AVSI at the Rimini Meeting 2025

This year, AVSI takes part in the Rimini Meeting with a dynamic calendar of events, shaped through close collaboration with the Directorate General for Development Cooperation, the Italian Bishops' Conference (CEI) and the "Compagnia delle Opere" (CDO) - an association that supports entrepreneurs, non-profit organizations, and other professionals in business development.

The Cooperation Pavilion will illustrate AVSI's identity and approach, with a focus on emergency situations. One of the panels, titled "Ukraine. Education in Wartime" is dedicated to the "PROSPECT" project, developed in collaboration with the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS). This project exemplifies the approach, the focus on education, and the long-term vision of development, even in emergency situations.

At its stand, AVSI will welcome visitors, volunteers, and supporters. As in previous editions, dedicated moments will be organized for them, including guided tours of the exhibitions and discussions on topics of shared interest.

The earthquake that struck Southeast Asia on March 28 this year has brought attention back to the fragile situation in Myanmar, where the population, already exhausted by years of civil war, has been forced to face yet another tragedy. Italy, the European Union, and numerous civil society organizations have mobilized in solidarity with the Burmese people. This event aims to shed light on what has happened in recent months, to ensure that attention on this country does not fade away once again.

The dialogue, moderated by Anna Tramonti – AVSI Philantropy and Advocacy Specialist, will involve Nicolò Tassoni Estense di Castelvecchio, Head of Mission of Italy to Myanmar; Ranieri Sabatucci, former Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Myanmar; Luciano Gualzetti, Director of Caritas Ambrosiana; and through a video message, Nang Swe Swe Aye, Country Representative of AVSI in Myanmar.

Thanks to the testimonies of field workers, the event offers an introduction to the Distance Support program, centered on caring for a vulnerable child and accompanying them throughout their education until adulthood. This initiative fosters positive change not only in the child’s life, but also within their family, their community, and among those who choose to support them.

The event is moderated by Giulia Bossi, AVSI Distance Support Program Coordinator, and it features the participation of Antonino Masuri, AVSI Distance Support Program point of contact in Kenya, Father Giuseppe Caramazza, Deputy Dean of Tangaza University College in Nairobi and Professor of Institutional Communications, and Gian Battista Parigi, Professor at the University of Pavia and Member of the Italian Bishops' Conference's Committee for Charitable Interventions and the Development of Peoples.

South Sudan is facing a severe humanitarian crisis. Years of civil war, political instability, inter-ethnic conflict, and the growing impact of climate change continue to erode the foundations of lasting peace. AVSI’s projects in the country focus on development and agriculture, providing communities with sustainable sources of livelihood. In the field of education, thanks to joint efforts with the Italian Bishops' Conference, significant initiatives have been implemented in a country where 65% of children do not attend school.

The round table opens with a video about the projects of Italian Cooperation and AVSI in South Sudan ("A school at the end of the world" by Marco Gualazzini) and, moderated by Maria Laura Conte, AVSI Communication and Advocacy Director, includes the participation of Christian Carlassare, Bishop of Bentiu in South Sudan, Gino Barsella, AVSI former Country Representative in South Sudan, and Piero Petrucco, CEO of I.CO.P. SPA and ANCE Vice-President.

Education is a journey of self-discovery and of recognizing the inestimable value of oneself and of every human being - a value that remains intact even in situations of deep vulnerability or need. That’s why AVSI is committed to fostering educational environments that support the integral development of the person, going beyond the mere transmission of knowledge. Starting from the experience of the Luigi Giussani school, located in one of Kampala's most vulnerable neighborhoods, the event will explore how this way of viewing education takes shape in real life.

Andrea Nembrini, Education Advisor at the Luigi Giussani school in Kampala, and Gian Battista Parigi, Professor at the University of Pavia and Member of the Italian Bishops' Conferences' Committee for Charitable Interventions and the Development of Peoples, will describe their own experience guided by Valentina Frigerio, Editorial Manager of the clonline.org website.

In a time marked by conflict and intolerance, promoting interreligious dialogue, religious freedom, and peace is both an urgent challenge and a vital opportunity. At the Rimini Meeting 2025, the Italian Council for Religious Freedom and Freedom of Belief will host a moment of reflection and testimony, aiming to highlight virtuous paths and concrete initiatives that foster dialogue, protect religious freedom, and build peace.

After the greetings of Davide Dionisi, Special Envoy for the Promotion of Religious Freedom and the Protection of Religious Minorities Worldwide, and Daniela Canclini, Vice-President of the Italian Council for Freedom of Religion, with an introduction and moderation by Andrea Avveduto, Member of Pro Terra Sancta and of the Italian Council for Freedom of Religion, it will feature interventions by Cardinal Jean-Paul Vesco, Archbishop of Algiers, Father Massimo Carlino, Professor of Sacred Scripture at the Theological Faculty of Central Italy, Sandra Sarti, Member of Aid to the Church in Need, and Mauro Giacomazzi, AVSI Focal Point for Education. Final remarks will be made by Michele Brignone, representing Oasis and the Italian Council for Freedom of Religion.

Today, over 250 million children around the world are out of school - a figure we cannot ignore. For more than fifty years, AVSI has worked in both development and emergency contexts to make education accessible to children and young people living in the most challenging conditions. Time and again, we have witnessed the transformative power of education - not only for individuals, but for entire communities. To share what has been achieved and what still lies ahead, the event titled “Education is Hope” will offer a space for reflection and testimony. Through the voices of institutional representatives from diverse backgrounds, the event will highlight how investments in education contribute to the integral development of individuals and to the sustainable growth of society as a whole - and why it is essential to continue working together to ensure adequate funding for education.

The roundtable will be moderated by Eva Crosetta, TV Host of RAI2“On the way to Damascus”, and will involve Mariatou Koné, Cote d'Ivoire's Minister of Education and President of CONFEMEN - Conference of Ministers of Education of French-speaking States and Governments, Edmondo Cirielli, Italy's Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Laura Frigenti, CEO of Global Partnership for Education, Francesco Magni, Professor of General and Social Pedagogy at the University of Bergamo, and Giampaolo Silvestri, AVSI Secretary General.

AVSI will present its commitment to international cooperation, with a particular focus on its educational approach, implemented in development contexts such as Uganda. The event will also explore all possible forms of collaboration and partnership between AVSI and businesses, including through the presentation of concrete examples.

The date will be confirmed shortly.

The event will involve remarks by Livia Morosini, AVSI Coordinator of the Corporate and Major Donors Unit, Beatrice Campiotti, AVSI Major Donor Fundraiser, Alberto Della Frera, Education Advisor in Uganda, and Chiara Angeli, AVSI Fundraising Director.