Strengthening ties

The Grollo name is synonymous with construction and property development in Australia, but perhaps less well known is Rino and Diana Grollo's commitment to education and fostering Australian-Italian relations, writes FIONA PERRY.

Among the medieval buildings and modern art galleries of the bustling Tuscan town of Prato in Italy lies a little piece of Australia.

A distinctive blue-and-white flag that flies from an 18th-century palace in the historic centre of the town proudly announces the presence of Monash University.

On the first floor of the old palace, the Palazzo Vaj, sits the Prato Centre, Monash's base in continental Europe.

The centre, located about 20 minutes north of Florence, fosters intellectual and cultural exchanges between the two countries and provides a gateway to Europe for Australian academics, students, business people and governments.

Established in 2000 with the encouragement of the Australian Government and the Commune of Prato, the centre hosts international conferences, study and cultural tours, short courses, summer schools, exhibitions and performances.

Among its many visitors have been such luminaries as former Australian prime minister Gough Whitlam, Victorian Premier Steve Bracks, High Court judge Justice Michael Kirby, former foreign affairs minister Gareth Evans, and Australian and Italian ambassadors. Former governor of Victoria Sir James Gobbo is patron of the centre.

For years, the Australian Government had talked of setting up an academy in Italy, and the Italian Government had even offered sites for such a venture. But a lack of funds had stymied the idea.

Enter philanthropists Mr Rino Grollo and Mrs Diana Ruzzene Grollo, whose major financial gift to the university last year made the centre a reality.

For the Grollos, long-time supporters of Monash University and prominent members of Melbourne's Italian community, the Prato Centre brought together the causes closest to their hearts: education, Italian-Australian relations and tourism.

"From our point of view, the Prato Centre is an important initiative because it represents a positive step in the establishment of closer ties between Australia and Italy - something we both strongly support," Mr Grollo said.

"My wife, Diana, and I are Italian Australians, proud of both our Italian heritage and our Australian identity. We are committed to furthering Australians' understanding and appreciation of Italy, and Italians' knowledge and understanding of Australia. And we believe the best way to do this is through educational and cultural channels - but not overlooking tourism and business, which are also very important."

The location of the Prato Centre is also significant for the Grollo family. "In many ways, we can relate to what Prato stands for. Prato is a dynamic, enterprising, hard-working and outward-looking town, similar to Treviso, north of Venice, where Diana and I both come from," Mr Grollo said.

"To us, Prato represents the true face of Italy, the raw Italian culture, which is about strong community networks and a dedication to hard work. This is the Italy that we want Australian students to experience and understand."

Recognising the value and importance of education and research to the community, the Grollo family has supported many of Monash University's initiatives over the last 10 years, including the teaching of Italian studies, a chair in archaeology, medical research, and the new Olympic joint venture, Olympic Games Knowledge Services, established earlier this year by Monash, the Grollo Group and the International Olympic Federation.

Vice-chancellor Professor Peter Darvall said the Grollo family had made an inspired and immensely valuable contribution to the work and growth of the university.

"It has been tremendously gratifying and rewarding to see the work of Monash University supported and honoured in the way that Rino and Diana Grollo have done, and to witness their personal commitment to our work," he said.

"In particular, the Prato Centre would simply not exist had it not been for the generous support of the Grollo family.

The centre has strengthened Monash's European presence and furthered our global strategy, providing myriad opportunities for students and staff."

According to Prato Centre director Professor Bill Kent, the centre is unique. "There is no Australian tertiary institution in Italy, or Europe, quite like it, both for its large size and the range of academic and cultural activities it undertakes. The centre is fast becoming a focal point for all manner of Australian activity in Italy and has really put Monash on the map in Europe.

"The Grollo family's support of the Prato Centre is a brilliant example of enlightened philanthropy towards a university."

A long-time friend of the Grollo family and a member of Monash University's Europe Steering Committee, Mr Tom Hazell AO, said the Grollos' support for educational projects such as the Prato Centre was their way of giving back to the community that had supported them.

"The Australian community has been good to the Grollos, and the family recognises and appreciates that. Rino and Diana are very generous people and believe in putting back into the community. They are strong believers in the value of education for the betterment of everyone."

Caption Prato patrons: Diana and Rino Grollo's support for Monash University's Prato Centre has been crucial.

Caption Flying the flag: The Monash flag flies from the 18th-century palace in the centre of Prato, a significant location for the Grollo family.

Action box To find out how you can make a gift or bequest to the university, contact Mr Serhat Abdurazak on +61 3 9905 2340 or email serhat.abdurazak@adm.monash.edu.au.

To find out more about the Prato Centre, visit www.ita.monash.edu.

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