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The “Knowledge Volunteers 3.0” International Competition was presented in Rome. The Competition is promoted by the Fondazione Mondo Digitale in collaboration with the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Department of Youth, with the patronage of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy and the support of Intel Italy. Virtual volunteering is now recognised and rewarded.
“This initiative allows us to relaunch and promote the use of modern technology in the field of volunteering, as well as ideally connecting and uniting two European years addressing social policies: the Year of Volunteering 2011 and the Year for Active Ageing 2012, whilst also keeping in mind the European Year against Poverty 2010.” Danilo Giovanni Festa, Director General Third Sector and Social Affairs at the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, described the guidelines of the competition that aims to extend the "international network of knowledge volunteers" that is already operative in 13 Italian Regions and 8 countries: Belgium, Greece, Ireland, Romania, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey and the UK. The objective is fight digital illiteracy (in Italy, nearly 50% of adults do not have a computer or use the Internet), promote the educational role of school in training an active citizenship and accelerating the development of a democratic knowledge society.
The “Knowledge Volunteers 3.0” Competition, which was illustrated today by the Director General of the Fondazione Mondo Digitale Mirta Michilli, is open to all the protagonists of inter-generational learning projects promoted by the FMD in Italy and Europe (Grandparents on the Internet). The objective is to exploit web training and new technology best cases by students for elders. Six awards will be presented in a series of categories: 2 scholarships for the best student tutor in training activities at school (€500) and elderly centers (€1000) and four last-generation ultrabooks provided by Acer to the best senior volunteer in elderly centres, the best innovating teacher and the authors of the best podcast and most efficient viral video.
The competition is promoted in collaboration with Intel Italy. “We are happy to cooperate with the Fondazione Mondo Digitale in an initiative that actively involves digital natives and positively supports digital inclusion to help the elder generations understand the many opportunities that are provided by the Internet and technology,” explains Carlo Parmeggiani, Regional Business Manager Large Accounts and Education, Intel Italy and Switzerland.
Today’s event, which was moderated by Rai journalist Danilo Cretara, saw the presence of hundreds of junior and senior volunteers, as well as the participation of Sofia Pain, Department of Youth, Presidency of the Council of Ministers; Gianluigi De Palo Family, Education and Youth Councillor for the City of Rome; Alfonso Arbaiza Blanco-Soler, Director General Fundetec and Alfonso Molina, Professor of Technology Strategy at the University of Edinburgh.
Candidatures must be submitted by April 15, 2012. The Awards Ceremony will be held at the Rome Campidoglio on May 11, 2012. Application forms are available on line at www.mondodigitale.org
