The initiative has been designed and implemented by the Salesian University Institute of Venice (IUSVE), affiliated with the Salesian Pontifical University, in collaboration with the daily newspaper Avvenire and Gigio Rancilio, a journalist specialising in digital media. It also benefits from the collaboration of the CEI’s Office for Social Communications and the support of “Generali”.
Inspired by the teachings of Pope Leo XIV and in particular by the message for the 60th World Day of Social Communications, to be celebrated on Sunday 17 May, the project was presented in St Peter’s Square at the end of the audience on Wednesday 13 May. From the following day, multimedia content created for the occasion by IUSVE lecturers, journalists and communications professionals will be made available free of charge: every Thursday, in a dedicated section of the website www.avvenire.it, a text, a video, a podcast and an infographic will be published, to ensure the widest possible accessibility.
Each stage links a specific theme related to the creation or consumption of news to a part of the human body:
– Head (Marco Girardo, editor-in-chief of Avvenire): thinking about and savouring information with people at the centre;
– Eyes (Anna Zuccaro, lecturer at IUSVE): how to protect ourselves from the fake content we see;
– Ears (Mariagrazia Villa, lecturer at IUSVE): who controls the news that reaches us;
– Mouth/Voice (Nicolò Cappelletti, lecturer at IUSVE): social media only show you what you want to hear;
– Heart (Giovanni Fasoli, lecturer at IUSVE): understanding the world without oversimplifying it;
– Feet/Legs (Lucia Capuzzi, special correspondent for Avvenire): going out and reporting; journalists in the field;
– Whole body (Matteo Adamoli, IUSVE lecturer): school and family working together to learn about digital technology.
– Bonus track: the toolbox. Which digital tools to use to remain human.
“We live in a digital ecosystem that does more than just connect us: it guides us,” comments Marco Girardo, Editor-in-Chief of Avvenire. “That is why today, true competence is not just about using the tools, but learning to engage with them with awareness, critical thinking and humanity.”
This is precisely the aim of the project, “a media literacy initiative,” emphasises Fr Nicola Giacopini, Director of IUSVE, “tailored for those who, every day find themselves dealing with smartphones, social media, AI and platforms without always having the right tools to fully understand their logic and consequences.”
“It is a project that I am convinced will be very useful to students, young people, teachers, educators and parents both within and outside the Catholic world,” notes Gigio Rancilio.
“Faced with technological evolution and the challenges of AI,” observes Vincenzo Corrado, Director of the Office for Social Communications of the Italian Episcopal Conference, “we are called to a greater sense of responsibility, above all, as Leo XIV invites us to do, to safeguard human voices and faces. Education thus becomes fundamental.”
“The quality of information and people’s awareness of the risks and opportunities offered by AI are essential requirements for an open, future-oriented society,” warns Simone Bemporad, Group Chief Communications and Public Affairs Officer at ‘Generali’. “This is why we have decided to support this project, which we believe can tangibly promote awareness among citizens, particularly the younger generation, and encourage participation in the life of the communities to which they feel they belong.”
The promoters
IUSVE
The Salesian University Institute of Venice (IUSVE), an institution affiliated with the Faculty of Educational Sciences of the Pontifical Salesian University in Rome, trains over 2,300 students each year across three academic areas: Communication and Education, Psychology and Pedagogy. The academic programme comprises five three-year bachelor’s degree courses, five master’s degree courses and various postgraduate opportunities, all geared towards the development of advanced skills, both professional and personal. The campuses in Venice Mestre and Verona host the student community, alongside a further 135 students enrolled in advanced training courses.
LUIGI GIGIO RANCILIO
Luigi Gigio Rancilio, a journalist and populariser, served as social media manager for the daily newspaper Avvenire for 11 years. For eight years at the newspaper, he edited the column ‘Vite digitali’ (Digital Lives), which has just been published as a book by Vita e Pensiero
AVVENIRE
Avvenire is a Catholic-inspired national daily newspaper distributed throughout Italy. With a strong focus on social change, news, and economic and international current affairs, it stands out for its in-depth coverage, thanks to its numerous editorials, comprehensive sections and regular supplements. Avvenire is now at the heart of a comprehensive media ecosystem that includes, in addition to the newspaper, a website, weekly themed newsletters, social media channels, a podcast, a WhatsApp channel, an app, monthly publications, cultural supplements and sections specifically for young people.
