Fiammetta Cappellini, who served for 19 years as AVSI’s Regional Manager for the Caribbean and is now the coordinator of AVSI’s global humanitarian responses, has been awarded the prestigious Order of Merit of the Italian Republic in the rank of Knight (Cavaliere).
The award ceremony took place in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The Italian Ambassador to the Dominican Republic and Haiti, Stefano Queirolo Palmas, praised Cappellini’s long-standing commitment in Haiti:
“In addition to the courage and civic sense demonstrated by working for years in a prohibitive context, she is a wise interpreter of a model of development aid inspired by the best Italian traditions of Catholic sensitivity.”
Cappellini graciously accepted the honor, emphasizing the collective nature of her work:
“This is a team effort. Ideally, all my colleagues were awarded with me.”
She also expressed heartfelt gratitude to her family: “I thank those who, through their sacrifices, have allowed me to make the choices this job requires—especially my mother Antonietta and my father Alvaro, who for the past three and a half years have cared for my 17-year-old son Alessandro at home.”
AVSI has been one of the most active organizations in Haiti, promoting development, education, and human rights. However, the worsening crisis has shifted its focus primarily to humanitarian aid—protecting people from violence and combating hunger.
Haiti faces what Cappellini describes as “multidimensional poverty, extremely difficult to overcome,” compounded by escalating violence and insecurity. Armed gangs now control much of Port-au-Prince, severely impacting the country’s economy. “From January to March alone, there were 5,000 gun-related deaths in the capital,” she noted.
Despite the challenges, AVSI continues to operate thanks to its predominantly Haitian staff, who are more readily accepted in local communities. The organization enforces strict and constantly updated security protocols, including a mandatory curfew from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.
After nearly two decades based in Haiti, Cappellini now works from Italy, coordinating AVSI’s humanitarian interventions worldwide.
The Order of Merit of the Italian Republic is the highest-ranking honor of the Italian Republic. The rank of Knight (Cavaliere) is the first level of this distinction, awarded to Italian and foreign citizens for their service to the nation.
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