Fighting corruption through education: «RigeneraBene» at the University of Insubria on 10 November with Gherardo Colombo, as part of the Giovani Pensatori project

The focus is on corruption, one of the most insidious threats to democratic life and civil society, as a starting point for building a culture of responsibility together with younger generations. On Tuesday, 10 November, the University of Insubria will host the first educational conference of the third edition of RigeneraBene – The Social Reuse of Confiscated Assets for Urban Regeneration, a programme included in the 18th edition of the Giovani Pensatori project. The meeting will be moderated by Professor Roberta Pezzetti and will take place from 9.30 am to 1.30 pm at the Seppilli Building (Room 1) in Varese.

The initiative is promoted by a broad partnership involving lecturers from the University of Insubria's Dista, Didec and Dieco departments, the Acli provincial branches of Como and Varese, Libera, and the Enaip training centres in Como, Busto Arsizio and Varese. The project is coordinated by Stefania Barile, who explains: «RigeneraBene was born out of teamwork bringing together the university, associations, vocational training and schools, with a shared goal: to regenerate not only spaces and properties, but also perspectives, awareness and communities».

The morning will open at 9.30 am with institutional greetings from Antonio Maria Orecchia, scientific coordinator of the Giovani Pensatori project; Andrea Civati, Councillor for Urban Regeneration of the Municipality of Varese; Rosa Dimaggio, Councillor for Educational Services of the Municipality of Varese; and Luca Folegani, Councillor for Urban Regeneration of the Municipality of Busto Arsizio.

At 10 am, magistrate Gherardo Colombo will deliver a talk entitled On Corruption, addressing one of the most serious challenges to democratic life and civil society. This will be an opportunity for students and teachers to reflect on what corruption really means, how it manifests itself and what everyday safeguards can be developed to counter it. A discussion with the Giovani Pensatori will follow at 10.45 am.

After a break, at 11.20 am, Antonella Buonopane, representing Libera's Varese branch, will speak about legality and the promotion of a culture of lawfulness. From 11.50 am, participants will hear first-hand accounts from people who work every day to promote legality: Maria Rosa Sabella, president of the association Camminiamo Insieme per Casa Arca Varese, and Ivan Papaleo, president of the association La Casa del giocattolo solidale. Both are involved in projects making use of properties confiscated from organised crime, transforming them from symbols of illegality into places of community, employment and solidarity.

At 12.50 pm, Alessandro Arbitrio, coordinator of Enaip activities at the «Beccaria» Juvenile Detention Centre in Milan, will share his experience and explain the value of vocational training as a means of empowerment and social reintegration.

The morning will conclude at 1.20 pm with a presentation by Stefania Barile of the RigeneraBene Ideas Competition. The competition will give schools the opportunity to develop social projects for the reuse of confiscated property: a chance to put creativity and skills into practice and experience first-hand how a place taken away from the Mafia can become a valuable resource for the community.

JOIN THE EVENT ONLINE:

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