. Poems must all have MOTHERS as their subject.

4. Contestants can submit more than one entry, but each poem should be submitted as a separate word or PDF document attached to the email. The poem’s title should correspond to the file name. NO PERSONAL IDENTIFICATION SHOULD APPEAR ON ANY OF THE POEMS.

5. Enclose ONE cover letter to the email including your name, address, email address and phone number.

Distinguished Panel of the University of Udine, Italy: Prof. Claudio Griggio, Dr. Fabiana di Brazzą, Dr. Ilvano Caliaro, Dr. Roberto Norbedo, Dr. Matteo Venier, Dr. Antonio Ferracin. For more information email: OCICA.Board@yahoo.com, or visit www.ocica.org OCICA’s objective is to bring together Italians and people of all ethnic heritages who enjoy the Italian language and culture.

Through various cultural and community events, OCICA brings a taste of "dolce vita" to Orange County and serves as a focal point for the local Italian community. OCICA is a non-profit organization which relies on donations like yours in order to continue to organize the best Italian cultural events in Orange County.