Meeting with Cittadinanattiva at the Liceo Plauto in Rome
For World Health Day, established by the World Health Organization (WHO) on April 7 and which celebrates the 75th anniversary of its foundation this year, Project Factor J returns to Rome for a discussion with high school students on the focus of the 2023 edition: "Health for All". The meeting will serve as an opportunity to look back on the achievements of science in the field of health that have improved people's quality of life, as well as to focus on upcoming health challenges. The third edition of the educational project, promoted by Janssen Italia and the Fondazione Mondo Digitale, addresses "More trust, more health, more future."
“How can one build trust? If you work hard and believe in it, results will come along with trust. And you are a symbolic school from this point of view because it is thanks to your commitment that we have achieved important results in this area. The only tool to obtain results and accrue trust is knowledge and today we are here for this,” explained Paola Angelucci, Councillor for Public Works, Mobility and Schools, Rome Municipality IX.
Rodolfo Lena, Vice President of Commission VII (Health, Social Policy, Integration of Welfare and Health Care, Welfare) and Member of Commission II (European and International Affairs, Cooperation) of the Lazio Regional Council added: "Scientific research is one of the sectors that truly needs you. You are our present and your future will depend exclusively on yourselves and your desire to prove your worth. Each one of you has a very important value and together you can create a strong community that believes in the future. We support you, but the choices you make depend only on yourselves.”
In a context in which many steps still need to be taken to guarantee "health for all," the meeting with the participation of Cittadinanzattiva provided an opportunity for interaction, information and discussion involving young people on the complexity of the issue of public and global health. In Italy, there still are various challenges to achieving equitable and universal access to healthcare, especially due to local inequalities.
“It is an important opportunity for us to be able to speak to students in a context, such as school, where the activism and empowerment of the younger generations is developed, also in terms of health and well-being. As an association, we have been committed to the protection and rights for citizens' health since 1978 and for this reason we have promoted the Civic Charter of Global Health," pointed out Annalisa Mandorino, General Secretary of Cittadinanzattiva. “Our survey on a representative panel of citizens from European countries reveals that 76.7% of interviewees consider a strategy that guarantees global health, i.e. access to health for all, a priority. With the Civic Charter we intend to promote the awareness of citizens and institutions in favour of global health as a fundamental human right and to identify concrete actions to protect citizens’ state of biological, psychological and social well-being. Protection must be based on the reduction of inequalities, while promoting sustainable development of the Health System".
“At Janssen Italia, we are constantly engaged in the search for innovative therapeutic solutions that provide concrete answers to the needs of patients. Every day, we collaborate with the key players in the health system – doctors, patient associations and institutions – to make the best treatments available as quickly and fairly as possible. Our dream is to create “a future in which diseases are a thing of the past,” a right to health developed through research and innovation,” declared Monica Gibellini, Government Affairs, Policy & Patient Engagement Director of Janssen Italia, the pharmaceutical company of the Johnson & Johnson Group. “We believe it is essential to support awareness-raising initiatives, such as Factor J, which contribute to instilling correct information and trust in science, because if our future depends on today's discoveries, tomorrow's patients will increasingly need people who continue to believe in science. science to be able to take care of them.”
"Speaking of radiotherapeutic oncology, providing high-level treatment throughout Italy is encouraging for our country and is an important message that makes young people understand that health is our primary asset and there must be no geographical, social and cultural inequalities," explained Sara Ramella, Pro-rector for Integration and Social Impact at the Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome. "Radiation oncology is an excellent example of integrating technological innovation and dedication to human health."
Today's meeting reinforces the objective of Factor J which, after having involved over 200,000 students, including 7,000 in the Lazio Region alone, continues its calendar of on-site and on-line lessons in various Italian regions with over 3,000 high school students.
Students participating in Factor J are also involved in practical sessions on podcasting techniques, videomaking, graphics and storytelling to participate in a major contest that will see them as protagonists with their "health of the future" stories. The student projects will be selected and judged by an exceptional jury made up of professionals from the world of communication and science. The winners in the individual categories will receive awards at the Milanese event in May.
“Today I heard an important message that I want to emphasize: fill your drawer with dreams. Thank you for being here with us to discuss inclusion and medical care and thanks above all to the students who are present today because you are our future. It is a great opportunity for all of us to have faith in scientific research and development by filling our drawer of dreams," said Sonia Schirato, School Director.
"Our country needs young people to study in the medical-scientific field. Initiatives like these are essential to make students aware of correct scientific information and prevention. Healthy behaviour today will positively influence our health tomorrow,” said Mirta Michilli, Director General of the Fondazione Mondo Digitale.
