SARNO – A Sarnese in the Vatican. From next June 1st Giuseppe Saviano, a 29-year-old native of the city of Sarrastri, will head the Vis, the Social Impact Assessment, as director of impact, of the Laudato si ‘Challenge, the start-up accelerator based in Rome and inspired by Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Sì. The foundation in partnership with the Vatican supports young companies active in the field of sustainable innovation. A program inspired by the principles of Pope Francis and his second encyclical, sponsored by the Vatican Integrated Human Development Department in the figure of Cardinal Peter Turkson and financed by private investors. The young manager from Sarnia, after having traveled the world, graduated from an American college and graduated in Economics from Cattolica, was chosen from among hundreds of managers around the world.
“We have invested more than eight months in a worldwide search for a new director of Impact – explains Eric Harr, CEO of the Laudato si ‘Challenge -. He was an extremely difficult figure to search for our impact model and our main stakeholders. We were looking for the figure of a manager who had the flexibility to be able to hold a diplomatic position as much as he was available for operations, who was able to manage large numbers of financiers but did not have the coldness of a computer, so we needed someone impeccable with the people and at the same time with great problem solving. In the end, the choice fell on Sarno’s manager, a brilliant young man who embodies all these qualities and much more ».
Saviano will act as the “missing link” between the Vatican start-up accelerator and all stakeholders. In addition, he will also oversee and direct the strategic creation of the annual summit, which will be entirely centered on the social impact created by the Challenge’s initiatives. Saviano, who in Sarno is Peppe for everyone, defines himself as an Italian by birth but a global citizen by profession. Former event manager for Laudato si ‘Challenge, he has always acted and worked in the social impact sector. Prior to that, he held various roles at the Hult Prize Foundation, a social impact award that challenges college students around the world to create solutions to try to solve the world‘s most pressing problems.
“Working for over five years at the Hult Prize Foundation gave me the opportunity to get to know the social impact sector in depth, and allowed me to understand why impact must be the way forward – said the young man from Sarno – . I am grateful for this new opportunity because it is the best way to make a real impact in the world. Our community is made up of people who act, but I see myself as a means. One who helps others achieve their goals by asking questions, understanding what motivates them, what their problems are and creating specific solutions to help them reach the goal. I hope that through this new challenge I will be able to help our stakeholders keep their commitments and create social impact. I go on following the words of Mother Teresa of Calcutta: joy is very contagious. Try, therefore, to always be overflowing with joy wherever you go ».
Luisa Trezza