The University of Oxford has launched its ‘gran finale’ for Dante in Oxford 2021 – a schools competition celebrating Italy’s most famous poet.

2021 has been the year of Dante. 700 years from his death in 1321, the Somma Poeta is being celebrated by Italy and the rest of the world. Best known for his astonishing Divine Comedy -- a three-stage epic poem, narrating a journey through the afterlife from Hell through Purgatory to Heaven -- Dante was an advisor to princes, a political exile, and a revolutionary poet. 

Anyone receiving primary or secondary education in the UK is invited to submit a short written piece or an artistic response to Dante’s work. To enter the competition and to find out more, including access to dedicated teaching resources, please visit: https://dante700.wordpress.com/

Entries can be produced digitally or by hand and the closing date will be 29th April 2022. Participants under the age of 16 years will need consent from a parent or guardian. Winning entries will be included in an online anthology and will win book tokens.

Professor Simon Gilson, Agnelli-Serena Professor of Italian Studies at Oxford University, said: “As we come to the end of year in which the 700th anniversary of Dante's death has been globally celebrated, I am absolutely delighted that Oxford is launching a major competition for school students of all ages and all backgrounds. The competition is accompanied by a fantastic set of materials introducing students and their teachers to Dante. You don't need to know anything about Dante to be able to enjoy these materials and participate in the competition. We welcome entries from all ages, all schools and all backgrounds, and we are really looking forward your own creative responses to Dante's great poem, the Divine Comedy.”

Bringing together scholars and translators, international artists, dancers, theatre-makers, and musicians, community groups and schools Dante in Oxford 2021 has drawn on the University’s rich research community to curate a wide-reaching cultural festival. The schools competition is the culmination of these cultural celebrations.

To find out more about this and Oxford’s other language competitions, please visit: https://www.mod-langs.ox.ac.uk/schools/language-competitions

Dante has been the theme of the Humanities Cultural Programme’s Season over the last three months. It brought together Oxford researchers with international artists, dancers, theatre-makers, musicians, community groups, schools and other national and international partners. More information can be found on the Torch website.