Enrico Chiessi
Current and former staff of the School of Languages and Cultures were deeply saddened by the news that our dear former colleague Enrico Chiessi died on April 25th.
Current and former staff of the School of Languages and Cultures were deeply saddened by the news that our dear former colleague Enrico Chiessi died on April 25th. For more than 30 years Enrico taught Italian in the Italian Department (then Section, then Programme) of Victoria University of Wellington, and in the university’s Centre for Lifelong Learning. He also taught Italian in the wider community, in groups and to individual students, and continued doing so until nearly the end of his life.
Enrico was a highly accomplished linguist. When he first came to New Zealand he taught French at a school in Taranaki, and his knowledge of Spanish was such that he was able to start up the study of Spanish at Victoria. Enrico lived in New Zealand for over fifty years and was a remarkable promoter and sponsor of Italian studies in the capital city. Born in Trieste, and with close personal ties to the city of Reggio Emilia, Enrico considered Wellington his second home and loved the city and its citizens deeply.
Through his devotion to the teaching of languages he touched the lives of thousands of people of all ages and his contribution to New Zealand-Italian relations was recognised by the prestigious award of the honour of Cavaliere della Repubblica Italiana from the Italian Government. Enrico was a gentle, kind, modest man, and a caring and accomplished teacher. As one former student recalled, he was “one of those rare people who could talk and smile at the same time.” He was much loved and respected and will be deeply missed.