EDUCATION IS HOPE

In collaboration with AVSI

Fabio Massimo Ballerini, Counsellor of Legation at the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Director of the “Piano Mattei” Mission Structure; Laura Frigenti, CEO of the Global Partnership for Education; Stefano Gatti, Director General for Development Cooperation, Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI). Mariatou Koné, Minister of Education of Côte d’Ivoire and President of CONFEMEN; Francesco Magni, Professor of General and Social Pedagogy, Università degli Studi di Bergamo; Giampaolo Silvestri, Secretary General of AVSI. Moderated by Eva Crosetta, host of Sulla via di Damasco, Rai2

Today, more than 250 million children around the world are not attending school—a fact we cannot remain indifferent to. In over fifty years of working in both development and emergency contexts, AVSI has strived to make education accessible even to children and young people living in the most difficult circumstances. It has consistently witnessed the transformative power of education on both individuals and entire communities. This event, titled “Education is Hope,” seeks to highlight what has already been accomplished and what still needs to be done. Through direct testimonies, it will present the transformative and generative capacity of education when it is understood and promoted as a personal relationship—one that accompanies the individual in discovering their unique value and that of others. To ensure this quality education for all, coordinated action is needed between state institutions, local communities, and civil society organizations, all called to work together as subjects of a unified educational community. At a time when public funding for development cooperation and humanitarian aid is decreasing, this event also aims to show how investing in education contributes to the integral growth of individuals and the sustainable development of all—and how continued collaboration and adequate funding remain essential.