GTU Hosts Public Lecture by Dante Alighieri Society Secretary General Professor Alessandro Masi

Georgian Technical University hosted a public lecture by Professor Alessandro Masi, Secretary General of the Dante Alighieri Society, as part of the International Dante Day (Dantedì 2026) program.The lecture, entitled “Italian Triptych: Giotto, Saint Francis of Assisi, Dante, and the Birth of Italian Humanism.”

The event was organized by Georgian Technical University in cooperation with the Tbilisi Committee of the Dante Alighieri Society, with the support of the Embassy of Italy in Georgia. The event aimed to promote the Italian language and culture while strengthening cultural and academic ties between Georgia and Italy.

Professor Alessandro Masi was welcomed by Professor Zurab Gudavadze, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Georgian Technical University, and Professor Nino Tsertsvadze, President of the Tbilisi Committee of the Dante Alighieri Society. The lecture was attended by students, academic and research staff, and representatives of the Dante Alighieri Society at the Niko Muskhelishvili University Library.

Speaking at the event’s opening, Professor Gudavadze described Professor Masi’s visit as a significant cultural occasion celebrating International Dante Day, that is has special cultural significance, and his public lecture is one of the key parts of the program and serves to deepen cultural dialogue and cooperation between the two countries.

 “We are delighted that Georgian Technical University is hosting Dantedì 2026 and bringing together representatives of the academic and cultural communities of Georgia and Italy. We are especially honored to welcome Professor Alessandro Masi, Secretary General of the Dante Alighieri Society, an internationally recognized writer, journalist, and art scholar who has devoted many years to promoting the Italian language and culture worldwide.

His public lecture, intended for everyone interested in Italian civilization, particularly young people – explores the historical and cultural developments that transformed medieval Europe and placed the human at the center of art, philosophy, and culture. We are confident that Professor Masi’s presentation will offer valuable academic insight into the origins of humanism and its continuing relevance today. International events of this kind promote cultural dialogue, strengthen academic cooperation, and further deepen the longstanding friendship between Georgia and Italy.”

– Professor Zurab Gudavadze

During the lecture, Professor Masi examined the spiritual and creative legacy of three of the most influential figures in Italian and European civilization – Giotto, Saint Francis of Assisi, and Dante Alighieri. He described these three figures as forming a unified cultural “triptych” that laid the foundations of Italian humanism.

Professor Masi discussed the historical and intellectual developments of the XIII-XIV centuries that transformed perceptions of the individual, emphasizing how Giotto revolutionized painting, Saint Francis reshaped spiritual life, and Dante transformed literature by placing human dignity, personal experience, and the inner world at the center of artistic and intellectual expression.

Professor Masi also highlighted the profound influence these three figures had on the subsequent development of European culture, arguing that the values of humanism continue to serve as fundamental cultural and ethical principles of modern society. According to him, their legacy shaped key aspects of European civilization and contributed significantly to advances in education, art, and science.

The lecture – “The Italian Triptych: Giotto, Saint Francis of Assisi, Dante, and the Birth of Italian Humanism” – continued in a discussion format. The participants exchanged views on humanism, Italian culture, Dante’s literary heritage, and contemporary European cultural developments.

Prior to the public lecture, Professor Alessandro Masi and representatives of the Rome headquarters of the Dante Alighieri Society met with the Rector of Georgian Technical University, Academician David Gurgenidze. During the meeting, the parties explored avenues for deepening cooperation between Georgian Technical University and the Dante Alighieri Society. Discussions focused on launching joint cultural and educational initiatives, as well as advancing the promotion of the Italian language and culture through upcoming collaborative projects.