USA, Asia and Europe with Intercultura and the Pesenti Foundation.
Bergamo, 16 July 2019 – The Pesenti Foundation hosted today the Intercultura 2019/2020 Scholarship Award Ceremony. Bergamo and celebrated the 10-year partnership between the two prestigious foundations.
“A life experience outside their home country at the age of 17 offers a unique opportunity to learn about diversity, from a global perspective,” said lawyer Mietta Denti Rodeschini, a Philanthropy Advisor and former Vice President of the Intercultura Foundation, in her opening speech. “These youngsters will be ambassadors of Bergamo and Italy in the world, but at the same time they will bring with them new ideas and new perspectives to share with their family, friends, and teachers. We are grateful to the Pesenti Foundation for its e 10-year essential support to the Intercultura educational project.”
The collaboration between the Pesenti Foundation and Intercultura was born and developed during the 2009/2010 school year and over the years has been enriched both in terms of quantity and quality of the awards, for a total of over 40 excellent students, who had the chance to spend a whole school year in profoundly different socio-cultural and educational contexts.
“The ten-year partnership between the Pesenti Foundation and Intercultura let us follow the growth of an internationally oriented young generation,” Carlo Pesenti, President of the Foundation, underlined. “Last year we said goodbye to three fellows leaving for the United States and Germany. They were afraid to move away from their safe family environment, but aware of the great opportunity offered by such an experience. After monitoring them from afar–through their quarterly reports–today we can listen to their stories, not hiding the difficulties, but at the same time sharing their enthusiasm for new friends and new places, and above all their increased sensitivity, sense of responsibility and autonomy. An important path of human and professional growth, which I believe has brought benefit and enrichment to us all–the directly involved students, but also us adults who can learn from these young people the courage to open up to the world, to confront different situations with confidence and broader perspectives.”
The scholarships for the 2019/2020 school year were assigned–during the meeting held at the Pesenti Foundation in Bergamo–to three talented girls from the Bergamo province. An all-female victory:
- Nicole Meli (leaving for the United States)
- Julia Szewczyk (leaving for Hong Kong)
- Giorgia Pagnoncelli (leaving for Germany).
Carlo Pesenti was joined in his wishes by the 2018-2019 scholarships winners, Vittoria Cornolti, Noemi Guadagni, Sara Rota Conti, who recounted their one-year experience in the United States and Germany.
The Pesenti Foundation aims to promote and enhance a culture of innovation as a driver of ideas, projects and activities to make a positive social, environmental and cultural impact. The Foundation develops modern interactions between public sector and for-profit/non-profit private sector, providing sustainable solutions to major social challenges. The Foundation’s new areas of focus–alongside its traditional attention to the conservation of national historic and artistic heritage, scientific-educational programs, conferences and publications, humanitarian projects and social solidarity-–aim at promoting and supporting the development of new socially-relevant enterprises, especially businesses established by young people.
The 60-year Intercultura Association Onlus promotes intercultural dialogue through international exchange programs involving thousands of young people and families around the world. It supports the internationalization of Italian schools by providing examples of good practices and training sessions on youth exchanges management (the Italian Ministry of Education recognizes the association as a qualified authority for training). It offers scholarships to foster international student mobility. The Ministries of Education and Foreign Affairs adhere to the Foundation and support its activities.
DOCUMENTATION Press release 2019 Program 16 July 2019 Pesenti Foundation Brochure PRESS REVIEW Eco di Bergamo 17-017-2019