Fondazione Pesenti with Fondazione Corriere to promote intergenerational dialogue
A debate between 16 Generation Z girls and boys with Giovanni Floris and Massimo Rebotti on Corriere’s platforms.
Milan, December 3, 2020 – Due to current restrictions, the event was held via Zoom, where last night 16 young people discussed with Giovanni Floris the possible paths to create an alliance between different generations, capable of generating real prospects for Generation Z, born at the end of the 1990s, who will soon face entering the workforce. The meeting was moderated by Massimo Rebotti from the political editorial staff of Corriere della Sera.
The protagonists of the debate – broadcast live on Corriere’s platforms – included several students from the Master’s program in Media Relations and Communication at Università Cattolica in Milan, as well as some young people who recently spent a year abroad through the Intercultura program, supported by scholarships promoted by Fondazione Pesenti itself.
Many topics were addressed, ranging from parliamentary representation – marked by the disconnection from politics and consequent youth disillusionment (but with the example of recent US elections where new participation influenced the outcome) – to the pessimistic view on the real possibility of building a rewarding future for those who choose to stay in Italy.
Giovanni Floris recently analyzed generational perspectives in his latest book “L’alleanza. Noi e i nostri figli: dalla guerra tra i mondi al patto per crescere” , a text aimed primarily at debunking some common myths while offering possible new directions.
The joint effort of Fondazione Corriere della Sera and Fondazione Pesenti (which for three years have had an agreement aimed at spreading a culture of innovation through the development of ideas, projects, and initiatives capable of creating positive social, environmental, and cultural impact, with particular attention to new generations) is to give space and visibility to the debate, making the young people who necessarily represent the future of our country the main protagonists.
“The central issue is to ensure that it is still possible to talk about the future, that parents can hope for a better future for their children than their own. What struck me in Floris’s book is the desired balance: a system in which the elderly are not cumbersome obstacles but can play a role of altruistic encouragement. On the other hand, young people must step forward,” said Piergaetano Marchetti, offering insights to start the discussion.
“Young people, at the heart of our work and thoughts, represent the core business of our foundation, which invests heavily in their education and growth,” declared Carlo Pesenti, launching a challenge: “In Italy, laws have been introduced regulating gender quotas and have succeeded. Why not introduce generation quotas?” A possible way to overcome unemployment? Certainly a step toward the awaited alliance between young and old.
“I am dramatically convinced that there are only two generations: those up to 30 years old and those from 30 to over a hundred. The first has no power; the second does,” commented Giovanni Floris, reaffirming the need for an intergenerational pact, but noting how young people are a minority in Italy – often pushed to leave national borders – while the elderly majority tend to secure guarantees for their own interests, even through voting.
These topics quickly emerged in questions from Generation Z representatives, who discussed with Floris prejudices and stereotypes, but also real situations affecting youth.
They talked about habits, behaviors during the pandemic, the ability to fight for a single goal, insufficient awareness of being political subjects, individual responsibilities, and leadership tendencies. It is hard to predict whether the future generation will regain power or continue to be “boycotted,” whether young people’s dreams will come true or if the generational conflict will fail to become a “pact to grow.”
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COMUNICATO STAMPA www.fondazionecorriere.corriere.it Rassegna stampa: LEco di Bergamo 03 dic 2020 | Corriere della sera 30 nov 2020 | Corriere della sera 30 nov 2020 | La Lettura | Il Foglio_23 nov 2020