The Ente Nazionale Giovanni Boccaccio

The  Ente Nazionale Giovanni Boccaccio was established with the goal of promoting awareness, study, and appreciation of the works and cultural legacy of the great 14th-century author. Headquartered in Boccaccio’s House in Certaldo Alta—a symbolic site linked to the writer’s memory—the Foundation serves as a point of reference for scholarly research, outreach, and the dissemination of Boccaccio’s cultural legacy in Italy and abroad.

Through collaborations with universities, cultural institutions, and research centers, the Foundation promotes activities dedicated to the study of the language, literature, and historical heritage associated with Giovanni Boccaccio. Seminars, publications, initiatives aimed at schools, and opportunities for in-depth study help keep the dialogue between specialized research and the public alive, making this fundamental heritage accessible for the history of the Italian language and culture.

It is within this framework that VocaBO—the online Vocabulary of Boccaccio’s Language—fits in. This research and outreach project makes the lexicon of Boccaccio’s works, beginning with the Decameron, available through digital tools. Born from the convergence of humanities expertise and digital lexicography technologies, the project allows scholars, students, and enthusiasts to explore Boccaccio’s words through a new model of access and shared knowledge.

By striking a constant balance between preserving memory and innovating access tools, the Giovanni Boccaccio National Foundation helps ensure that this literary heritage is not merely an object of study, but a living cultural resource that is open and accessible to contemporary communities.