DeVulgare

DeVulgare is an Italian non-profit association (Associazione di Promozione Sociale, APS) dedicated to the preservation, valorisation and dissemination of Italy's local and regional linguistic heritage. It grew out of a project started in 2021 and was founded by Niccolò Fantini and Guglielmo Diamante, two young Italians who had emigrated to London and were raised in cultural contexts where speaking "dialect" was considered rude, yet not knowing it was considered a sin. Determined to act, they created a website that hosts a digital audio library (audioteca digitale) — public, freely accessible and open to contributions from anyone who speaks a regional language. The organisation pursues three interconnected objectives: to preserve local linguistic richness by making knowledge of it accessible; to valorise it by pulling local languages out of the folkloric sphere and placing them in a contemporary context through online events where expert speakers demonstrate that these languages still matter today; and to disseminate knowledge through its social channels and events, without imposing hierarchies and while favouring the self-determination of speakers. DeVulgare describes itself as a bottom-up, collaborative initiative and welcomes advice and contributions aimed at achieving its goals. The team is made up of volunteers who share a strong passion for local languages and their promotion. It works flexibly and remotely, each member from their own location, which the association says helps keep diversity and pluralism alive. Governance includes a Board of Directors — Guglielmo Diamante (President), Silvia Diamante (Vice-President and Treasurer), Niccolò Fantini (Treasurer and Project Manager), Benedetta Brogi (Councillor) and Anna Nicolussi Neff (Councillor) — as well as a Scientific Committee and volunteers covering fundraising, project assistance, web development and article writing. The association has published a Code of Ethics, a Charter of Values and a Code of Conduct. DeVulgare operates primarily in Italy and online, with an Italian-language site and an English-language version. Its core offering is the crowdsourced audio archive of Italy's languages, complemented by online events and advocacy for the recognition and advancement of linguistic rights. It positions itself as a bridge connecting different realities, activists and associations working for linguistic rights.

DeVulgare originated from a project started in 2021. It was founded by Niccolò Fantini and Guglielmo Diamante, two young Italians who had emigrated to London. They had been raised in cultural contexts where speaking "dialect" was considered rude, but not knowing it was considered a sin. Determined to intervene to safeguard local linguistic richness, they created a website designed to host a digital audio library that would be accessible and open to anyone wishing to contribute. The association was established as an Associazione di Promozione Sociale (APS), a form of Italian non-profit social promotion association. Its mission is to build a public, easily accessible digital audio library of recordings of all of Italy's languages, to which anyone can contribute by sending a recording in their own language. Beyond the archive, DeVulgare organises online events and aims to "create a bridge" connecting different realities, activists and associations so that they can unite in the struggle for the recognition and advancement of linguistic rights. DeVulgare frames its work around three interconnected objectives. Preservation means ensuring access to and use of knowledge of local linguistic heritage through the freely accessible digital audio library. Valorisation means taking local languages out of the folkloric sphere to which they are relegated and placing them in a contemporary context, through online events in which expert speakers demonstrate through their own experience how local languages can still count today. Dissemination means spreading knowledge about local languages through its social channels and events, without ever imposing hierarchies, while favouring the self-determination of those who speak the languages. The organisation describes itself as a bottom-up and collaborative initiative in which anyone who speaks a regional language can share their culture and traditions. It presents itself as an invitation to promote the themes dear to the project and welcomes any advice or contribution aimed at achieving its goals. The team is made up of volunteers who share a strong passion for local languages and their valorisation; they work flexibly and remotely, each from their own location, which the association says helps keep diversity and pluralism alive. DeVulgare has published a Code of Ethics, a Charter of Values and a Code of Conduct describing how it works to preserve and promote linguistic heritage. Governance is provided by a Board of Directors composed of Guglielmo Diamante (President), Silvia Diamante (Vice-President and Treasurer), Niccolò Fantini (Treasurer and Project Manager), Benedetta Brogi (Councillor) and Anna Nicolussi Neff (Councillor). A Scientific Committee includes Jessica Hampton, Jacopo Federico Dovico, Alice Cresta and Maria Scetta. Volunteers include Dafne Sgarra (fundraising and project manager), Davide D'Urso (project assistant), Riccardo Sgarbossa (web developer) and Nina Simeoni (article writer). The association maintains an Italian-language website and an English-language version, and operates primarily in Italy and online.

• 2021

  Project that led to DeVulgare started.

• DeVulgare founded as a Social Promotion Association (APS) by Niccolò Fantini and Guglielmo Diamante.

A bottom-up, collaborative non-profit initiative preserving and valorising Italy's local languages through a public digital audio library and online events, advocating for linguistic rights.

• Digital audio library (audioteca digitale)

  A public, easily accessible archive of recordings of all Italy's languages, open to contributions from anyone.

• Online events

  Events where expert speakers demonstrate how local languages remain relevant today.

1. 1DeVulgare - Mappa e Tutela della Lingue Locali d'Italia | Associazione No Profitdevulgare.com
2. 2Chi Siamo - DeVulgaredevulgare.com
3. 3About Us - DeVulgaredevulgare.com
4. 4DeVulgarewikidata.org