Dr. Anne Pia
Born in Edinburgh in 1949, Dr. Anne Pia stands as one of the most iconic and authentic voices in the contemporary Italian Scottish literary scene. Her family roots trace back to Viticuso in the Comino Valley, from where her grandparents, Emilio Rossi and Mariuccia Coletta, immigrated to Edinburgh in the early 20th century. After graduating in Foreign Languages and spending time in France to master French, she pursued a distinguished career in Education. She started as a teacher of French and Italian, graduated to working for the SQA (the Scottish Qualifications and Awarding body), and served as Her Majesty’s Inspector of Education and Former Director of Glenrothes College. Ultimately, she earned a PhD in Education. More recently, she embarked on an artistic career, becoming a prolific poet, essayist, translator, and author of three non-fiction books, two poetry collections, and a poetry pamphlet. She prefers the broader label of ‘European’ over simply Scottish or Italian to describe herself. Her multilingual repertoire – encompassing English, Scots, Italian, French, and the Viticusar dialect from Ciociaria – has deeply influenced her self-perception and self-representation. Indeed, multilingualism serves as a major aesthetic and stylistic device in her poems and books, reflecting her multifaceted identity. While Anne has somewhat distanced herself from the Comino Valley community, she cherishes fond memories of the place, particularly the popular proverbs, folk religious traditions, and music shared by her grandmother and mother – the two most influential figures in her childhood. A keen musician, she also plays the mandolin. Anne's Italian identity remains a vital part of her artistic expression.