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"This initiative has allowed us to bring the children of our schools and those from distant worlds such as Africa more than just virtually,” explained architect Cristina Frisari from the Cultural and Sports Activities Directorate, who also extended the greetings of the President of the Lazio Region Renata Polverini: “I would like to extend to all of you the personal greetings of the President of Lazio, Renata Polverini, who thanks you for her presence and looks forward to meeting you next year to continue discussing the issue of solidarity.”
“Digital Bridge means technological infrastructures and satellite connections, training and didactic support, creation of a development community, digital twinning between African and Italian schools, operative solidarity missions and didactic exchange,” emphasises Mirta Michilli, Director General of the Fondazione Mondo Digitale.
To outline the objectives accomplished by the project, Mirta has chosen to turn the word over to the students and the images of a short video, dense with suggestions and numbers, like the 8000 students and 40 Saharawi teachers involved in didactic programmes.
“The Saharawi have taught me reciprocal respect and the importance of conserving a people’s memory. They have asked me to talk about them with the rest of the world and narrate my experience,” says Almira, a student at the I. Newton Lyceum. “Many people are not aware that 300,000 people are living in such dramatic conditions.” The same words used by Omar Mih, Representative of the Polisario Front in Italy. “We just ask that you speak about us.”
In Cameroon, the authorities in Fontem and four schools are now on-line. “Developing a united world and breaking down the barriers that exist amongst cultures. This is the meaning of this project,” explains Martin Nkafu, President of Lats and Coordinator for the inclusion plan in Cameroon.
Students and teachers from five schools are amongst the audience: the Russell, Kant, Newton, D’Assisi and Levi Civita lycuems, the Hertz technical institute, two didactic circles (157° Torrimpietra e 159° Magliana), two comprehensive institutes (Ladispoli and F.lli Cervi), the “Lombardo Radice” middle school, the Istituto Pio IX and the “Santa Beatrice” primary school.
The conference was concluded Father Janvier Marie Gustave Yameogo, Delegate to Africa of the Pontifical Council on Social Communication. “The Church is interested in promoting means of communication and new technologies to reduce the digital divide. I appreciate this initiative and all the institutions that support the project and schools.”
Digital Bridge is the operative plan for social and digital inclusion that aims to help schools in the region of Lebialem (Cameroon) and the Saharawi. The project is coordinated by the Fondazione Mondo Digitale, financed by the Lazio Region and implemented locally by Scuole in Rete di Roma (SIR), the Lebialem Association for Twinning of Schools (LATS) and Bambini+Diritti onlus. In Cameroon, the project also collaborates with the European Space Agency (ESA) and the ActNow Alliance.
