Rome, 12 May. (beraking latest news) – There is Matteo Zago, from Bolzano, who at just eight years old managed to stop a moving vehicle that risked crashing due to the illness that struck his father while he was driving. Sofia Gentile, 19 years old, is from Vittoria, in the Province of Ragusa, and through music she underlines the importance of the culture of legality. They are the symbols of an Italy where from the far north to the far south it is possible to meet young people capable of embodying those values that can allow them to become builders of a sustainable future, becoming adults aware of the importance of solidarity in a world crossed by conflicts, climate change, environmental crises.
Like every year, the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, has chosen to identify some of them and name them Standard Bearers of the Republic. There are 29 of them and they will be received tomorrow at the Quirinale, at 11.30, for the delivery of the relevant certificates. Also with them were three school groups from Trasacco (L’Aquila), Ozieri (Sassari) and Campi Bisenzio (Florence), to which the Head of State awarded three plaques for collective actions that strongly expressed the values of solidarity.
Among those awarded those who distinguished themselves for voluntary actions in the areas of Emilia Romagna affected by the flood: Abderrahim Ben Rhouma, 13 years old, of Tunisian origin and resident in Cesena; Guido Betti, 18 years old, from Ravenna, who contributed to the creation of an IT platform, which made it possible to organize more than 6 thousand volunteers; Valeria Frasca, 17 years old from Forlì; Letizia Galletti, 19 years old, from Lugo, in the province of Ravenna, who brought relief with her music to many people forced to abandon their homes.
Matteo Violani, 18 years old, from Faenza, with his determination has been motivating for other young people and with his work he has become a point of reference for volunteers of all ages and backgrounds. Ginevra Minetti, 16 years old, from Montemurlo, in the province of Prato, instead took part in the search for some missing people and dedicated herself tirelessly to welcoming the many displaced people during the recent flood in Prato.
Then there are the stories of digital natives capable of translating their intuitions into socially useful projects and scientific discoveries: Giulia Andreasi Bassi, 18 years old, from Rome, is the author of a solution to optimize the management of hazardous waste in a of sustainable development. Francesco Colasanti, 18 years old from Pofi, in the province of Frosinone, has created 3D reproductions of archaeological finds for visually impaired people, using materials with low environmental impact.
Filippo Mutta, 18 years old, from Marano Vicentino, has created an operating system that offers greater defense against cyber attacks, making it available to the community free of charge. Lorenzo Sassaro, 17 years old, from Valdagno, in the province of Vicenza, has discovered a new star which now also bears his name.
There is no shortage of stories of young people capable of cold-bloodedly saving the lives of people in extremely dangerous situations. Emanuele Nicola Affaticati, 15 years old, from Fiorenzuola D’Arda, in the province of Piacenza, returning from school on a regional train, involuntarily heard the phone call from another passenger who, in Romanian, continued to nervously repeat that he was headed by his ex-girlfriend to kill her. Without hesitation, he notified the police who identified and arrested the man, preventing him from carrying out his violent intentions.
Selim Ayach, 16, from Gatteo, in Emilia Romagna, performed resuscitation maneuvers on an elderly lady who had just gotten off a bus and was in cardiac arrest, thus saving her life. Sebastiano Guazzeroni, 9 years old, from Paciano, in the province of Perugia, faced with the illness reported by his father during a walk in the woods, and after a run of almost two kilometres, he finally met some people who helped him activate the emergency services.
Matteo Ridolfi, 14 years old, from Colognola ai Colli, in the province of Verona, while cycling towards the football pitch, came across a 65-year-old man who had fallen to the ground due to a heart attack. Remembering a scene seen in a well-known television series, he performed cardiac massage while waiting for help to arrive, helped by an operator on the telephone, thus saving his life.
There are those who have experienced the disease firsthand, thus offering testimony of how it is faced and overcome. Marta Camerlo, 15 years old, from Rivarolo Canavese, in the province of Turin, at the end of sixth grade, discovered that she had a serious pathology which required an operation and very heavy therapies, during which she never let herself be discouraged by what it was happening to her. Once healed, she decided to transform her suffering into acceptance and commitment to life, dedicating herself to volunteer activities in the oratory and at the Arsenale della Pace in Turin.
Nicole Minardi, 13, from Parma, after years of uncertainties and problems, was diagnosed with Pan-Pandas syndrome, which is still little known. Her experience has pushed her to dedicate herself with all her energy to spreading knowledge about her pathology to obtain recognition from institutions, inclusion among rare diseases and the definition of protocols for diagnosis and treatment.
A separate chapter, it is worth saying, is dedicated to the world of reading and writing. Giulia Di Cairano, 18 years old, resident in Calitri, in the province of Avellino, through her love for poetry in particular, tries to raise awareness of important issues such as the value of democracy, environmental protection, gender equality and Southern Italy.
Elisa Palombo, 14 years old, from Torchiarolo, province of Brindisi, thanks to the collaboration between the Libera association, the school and the parish, discovered the figure of Marcella Di Levrano and through her writing made the story of this young woman known killed by the Sacra Corona Unita on 5 April 1990 because she had decided to collaborate with the police, to redeem herself from a difficult existence marked by proximity to criminal circles.
Alfonso Stigliani, 19 years old, from Matera, was able to react to the family problems and school hardship that affects many young people by committing himself to writing a book, which was presented at the Turin International Book Fair in 2023, describing the Covid period and how this helped him to deal with his problems as a teenager and to recover the difficult relationship he had with his father.
Damiano Toniolo, 15 years old, resident in Villa del Conte, in the province of Padua, forced by the pandemic to stay at home during the long period of isolation, used his time to write an autobiographical book in which he talks about his immense passion for chickens, from the first won at a village fishery to the creation of his small farm. He then decided to donate all the proceeds from the sale of the book to the purchase of four electric cars, which were donated to the pediatric departments of the Cittadella and Camposampiero hospitals, also in the province of Padua, which are driven by small pediatric patients to move along the wards and go to other departments to carry out particular tests.
Michele Vigilante, 17 years old, from San Marco in Lamis in the province of Foggia, has a great passion for reading, which he tries to promote among his peers and among older people. Thanks to his readings, he is able to give moments of serenity to the elderly he visits.
Then there is space for welcoming stories. Irene Marabini, 9 years old, from Loreto, in the province of Ancona, welcomed with great friendship and generosity a new Ukrainian classmate who had fled the war. Adele Ricci, 12 years old, resident in Ameglia, province of La Spezia, joined her partner with disabilities, helping him in everyday life.
Fatima Sadkaoui, 15 years old, resident in Torrebelvicino, in the province of Vicenza, of Tunisian origins, born in Italy, driven by her personal experience, helped a companion who arrived last year from Senegal, sharing with him the texts used to learn the language Italian and translating into French, the partner’s common language, what the teachers requested.
Emanuela Tessitore, 19 years old, resident in Succivo, in the province of Caserta, never failed to help a partner with a disability during the distance learning period. With commitment and a sense of responsibility she offered to tutor other struggling students in all disciplines, motivating them and trying to give them confidence in their abilities.
Finally, the commitment to the environment and to migrants. Caterina Contento, 18 years old, resident in Montevecchia, in the province of Lecco, is the author of research on the ecological impact of overbuilding which has proven to be crucial in raising awareness among many of her peers on the issues of sustainable development.
Instead, Giovanni Prestinice, 13 years old, from Crotone, after the tragic shipwreck of Cutro, did his utmost to make the story of the victims known.