Italian
Valentina Nespolo
Director
Valentina Nespolo, born in Venice in 1989, attended primary school, middle school and scientific high school in Mogliano Veneto. She lived in Rome for four years, where she obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Business and Banking Economics and in 2016 a Master’s degree in Economics, Management and Business Administration. During his studies, from 2011 to 2016, he worked for the Fastigi Foundation, organising international conferences, training courses in the infrastructure sector, and editing press reviews and publications. Following her time in Rome, she decided to return to her home town and work in the digital marketing sector. She has always been fascinated by art, literature, theatre and music in all its eclectic forms. She obtained a Master’s degree in Digital Marketing in 2019 with a mark of 100/100.
Mauro Lama
Contributor
Mauro Lama is a man of varied culture and a critic of everyday facts and customs.
Milanese by birth and Treviso by adoption, he considers himself an ineffable critic with that gentle irony that life needs. His favourite cultures are politeness and measure, combined with an innate passion for writing.
He considers vernissages a unique opportunity to look at the world from a privileged focus and cinema the drive to understand existences and people; photography helps him every day to form, to grasp.
‘All true,’ he says, ’knowledge will never go dormant.’
Annalisa Mancini
Contributor
Annalisa Mancini was born and raised in Rome. She graduated from the Liceo Classico. She graduated in Literature with top marks at the University ‘La Sapienza’ in Rome. She obtained a second degree with top marks in Science and Techniques of Public Opinion at the Luiss ‘Guido Carli’ University in Rome. She has been a tenured teacher of Literature and History in High Schools, as the winner of several competitions for professorships.
She is a registered journalist.
She won the competition for television announcers at RAI, becoming one of the 14 winners. She has been active in theatre at an amateur level. She knows and speaks English and French, which she has implemented with stays abroad.
She carries out a dynamic journalistic activity collaborating with various magazines and is a cultural animator at the Besso Foundation, the Upter University and other associations.
She organises conferences, round tables with debates and presents books of various kinds.
She takes an active interest in disability issues.
Silvia Moscati
Contributor
Silvia Moscati was born in Trieste, has lived in Mestre and has only recently been wandering between the Venetian mainland and the Marca Trevigiana, with a predilection for Mogliano Veneto and long stays on the Venetian coast.
As a writer, she has published the books: ‘Camera e Colazione a Casamia’ winner of the 2004 Settembrini Prize, ‘Ricordi di piombo’ 2005, ‘Dammi un bacino’ 2010, ‘Le cinque giornate di Fiume’ 2012, ‘La zolla nella scarpa’ 2020, and several collections of poetry, in collective anthologies.
He has dedicated himself to contemporary art since 2014: with his installations made of tax receipts, plastic bottles, and recovered soft toys, he has participated in several exhibitions and biennials, winning national and international awards.
She loves the sea, animals, the arts and culture in its broadest sense, and is active in the world of volunteering as a member of the Italian Red Cross, Mogliano Veneto Committee.
She lives with a tribe of furry animals, which she shares with her daughter, and loves food and wine and Tiramisù in particular. This year he took part in the Tiramisù World Cup, but did not win. She will try again next year.
Carlo Franchini
Contributor
Carlo Franchini was born in Asmara, Eritrea, where he resided until 1980 when he left the country following political events. He holds a degree in Economics from the University of Bologna, a Masters in International Trade and a specialisation in International Politics from SIOI in Rome.
He worked at Ina Assitalia (later absorbed by Generali Italia), was Head of Marine in the Goods and Art sector (of the former Ina Assitalia sales network), lectured on insurance matters at the Luiss University of Rome and at the Polytechnic University of Milan, served as President of the Maritime Companies Committee of Trieste and Vice President of IUMI, and was a Director of RINA.
A great passion for ethnography, archaeology and photography led him to visit several countries around the world, deepening his knowledge of their culture. Today he supports and follows the study and research activities of the Africa and Arab Countries Research Department of the University of Naples ‘L’Orientale’. He has published with the I.P.Z.S. ‘Eritrea cose viste’, ‘Attraverso l’Africa Australe’, ‘Etiopia emozioni di viaggio’ and realised the exhibitions ‘Opsio’, ‘La bellezza rivelata’ and ‘Fluxus’ that can be viewed at www.caluma.it. He lives and works in Rome.
Anna Bigarello
Contributor
Born in Venice on 28/12/1977, she slept for three days straight and once she woke up she would not stop. Already at the age of 3 he was singing Japanese cartoon theme songs while kicking or shooting a ball. At 9, she created her first newspaper for the local Scouts. She graduated in Oriental Languages and Literature in Venice and still pursues her boundless love for the Orient as a Holistic Operator. Former Basketball player (albeit a dwarf), footballer and coach. Creator and organiser of sports events, she has always fought for equality and professionalism in women’s sport. Caregiver, lives with 4 male cats, passionate about puzzles, music, literature and sport.
Patrizio Fondi
Contributor
Career diplomat with the rank of Ambassador. During his 35 years of service, he was Ambassador of the European Union to the United Arab Emirates (Abu Dhabi) and Ambassador of Italy to Jordan (Amman).
He was also Special Envoy of the Directorate General for Political and Security Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as Diplomatic Advisor to the Minister of Culture and Italian Deputy Ambassador to UNESCO in Paris, previously working in the Italian diplomatic missions in Sweden, New York (UN) and Albania.
At the Foreign Ministry in Rome, he also served in the Directorates General responsible for culture and development cooperation.
He has been decorated with the Order of the North Star of Sweden, the Order of Commendatore of Italy, the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Istqlal of Jordan and the Order of Independence First Class of the United Arab Emirates.
Currently – in addition to his academic activities at the Alma Mater University of Bologna (cultural diplomacy) and the University of Tor Vergata in Rome (diplomatic negotiations) – he is a member of the Board of Directors of the Italy/United Arab Emirates ‘Business Council’, a ‘Special Advisor’ of the RESET (Dialogue on Civilizations) ‘think tank’ and a consultant to Federalimentare.
Anna Monia Alfieri
Contributor
Anna Monia Alfieri, a religious sister of the Marcelline Sisters, graduated in Law in 2001 and in Economics in 2007 from the Catholic University of Milan. She also obtained an Advanced Diploma in Religious Studies from the Higher Institute of Religious Studies in Milan.
Since 2007, she has been the legal representative of the Marcelline Institute of Culture and Languages. In agreement with the Mother General of the Congregation, she holds powers of management, administration, organization, decision-making, and the development of human resources. From 2010 to 2021, through the Marcelline Sisters’ Mariapaola Albertario Association (A.M.A.), of which she was a promoter and founder, she made the topic of freedom of educational choice and the “standard cost of sustainability per student” visible in Italy through essays and publications as a tool to achieve it. She continues to reflect on these themes today through hundreds of articles, interventions, and publications.
As a voluntary consultant, since 2008, she has participated in conferences on the administrative and managerial reorganization of apostolic activities at various religious institutes in Italy. Since 2011, she has been a delegated member of USMI (Union of Major Superiors of Italy) Lombardy for the school sector in the Lombard Regional Council for School Pastoral Care and later, Head of the USMI Lombardy Regional Office for School and Culture. As an expert consultant for USMI at the national level, she is Head of the School Office, an ex officio member of the National Council of the CEI (Italian Episcopal Conference), and a member of the CEI School Pastoral Council.
From 2012 to 2013, she collaborated as a volunteer with the National Legal Council of CNEC (National Council of Religious Communities’ Economists, based in Rome), which provides technical, legal, and competence support and identifies problems of interest to religious entities while promoting their solutions.
Since 2008, she has collaborated with the Non-Profit Entities Division of ALTIS (Graduate School of Business and Society) at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Milan, organizing advanced training courses (in management and high school leadership) for religious institutes and lecturing in them.
From 2011 to 2014, she served as an external collaborator and a member of the Ethical Committee of the JPMorgan Funds Global Catholic Ethical Balanced Fund, where the Committee has advisory functions.
Appointed FIDAE (Federation of Educational Activities Institutions) representative for Milan, from 2012 to 2018, she was President of FIDAE for Lombardy, representing the Federation before ecclesiastical and civil authorities as well as similar organizations.
During the same years, she volunteered as a consultant for the School Department of the Municipality of Milan and for the School Office of the Lombardy Region, serving as Coordinator of the Strategic Group on the Permanent Parity Table and, since 2020, at the 0-6 Years and Disability Tables. She also collaborated in leading the National Study Group on School Parity at the 1st and 7th Permanent Commissions of the Chamber of Deputies. Since 2014, she has been involved in the Parity Table at the MIUR (Ministry of Public Education) and has been an Expert Member of the working group established at MIUR in 2014 with Minister Giannini, in 2017 with Minister Fedeli, in 2021 with Minister Bianchi, and in 2023 with Minister Valditara, tasked with studying and proposing reforms to legislative provisions on schools and defining the Standard Cost of Sustainability as an expert in educational policies. She has been invited to numerous hearings by the School and Culture Commissions and Budget Commissions at both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. Examples of topics addressed include the role of private schools, schools and COVID-19, distance learning, the Zan bill, the end-of-life bill, and funding for parents who enroll their children in private schools.
Throughout the country, she has delivered numerous speeches on specific topics of expertise at conferences and in specialized journals, collective volumes, and broadcasts on public and private television and radio networks. She is the inspiration and co-author of the essays “La buona Scuola Pubblica per tutti Statale e Paritaria” (in collaboration with M. C. Parola and M. Moltedo, Laterza, Bari 2010); “Il diritto di apprendere. Nuove linee di investimento per un sistema integrato” (in collaboration with M. Grumo and M. C. Parola, Giappichelli, Turin 2015); “Lettera ai politici sulla libertà di scuola” (in collaboration with Dario Antiseri, Rubbettino 2018).
In 2020, she published numerous dossiers and in-depth focus papers with the Bruno Leoni Institute (where she is a Senior Fellow) and with the Catholic University (Cattolica News) on topics such as autonomy, parity, freedom of educational choice, integrated systems, and disability. On December 7, 2020, she was awarded the Ambrogino d’Oro, the Gold Medal of Civic Merit for Milan, as an “authoritative voice for anyone dealing with the right to education, having been and continuing to be a staunch advocate of an integrated Educational System in which public, private, and parochial schools are part of a wide-ranging and cross-cutting offer.” In July 2022, President Mattarella awarded her the title of Knight of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic for her long-standing commitment to defending families’ right to educational choice, as enshrined in the Constitution. She was appointed a member of the Working Group on “Non-State Education” with Decree No. 12 of February 2, 2023, by the Ministry of Education and Merit.
Costantino Coros
Contributor
Costantino Coros is a journalist (membership card no. 158876) and writer. He has served on the board of the Roman Press Association and the board of the Italian Catholic Press Union-Lazio section.
He is in charge of the editorial staff of Lazio Sette, a Sunday insert (14 pages) of the Lazio dioceses of the daily newspaper Avvenire. He also collaborates with the pages of the national edition of the same newspaper.
He is in charge of communication and the press office of the Magis Foundation – Missionary Work of the Jesuit Euro-Mediterranean Province.
He is press officer for the Centesimus Annus – pro Pontifice Foundation.
He collaborates with the magazine Contemporary Theatre and Cinema.
He is co-author of the radio programme EXTRASUITE that airs on Sundays on Radio 40Web and on Wednesdays on RTR-Rainbow differently radio.
As a copywriter, he collaborates with documentary filmmakers by writing texts for video products.
In 2022 he published the book ‘Images and History. Il cinema d’impresa negli anni del boom economico’ (Pagine editore).
He is Director of the Social Communications Office of the Diocese of Velletri-Segni.
In the past he has worked for the daily newspaper Tutta Finanza, the weekly Lavorare, the periodical Professionalità, the press agency SIR and the Cisl’s magazine Formazione Domani, the non-profit monthly Vita (for which he continues to collaborate). He was also press officer to an advisor to the Minister of Industry (1998-2003).
He was co-author of the essays: ‘Comprendere la povertà’ (Maggioli editore) and ‘Etnia e web. La rappresentazione delle popolazioni migranti e rom nella rete Internet’ (Rubbettino editions).
He lectures in the field of social communications and digital pastoral care (Pontifical Leoniano College Theological Institute and Tor Vergata University).
He is a scholar of the Social Doctrine of the Church. Degree in Medieval, Modern and Contemporary History La Sapienza University. Diploma in Social Doctrine of the Church at the Pontifical Lateran University.
In charge of the adult sector for Lazio of Italian Catholic Action.
Antonella Moretti
Contributor
Antonella Moretti graduated from the Faculty of Arts (degree in History) at Ca’ Foscari University in Venice. She has taught at all levels of schooling and ended her career at the Mazzotti Tourism Institute in Treviso.
She obtained a qualification to teach English in primary schools. This allowed her to gain experience in CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) in lower secondary schools and to participate in conferences as a speaker. She was also a member of the Lingue 2000 commission and promoted courses for early English language learning.
She holds a master’s degree in Timology (the science that studies emotions) and a diploma in Theological Education Sciences. She was a member of Rete Storia for 10 years and was a member of staff for some of those years.
Since 2010, she has been an active member of the European Parliament of Students as a senior tutor in various activities and training trips. She has contributed to several publications by Rete Storia, the Treviso Ottanta Pedagogical Commission, and the European Parliament of Students, of which she is a senior member.
She is president of the Treviso-Castelfranco section of the AIMC (Italian Association of Catholic Teachers).
Silvia Dassie
Contributor
Between books and camera lenses, Silvia has always lived in balance between rationality and imagination. With a background in Public Relations but blessed with an innate curiosity and a love of writing, she has developed a web of passions that have led her to explore multiple fields: her skin tells stories through tattoos, while her mind writes others in the form of short stories that transform thoughts into worlds.
A volleyball referee, lover of flying, and with her gaze always turned upwards, she is the first female drone pilot in the province of Treviso. She cannot help but look at the world through the eyes of a graphic designer and photographer, capable of capturing details that escape others, because, in the end, every image is a story to be revealed. Or to be told.
Social media manager and copywriter for a large construction group, she believes in the power of words as a means of communication and a creative act.
Francesca Maria Nespolo
Contributor
Francesca Maria Nespolo, born in 1991, currently lives in New Zealand. She holds a Master’s degree in Philosophical Sciences from Ca’ Foscari University in Venice, during which she also studied at UADE in Buenos Aires and TU in Berlin. She is the author of Nomada, her debut novel.
