MBDigitalInnovation, Autore presso Rotary Como

November 2025: We share the many commitments awaiting our friends at the Rotaract Club Como PHF!!!

🇬🇧 || November 2025: We’d like to share the many commitments awaiting our friends at the Rotaract Club Como PHF!!!

Our club is pleased to announce the upcoming charity event in support of ‘END POLIO NOW’ organized by Rotary District 2042!

💥 ANTONIA POZZI: melologue with texts and vocals by Antonetta Carrabs, music and piano by Rossella Spinosa.

🇬🇧 || Our club is pleased to announce the upcoming charity event in support of ‘END POLIO NOW’ organized by District 2042!

💥 ANTONIA POZZI: melologue with texts and vocals by Antonetta Carrabs, music and piano by Rossella Spinosa.

Previously, in the presence of the Governor, the board of directors met with the commission chairs and with the President of Rotaract Club Como PHF Carlotta Piadeni.

🇬🇧 || Rotary Como – District 2042’s projects continue over time, and the champions always stand out!

During the evening, educators and young people shared the wonderful story of SOCIOLARIO Società Cooperativa Sociale, which has been working in the Como area for 40 years to promote the well-being and social inclusion of people with disabilities.

🇬🇧 || Last night, representatives from our club attended the Rotaract Club Como PHF dinner!

During the evening, educators and students shared the wonderful story of Sociolario, a social cooperative that has been working in the Como area for 40 years to promote the well-being and social inclusion of people with disabilities.

This is how this evening’s convivial gathering for our club is celebrated, with guest Arch. Andrea Carson who guided us from Italy to China, via Africa, on a journey filled with curiosities and numerous projects related to the world of lighting design!

🇬🇧 || “Architecture is the meeting of rigor and beauty, where volumes dialogue with light…”

This is how tonight’s convivial gathering for our club is celebrated, with guest architect Andrea Carson, who guided us from Italy to China, via Africa, on a journey filled with curiosities and numerous projects related to the world of lighting design!

Our battle against polio may seem like a bold goal, but Rotary members are relentless!

The 2023/24 Rotary year is dedicated to the theme of creating hope together, generating connections to enhance our action. When it comes to doing good, there is never enough!

The evening featured an address by the President of the Young Entrepreneurs of Como, Paolo Bellocco, who spoke about connection and synergies in associations, essential tools for expanding the scope of objectives. The pinning ceremony for the new Club Member saw the Presidents of the two associations transform these words into action.

The evening, held in the spirit of Rotarian friendship, continued with the speech of the Club President, whose first words were: “Welcoming a new Member is for me the most rewarding and valuable activity as President, because it means implementing Rotarian values and ensuring continuity of the Club’s value.”

Below is the Speech of the Rotary Club Como President 2023/24 – Francesca Maria D’Asta

“Dear Rotarian Friends, welcome to the beginning of the 2023/2024 Rotary year.

It is an honor to be President of Rotary Club Como. An institution of almost 100 years that I am committed to treating with the utmost care, maintaining a balance between tradition and opportunities for innovation, always in respect of Rotarian values: friendship, service, integrity, diversity, and leadership.

As a member and as President, I place myself at the service of Rotary Como with all my commitment.

Know that every decision I make and will make will be in the spirit of our Rotarian values and for the good of Rotary.

I thank the Vice Presidents, the Councilors, the Committees, and all the Members because you place your experience and availability at the service of Rotary Como.

Let us create hope and create the opportunities and connections that help us transform that hope into actions aimed at good.

It is with great pleasure that I inform you that the main Service of this Rotary year, for the construction of a computer classroom in a school in Tanzania in partnership with Fondazione Cottolengo, has been 100% achieved.
This project is important to me also because it represents the union of intentions, forces, and Rotarian friendship of two Presidencies. I therefore thank Past President Gianluca Lombardi.
Just a few previews of Rotarian activities: continuation of our commitment to the Rotary Foundation for End Polio Now (https://www.endpolio.org/it), Rotarian services for youth action (e.g., Ryla, Trekking Camp, etc… https://www.rotary.org/it/our-programs), project for early prevention of amblyopia (Project Elisa, conceived and managed by Member Roberto Magni), maintenance of the Voltiano Lighthouse (continuing the broader project begun years ago under the Presidency of Giorgio Carcano), free patronage for the Imperial Plinian Path

(Project of Member and President of Erone Onlus Alberto Vannelli) and we are ready to act on other local projects that we will define during the year.
I will keep you informed about the Club’s activities so that you can, if you wish, be involved in them.

I have deliberately left until the end the presentation of a Rotarian service project dedicated to young people and the theme of discovering values.
The program is conducted by Rotarians and Friends of Rotary who, assuming the role of Mentor, guide young people in discovering their values, also helping them to ask themselves what emotions they feel regarding these and how they want to communicate them to express themselves.
All this through the tool of open questions (maieutics). Questions are a powerful introspective tool, especially when they do not claim to have definitive, right, or wrong answers.
The Mentor will then choose one of the Rotarian values—not to impose but to propose—also sharing with the young people a personal experience related to it.
The methodology of asking questions to get in touch with oneself and develop tools of introspection for the construction of personality is supported, in fact, also by various theoretical references “in the field of learning and internalization of value-based thinking” (e.g., constructivism, metacognition, and social learning psychology).
As a Rotarian, I am strongly convinced of the importance of contributing to developing new generations of value.

It is, moreover, with great pleasure that I inform you that the Rotary District 2042 Governor Giuseppe Del Bene—whom I thank—has informed me that the Express Yourself Project has also been included in the Rotarian Virgilio Program to assist new entrepreneurship and young entrepreneurs in starting up startup activities (https://www.programmavirgilio.org/ since 1997).
I will provide you with further details later. I thank those who have already joined the initiative while the Project was still being born and invite those who wish to do so to join us.

The Members all together are the soul of Rotary Club Como and new members are its new lifeblood.
“If you too care about the good of others, you are a potential Rotarian.” Paul Harris

Let us commit ourselves, therefore, together so that Rotary Club Como is always the place where friends meet who “want to improve people’s lives and truly make their contribution to building a better world” (https://www.rotary.org/it/our-causes).

I thank you and wish all of us a wonderful Rotary year together.
Spokes of the same wheel.
Francesca”

Exam time, not only for young students dealing with their final exams but also
for Rotarians dealing with the questions from President Gianluca Lombardi who
wanted to verify whether, at the end of his term, we have improved our
knowledge of the “essence” of Rotary.

Everyone passed (or almost) with full marks and so
Gianluca recalled the interesting meetings of his year (while images of them scrolled
on a screen at the back of the room), expressed satisfaction with what was accomplished
just as we all were (moreover with the record in recent years of new member
enrollments, 8), the acknowledgments already written in the bulletin (for the series: who
read it?) and finally, after pinning Marco Mazzitti as a new Member, for the 96th consecutive year
the traditional handover ceremony took place. Francesca Maria
d’Asta, the first female President in the club’s history will surely surprise us with other
special effects. But that will be another story to experience. Oh, I forgot….”in
the splendid setting of Villa d’Este…”
Luca Frigerio

Lanfredo Castelletti, our Honorary Member and former Director of the Civic Museums of Como, entertained us at the aperitif on June 15 with some anecdotes in the archaeological field.

He recounts being among the first to introduce in Italy the study and interpretation of charcoal fragments (charcoal in fact possesses high chemical inertia that reduces its deterioration, making it an important paleoenvironmental indicator). Four topics discussed. The first “The Sewn Boat”: shipwrecked around 15 AD and found in good condition in the Po Delta, the boat, 26 m long x 6 wide, had a tonnage of 130 tons, was composed of a base of perforated planks sewn with plant fiber and oak wood semicircles stretched to give it the appearance of a boat. The second topic concerns the discovery in Pombia (Novara) of an intact cinerary urn in which, in addition to the ashes of the deceased, a terracotta cup was preserved containing beer residues, which made it possible to identify the composition of a beverage from 2,500 years ago not very different from today’s. In Chiavenna (third topic) the “Unveiled Pax” is kept, a panel at whose center stands a jeweled cross with enameled squares around it depicting Christ descending from heaven, on the left and right the Archangel Gabriel and the Virgin Annunciate, below the Visitation. Precisely the carbon-14 studies on wax fragments found on the back of the panel (with pollen analysis) made it possible to date it (11th century) and trace its origin to Milan. Finally, a study published by Castelletti and Collaborators on nutrition in prehistory and in particular on how bread was kneaded in 1800 BC. For those who wish to learn more, in bookstores you will find “Beyond the Stratigraphies. Stories of sites, environments and peoples. Tribute from colleagues to Lanfredo Castelletti in 2022 (on the occasion of his 80th birthday).
LF

Alberto certainly smiled from above seeing how many friends, colleagues and Rotarians were present yesterday at the Como kennel for the ceremony in his memory with the inauguration of the veterinary clinic dedicated to him thanks to the special fundraising campaign.

With a brief speech our Guido thanked all those who made this event possible, then traced a moving memory of Alberto, his passion for animals, his professionalism, the days at the pool with friends, the walks, how much he loved our lake and how much everyone cared deeply for him. And this is precisely the image of a wonderful young man that everyone will carry in their hearts.
L.F.

The presence of Luciano Moggi at the June 1st convivial gathering attracted many Juventus fans among the members and guests.
“Interviewed” by Roberto Ortelli, journalist for Swiss Italian Television, the former Juventus executive began by stating that it was his intention to prove his innocence regarding the Calciopoli affair, which has not yet concluded, without seeking to blame others.

A man of humble origins and a hard worker, after realizing that a career as a football player was not an option for him, he began taking his first steps as a sporting director in football clubs while working for the Railways after participating in a rather crowded competition, a job he left when he was hired as sporting director of Roma and then moved to Juventus as General Director where he had an excellent relationship with lawyer Agnelli, who placed his trust in him for managing the team.
Management that envisioned a majority of Italian players compared to foreign ones for various reasons, from the love for the jersey that Italians can feel compared to foreign players for whom it is just a job, to the possibility of developing players who will one day be part of the National Team; the validity of this strategic choice is demonstrated by the fact that after Calciopoli, Italy has had no further success at the international level. In his work, he never listened to what was said or requested by the fans because their reasoning is “emotional,” and he had confirmation of the correctness of this choice.
Obviously, the questions from those present were many and targeted, and Moggi answered brilliantly.

Diego Minonzio, of proud origins from Lecco and Editor-in-Chief of the newspaper “La Provincia” since 2011, was the guest at the dinner meeting on May 11th at the Serre di Villa del Grumello, which welcomed us on a evening of torrential rain.

He offered us not so much a formal report, but a series of reflections on themes related to our territory. In particular, the tourism boom: is there an entrepreneurial strategy behind this? There is a strong doubt that everything is happening more by chance than through planning, as has occurred in Emilia Romagna—where the model is based on what you are and what you want to do—or in Liguria, where the model is “predatory, with structural exploitation of the tourist.” To support the enormous flow, we lack infrastructure: the Via Regina is always congested, ferries are insufficient, and taxis cannot be found; yet, 5-star hotels are increasing, and one wonders if the paying tourist is satisfied with the lack of services. The risk could be that, in the long run, the tourism bubble will burst. Furthermore, high costs impact the pockets of citizens who, instead, would like a city tailored to their needs as well. The emptying of the historic center, the university campus lost amidst the city’s silence, and the passive acceptance of the flood barrier affair! It is necessary to become aware of what is wanted and what must be done, and in this, service clubs can also make their contribution. Reflections on the speaker’s presentation by several members then concluded the evening.

Alessandra Locatelli, Minister of the Republic for Disability, was the speaker at the convivial meeting on April 21: “New Perspectives for Inclusion: From the Current Regulatory Framework to the Enhancement of Everyone’s Talents and Skills.”

Her passion for volunteering began at age 16 at the Setificio, then developed after her secondary studies with an experience in Africa, followed by work at Casa Famiglia and other social initiatives with the goal of placing not only disabilities but also the difficulties of families on the same level—parents who dedicate their lives to caregiving amid countless logistical, bureaucratic, and economic challenges. We must think of a “life plan” by investing in people, understanding their potential, and opening the doors of the social community—a coordinated and widespread project, not managed through fragmented individual actions. Much will be accomplished with the Enabling Law on Disability through 5 implementing decrees, including the establishment of the National Disability Ombudsman, the institutional board for determining LEPS (Essential Levels of Social Services), and the possibility of access to public administrations to provide opportunities for people with disabilities to express their abilities and skills. This involves the ICF model (International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health), which assesses a person’s functionality and replaces the current static tables from 1992 with disability percentages. These projects will enable people to have a more dignified life: services, medications, aids, but above all, relationships. In Europe, we are at the forefront in designing these models, but even in Italy there is disparity among regions—not so much in the presence of volunteering as in the capacity of institutions to manage funds allocated to social projects. Prompted on this very topic by a question, the Minister outlined a series of social projects with funds already allocated and subsequently addressed concerns that the Third Sector Law has raised for volunteer associations with a heavy increase in bureaucratic and economic burdens (the Single Register of the Third Sector), proposing a possible future reconsideration of certain aspects. Finally, the warm recommendation to always place the noun “person” before the adjective “disabled”: “person with a disability” among many “people”
L.F.

Alessio Butti, Undersecretary of State to the Presidency of the Council of Ministers with responsibility for innovation. Innovation was therefore the subject of a report that greatly interested the members in attendance.

Starting from a description of the complexity of his department, which deals with technology, digitalization, and cybersecurity, he expressed his conviction that innovating means simplifying the lives of citizens and that the implementation of digitalization represents an important aspect of the geopolitical network. Von der Leyen recently declared the need to safeguard one’s “digital sovereignty,” and this applies to Europe as well as Italy, to the point that this term has been officially adopted in legislative texts. Simplifying is the imperative in the field of bureaucracy, and it is a priority to work towards a single text on digitalization (today there are 40,000 regulations!). Digitalization entails the affirmation of rights: if I want a certificate, I must obtain it in the shortest possible time. The problem is that technological innovation must be legislatively controlled: 59 countries in the world, representing 36.6% of the world’s population, live under authoritarian regimes, many others in imperfect democracies or hybrid regimes, and only 8% under a democratic regime. A country’s strength will no longer be nuclear armament but the use of digital technological solutions. In 2025, we will have 175 zettabytes (1 zettabyte = 1 sextillion bytes): these are data that will generate immense wealth as they will allow us to know all the characteristics of a population, their movements, tastes, and any performance. “If we want to resist as Italy, with respect to the world’s technological trends, we must mobilize all relevant parts of society toward a goal of national rebirth. We must preserve our data so that it does not become the property of Google, Microsoft, Amazon, or other IT giants.” This is the difficult task facing the Department for Digital Transformation. Several questions concerned artificial intelligence, the metaverse project, and broadband.
L.F.

Oscar Bianchi, married, two daughters, two degrees, banker, lives in Bergamo, dedicates his free time to volunteering and in particular to AVIS, of which he is Regional President.

At birth, his second daughter – he recounts – was found to be affected by a very serious cardiocirculatory pathology, was immediately operated on and received many transfusions, thanks in part to which the operation was perfectly successful. Since then, he and his wife have given back to society what they received for their daughter’s life by dedicating themselves to volunteering.
Too often it is taken for granted that blood is available for everyone, but this is not the case. Currently there are 1,270,000 donors in Italy, of which 20% are in Lombardy alone. AVIS was founded in 1927 on the initiative of a physician, Vittorio Formentano, who recruited the first 17 donors through an announcement in Corriere della Sera with the objective of meeting the growing need for blood, having ready and screened donors, and eliminating the buying and selling of blood. Today AVIS is organized on a pyramidal model: National, Regional, Provincial and Municipal. Lombardy covers 24% of the national requirement with collections in hospital facilities (as in our province) or in AVIS Collection Units with 472,022 units of blood (the next most virtuous region is Emilia Romagna with 130,000 units). In Italy there are also other associations dedicated to blood donation, but 92% of donors belong to AVIS. Italy is also the only country in the world where blood is completely free: the donor receives no compensation, patients are not subject to payment for transfusions.
Finally, a mention of the bureaucratic difficulties that the Third Sector Reform requires to be addressed with the migration of statutes into the RUNTS (National Single Register of the Third Sector) and of the latest State-Region agreement that regulates the economic relations between the Association and the local ATS with current tariffs not in compliance with the sustainability of the Association (particularly where AVIS manages the Collection Units). AVIS associations in fact receive compensation from the State for their irreplaceable activities regulated by a uniform agreement throughout the national territory. The evening concluded with an appeal to younger people to volunteer for donation.
L.F.

Andrea Brianza was the club’s guest at the dinner meeting on March 16. He spoke to us about how Rotary invests in young people in various ways, starting from the paradox that young people are not the future… they are the present, and therefore they have the right to design the future they wish to live in, while it is our duty to help them.

He spoke about Ryght, a three-day training ground for young talents: in the mountains with the challenge of rope climbing up to 30 or 60 meters, teaching them how to overcome their limits. The New Generation Service Exchange (from 1 to 3 months) to develop professional and social interests in foreign companies. The Gavioli Award for high school students with the aim of creating a short film. The Rotary Youth Exchange for 16-17 year olds, featuring short or long-term exchanges between Italian and foreign students. The Summer Camp, an experience for 12 young people of 12 different nationalities, consisting of three days of sport, art, and fun. Finally, the RYLA: five days of themed lessons and guided tours of organizations working towards the future, along with team-building activities aimed at developing the ability to imagine tomorrow. Lastly, he recalled the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with the 17 goals to be achieved by that year. During the evening, between courses, two very brief minutes were given to each of the 6 out of 7 new members present to share something about themselves: Oliver Pucillo Furer (Lawyer), Daniele Meier (Lawyer, Notary), Alessandra Bonduri (Legal Consultant), Chiara Rossini (Accountant), Giuseppe Peccati (Banker), Fabio Luigi Ghioldi (IT Entrepreneur).

Continuing on the topic of social media use, we had as our guest Atty. Marianna Sala, President of Corecom (Regional Committee for Communications Control) Lombardy. The theme was “Not Just Cyberbullies: Towards an Educational Pact for Digital Well-being in the Family.” What emerges is a rather disturbing picture of adolescent youth who, born with a cell phone in hand, no longer know how to manage emotions, unable to distinguish physical reality from virtual reality. We are talking about a form of secondary illiteracy in which young people are convinced they have adequate skills, in line with their times, but which on the contrary reduce the time devoted to culturally relevant activities such as studying and reading, essential for psycho-physical well-being, sleep, and social interaction. This results in antisocial behaviors in the various forms of cyberbullying, a phenomenon that is spreading like wildfire. Greater presence of schools and families is important, establishing rules on cell phone use: for example, it is known that most episodes of cyberbullying occur between 8 PM and 8 AM, and here the family should have an essential role in monitoring their children’s smartphone use. Only through active collaboration and an educational pact of shared responsibility among institutions, families, and students can we attempt to stem this extremely dangerous phenomenon that not infrequently leads to very serious consequences.

Giuliano Noci, Eng., Vice-Rector of the Chinese Territorial Pole of the Politecnico di Milano and a leading expert on Chinese affairs, was a guest of the club, where he delivered an insightful presentation on the Asian giant, moving beyond the usual clichés often associated with the subject.

The initial invitation was, in fact, to avoid looking at China through the distorted and short-sighted eyes of Westerners. Over the last two centuries, the economic dominance of the West has represented an anomaly, given that until the 19th century, economic dominance belonged to China and India; now, China is returning to the position that history has always assigned to it. Furthermore, we Westerners are convinced that our way of life is the best for all of humanity, but this is merely a conviction inherent to Christian culture, not shared by the other two great cultures: the Muslim and the Sinitic.
That said, Noci pointed out that a unipolar world is an unstable one, and it is desirable for the presidents of the two superpowers, the U.S.A. and China, to sit down at the table—something they recognize as necessary but struggle to achieve due to their public image within their respective countries.
In this context, Europe is in danger due to the lack of a unified identity, and its future depends on international factors. At this moment, China is slowing down its growth, which until a few years ago was dizzying; this should concern us because a weak China is a dangerous China, as is currently happening with Russia, and the risk is that of a Third World War.
It is wise to view interests with balance, and it is not a given that our interests are the same as those of the United States. Institutions such as the U.N., which were created at a time when the West represented 80% of the world, can no longer carry the same weight; it is necessary to begin listening to all the excluded countries that are strengthening and will no longer give importance to what is decreed by institutions that do not involve them.
This vision, presented by Eng. Noci, was supported by a significant and direct knowledge of the subject, though it was not shared by some of those present at the evening event.

“Blockchain, Web3, and Cryptocurrencies: Adoption Status and Future Developments.” A rather bold choice by our President to propose as a presentation for the dinner meeting on February 2nd. Yet the speaker, Eng. Valeria Portale, had the ability to attempt to make us digest such a difficult subject, especially after a dinner based on cassoeula with polenta.

We are facing an epochal change that began in 2008 when an anonymous Satoshi Nakamoto published the Bitcoin protocol: a technology for transferring money from one person to another without intermediaries. The following year, the elusive cryptocurrency was worth 1 Bit (today 1 Bit is worth 20,000 Euros!). However, in those years, it remained a niche product and was even discouraged. The underlying technology is called “blockchain” and is a computer network of nodes that uniquely and securely manages a series of data and information, such as money transactions, without the need for central control. In 2014, banks began to study this technology for use in the banking world, but it was in 2015, following the publication of an article on the front page of The Economist, that an initial phase of investment began.
In 2018, a downturn in the cryptocurrency market occurred, but at the same time, several companies demonstrated an interest in this technology with the production of alternative finance. In 2020, the ECB also planned an alternative currency called the Digital Euro, with the aim of giving consumers the opportunity to benefit from a new, fast, and secure payment instrument guaranteed by a central bank, with virtual exchanges between multiple users as if it were real currency. Through cryptography, users are therefore guaranteed cybersecurity by having a key to open their digital wallet; furthermore, this technology “disintermediates” the actors in the middle: an algorithm manages and verifies the steps that were previously managed by the bank. To date, many companies invest in this technology (e.g., banks, Public Administration, Telecom, Automotive, Healthcare, Energy & Utility…). Even the Revenue Agency is interested in it but, curiously, still lacks technicians capable of interpreting the technology (!). Web3 is based on Blockchain technology. Therefore: in Web 1.0, Internet pages could only be used by the user in a passive way. With Web 2.0, the user can participate in the creation of content (what our Club’s Social Commission does, for example). Web3 changes the hierarchy of previous Webs, where managers were the keepers of sensitive data, by allowing the user to become the owner of their own content with the advantages of decentralization, security, and anonymity. Be careful, however: these are innovative technologies that are still only manageable by super-experts. Perhaps for all of us, for now, the suggestion could be to keep our non-virtual wallets safe in our banks…
LF

A few days ago, the Minister of Education Valditara signed the decree approving the guidelines for guidance, a reform planned by the PNRR. This introduces 30-hour annual curricular modules to support students and families in reflecting on and identifying a student’s strengths throughout their educational path, highlighting their knowledge, acquired experiences, and digital skills.

The presence of the speaker chosen by President Lombardi, Dr. Sara Cipollini, was therefore no coincidence. A Project Manager with an impressive professional background, she currently oversees the development of an international network of schools in Italy while also coordinating the design of residential training for young people, professionals, and families. “School and Guidance” was the title of her brief presentation, following a format already tested on other occasions that allows ample space for interactivity and questions from the audience. The discussion revealed a picture of substantial dissatisfaction: despite the institution spending significant sums on each student over 16 years of learning (from kindergarten to graduation), 12.7% drop out, one in ten graduates finish their studies without acquiring even minimum skills, and those who can, move abroad to continue their education. Consequently, the business world today struggles to find individuals with adequate skills, creating a contradiction where Italian educational heritage is recognized through the success of young Italians abroad, who often achieve better results than their international peers. Schools must therefore face two essential challenges: guidance and the attractiveness of the labor market. During the extensive debate, participants also addressed topics such as the ability of teachers to act as counselors, low salaries, teacher training, the needs of companies, and the opportunity to develop soft skills (relational and behavioral abilities) and hard skills (technical and professional competencies).
LF

Is it possible that an evening with such a high level of interest could be particularly difficult to summarize? It may well be…! Enrico Ariotti, the guest of the first convivial meeting of 2023—an entrepreneur, 42 years old, dressed informally, operating in the IT (Information Technology) sector—began his career in 1999. After various experiences, he founded nCore in 2017, a startup accelerated through Italy’s most important technology business incubator: Digital Magics. The evening unfolded not as a formal report but through a series of questions and answers posed to the guest, first by President Lombardi and then by various members. What emerged was a portrait of a startup (nCore) that was born with the immediate need to be able to “scale”—that is, to overcome the initial phases of research, experimentation, and the definition of a scalable and repeatable business model to transform into a scaleup. A scaleup is a startup that has successfully moved past those initial stages (thanks in part to the incubator) and can therefore focus on growth and commercial development. nCore assists companies with recruitment through software models that manage and digitize the entire process, thereby facilitating candidate selection. Today, this highly advanced system manages approximately 25,000 candidates per day. Among the numerous questions, there were inevitable references to ComoNExT, the crown jewel of startup incubators in the Como area, and how nCore instead grew outside of that experience, as well as mentions of the Metaverse, digital twins, and the evolution of information technology (including in the medical field). Finally, the evening was marked by the induction of two new members: Elisabetta Broli and Fabio Luigi Ghilodi.

Assembly with aperitif for the election of the 2023-24 President and the 2022-23 Board. Including the usual interesting report by Treasurer Campeggio and Auditor Pirondini, followed by the vote. Once the assembly formalities were completed, the floor was given to Gioia Fertonani, President of Rotaract.

The Club has 19 members plus seven candidates, with an average age of 25-26, and meets under the motto “I care,” expressing the desire to do well what truly matters to them. The objectives: to return to active status in the post-Covid era, to be responsive in times of community need, and to renew their board with fresh energy. Among their services are the usual ones with AISM and ComoCuore, a new operational version of the Teddy Bear project (no longer in the hospital but as a Christmas box), Como Pulita, and a project (Green Mission) to raise awareness among children regarding ecology and waste disposal. Secret Santa for children’s Christmas and Felixlandia (an association for the rescue and shelter of cats). Convivial meetings with speakers will be opportunities for personal growth (and perhaps also for occasional fundraising). How talented these young people are! It will be our goal to support them…

Were we expecting a pleasant chat with our Mayor just over three months after his inauguration? Not from Rapinese. We listened to a long monologue in a tone that was not aggressive but firm, very firm, in which he did not spare criticism of previous and current administrative and social management of the city, well aware that among those present several were, if not opponents, certainly not his supporters. But this is how he communicates, without mincing words, following logic unrelated to consensus and political parties. “Consensus should not be followed, it should be created,” he observes, and “with consensus one reaches power, without compromises, friendships, or winks.” From the time he was a boy at the Setificio, his career as a consensus builder began, then finding himself in the Districts as a civic list with our Lombardi as District President, with whom he established a fruitful collaborative relationship, albeit from the opposition. Then the years on the City Council, always in opposition, until his election as Mayor. He immediately began by losing his Chief of Staff, who resigned, but was not discouraged and within a few weeks reorganized the municipal organizational structure to make it as efficient as possible. He surrounded himself with a group of Assessors who work with him at least eight hours a day and began trying to solve the most pressing problems, from the unusable swimming pool to sports facilities, from schools lacking fire safety regulations to the Politeama, from distortions in administrative policies to closing the budget by December 31. He depicts a city in poor condition because… “Como is like this because you are what you are”… he says, almost accusing everyone of inadequacy in the recent past. Rapinese is like this: either you love him for what he is or you deeply hate him. He does not “look and pass by,” he counterattacks and ignites debate, but now he commands free from political constraints and this makes him strong. Those who love him follow him, the others wait for a possible misstep… Will it be true glory? To posterity the arduous judgment….

Davide Gallasso, 51 years old, the youngest Governor in Italy, was our guest on October 13.

An empathetic, determined individual, respectful of our club’s history, he certainly won the sympathy of the many Rotarians present. The visit to the District clubs – he stated – is not only a pleasure but also a duty of the Governor (Art. 16.030 of the Rotary International bylaws), who must be a source of motivation and inspiration.
This is a time of great change in the Rotary world, with Jennifer Jones, 55 years old (an incredible individual, those who wish to know more should read the July 22 issue of Rotary magazine), now serving as International President. She has proposed “Imagine Rotary” as the theme for the year. Does John Lennon come into it? Exactly! If you reread the lyrics of the song, you will find the inspiration to move forward, to have dreams and to be capable of achieving them. An example? The End Polio Now campaign: Rotary has made a difference. Let us therefore imagine what Rotary we will see in 1, 3 or 10 years. Let us imagine what comfort and care we must provide for our members, to understand their expectations and seek to fulfill them. Let us imagine diversifying club membership with young members and new professions and with gender diversity (goal within one year: 30% women). Let us imagine the future, for example: RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards). Let us imagine knowing Rotary better: training and continuing education. Let us imagine our image: how are we known? What do we do for the community? Let us imagine extending donations to The Rotary Foundation to external parties as well.
Many questions from members on various topics, particularly on female presence (which incredibly some clubs still oppose). But let us remember that next year we will have a female President and Vice President, let us remember (as President Lombardi emphasized) that the Communications Committee has worked diligently (there was no doubt, just look at who the members are….!) to implement Rotary communication on the main social media platforms: now it is up to the members to connect and share our links. Come on, let us imagine that those who cannot manage it (we are not all very young) will have some son or grandson who will set up the connection for them, after which everything will be very simple.

Several members of our Club participated in the solidarity initiative organized by the district together with the Rise Against Hunger Association, packaging food destined for boys and girls who will attend schools in Zimbabwe.

Collaboration with Rise Against Hunger across different continents has led to the creation of over 540 million meals since 2005. The Rotary Nourishes Education project will enable the production of 570,240 meals and is the very first project conducted at a national level. The initiative, inspired by the sustainability goals of the UN 2030 Agenda, will feed 2,850 children for a year, also guaranteeing their right to education. Participating members included: Mr. Lombardi and his wife, Mr. Bordoli and his daughter, Mr. Pontiggia and his wife, Mr. Boggia, and Mr. Rossini, pictured here with Governor Gallasso at the end of the day.
The members worked by assembling various foods into single-portion meals, which were then packed into boxes and loaded onto pallets for shipping.
More than 250 Rotarians were present at the event, demonstrating the true meaning of Rotary.
A thank you to those who were able to come, a warm thought to those who wanted to but for various reasons could not be present, and something to think about for those who could have but preferred to stay home…

Due to health reasons, the President of CNA Lombardia, Giovanni Bozzini, was unable to attend the meeting and was replaced by Vice President (and President of CNA Lario e Brianza) Pasquale Diodato,

who illustrated the current suboptimal situation, which cannot be resolved unilaterally by the new government but only in concert with businesses, engaging among others with CNA. CNA represents 190,000 small businesses in Italy, 24,000 of which are in Lombardia, with no political affiliation, but with the aim of helping artisans and small to medium-sized enterprises solve the various problems they face in the course of their work.
Assistance was provided by state bonuses, especially for construction companies. Unfortunately, not everyone acted correctly, and some took advantage, even creating companies from scratch (without registering with CNA).
Another problem concerning construction entrepreneurs is the need for inspections to be carried out on those known to be working improperly, rather than harassing everyone indiscriminately and creating significant problems for those following the rules.
There were many interventions from those present who, somewhat controversially, asked for further clarification regarding CNA’s monitoring activities of its members.
Stefano Binda, secretary to regional president Giovanni Bozzini, also spoke on these issues, providing various clarifications on the activities carried out by CNA and sharing some anecdotes regarding the political background that determines how laws are formulated in parliament.

Alfiero Fucelli, an entrepreneur with extensive experience in the food industry and speaker for the evening, founded Dispensa Emilia in 2004 with the idea of combining the pleasure of dining with the quality of Emilian products and the innovation of fast-service dining.

He was right, because this new approach to quality fast food is now an established reality with 31 active locations across Emilia, Piedmont, Tuscany, and Lombardy in shopping centers, railway stations, and city centers, with over 600 employees. Orders are placed at the counter, and customers are served at their tables with dishes prepared fresh. And so Tigelle, Gnocco Fritto, Tagliatelle al Ragù Bolognese, along with other dishes, become “a little magic as if cooked by grandmother.” In 2018, he took a step back and sold the majority stake to Investindustrial, a fund heavily focused on the food sector (which recently also acquired 52% of Eataly), and handed over the reins to an external manager, Alessandro Medi, who has previous experience in multinational companies, with the aim of developing a three-year investment plan and the goal of reaching 60 locations with a mixed format—the new CEO Medi tells us—between fast food and casual dining, where the customer is an NPS (Net Promoter Score, in simple terms, a customer who recommends a company to a friend or colleague) aged between 25 and 50. This plan includes opening a location in Casnate in 2023. Personally, I fear I may be outside the age range, but I hope to be accepted nonetheless. Through questions from those present, discussion covered the particularly demanding logistics organization, the company’s welfare policies, the possibility (not yet pursued) of franchising, and staff training. In any case, the Tigelle are worth a visit!!
LF

For many of those present, it was a revelation to discover that “Cottolengo,” the name by which the “Little House of Divine Providence” is usually known, is actually the surname of its founder: Saint Giuseppe Benedetto Cottolengo,

a priest who in 1828 founded a shelter for the poor where those without access to hospitals were treated. After four years and many patients assisted, the “Little House of Divine Providence” was born in Turin, which continues to care for the most vulnerable in many ways today. In the presentation video shown at the beginning of the talk by Brother Luca Bianchini and Father Carmine Arice, we were able to appreciate the diverse services implemented by this institution, from education to assistance for various categories of vulnerable people. However, it is not merely a philanthropic institution; the ultimate goal of the religious and lay people working in various capacities at the “Little House” is pastoral: to act so that those who have had no reason to believe in Divine benevolence find someone to care for them, embodying the hands of God so that they may praise Him.
Today, the “Little House” operates not only in Turin, the institution’s historic headquarters, but also in various parts of the world, such as India, Florida, Switzerland, Ecuador, and several African nations, including Tanzania. There, in collaboration with our Club, a school for approximately 420 children will be created, featuring a computer laboratory open to everyone—both disabled and non-disabled individuals simultaneously—in a country where such an idea represents a cultural challenge that will be overcome, not without effort.

Maurizio Riva, an intriguing figure, was the speaker at the convivial meeting on September 8. He defines himself as a “woodworker,” but a “woodworker” who is President of a company that is a unique Italian reality and exports its products worldwide.

The company was founded in 1920 and has expanded over the years to the current third generation (the speaker), with the fourth already operational (his children) and the fifth in professional development (a 15-year-old grandchild). Three factories at zero kilometers and the Riva Center, which houses a 1,200 square meter showroom and the Wood Museum on the first floor. Sustainability, design, research, and cultural projects are fundamental parts of the company’s activities, with the enhancement of natural wood and manual craftsmanship as its distinctive features.
Incredible is the capacity to reuse woods such as the millennial Kauri from New Zealand (wood preserved for millennia in a sort of natural hibernation and recovered in trunks 70 meters long), the Briccole from the Venice Lagoon (which mark low tide and are periodically replaced, made unique by the work of small mollusks), the Cedar of Lebanon with its unmistakable fragrance. But also the barrels from San Patrignano, which were discarded due to wear at a rate of up to 200 per year, but instead recovered for design objects, thus giving the wood a third life and the Community valuable financial income. A man of multiple interests, collaborator and friend of international architects (Renzo Piano, Mario Botta, Matteo Thun, to name a few), friend of various figures from culture and entertainment whom he periodically invites to give presentations, creator together with Pininfarina of the Wooden Machine presented at the 2012 Furniture Fair, promoter of the Pangea table designed by architect De Lucchi and presented at Expo 2015, close to the world of young people with the motto: “Order equals quality of work.” At the conclusion of the evening, a wooden heart was presented to the ladies and guests received a spinning top made from millennial wood that spins and stands back up, symbolizing humanity’s capacity to progress through difficulties. We are all invited to the Wood Festival 2022 in Cantù from November 12 to 20.

The final evening at Villa d’Este before the summer break and the Rotary Tables, in accordance with the theme chosen by President Lombardi for this year, “entrepreneurship and youth,” featured Dr. Giovanni Manna as the guest speaker,

the very young Director of Juventus Next Generation, the Juventus second team that competes in Serie C and aims to develop new players who would otherwise lack space in the Serie A “parent” team.
Dr. Manna began with a brief presentation of the Juventus Next Generation project which, inspired by examples observed abroad, gathers under-23 players from the youth sector to form the second team. Its goal is not to achieve sporting results but to help the boys grow as footballers and individuals, given that they attend regular classes in the morning at the boarding school and train in the afternoon.
The Speaker then left ample room for contributions and questions from the many attendees. In particular, he initially focused on the role of young footballers and their future prospects, then on issues related to the world of football in general which, like other sports disciplines that create entertainment, is now driven solely by business.
There was no shortage of questions regarding individual Juventus (Serie A) players and also on the Super League affair (in competition with UEFA), which will only conclude upon the outcome of the ongoing legal proceedings.

There is no doubt that Nicola Giorgio Pino is a captivating figure. Born in Limbadi, he is the President of Proma S.p.A., a company he founded in 1980 that is active in the production of components for the automotive industry.

Starting from nothing, but with a solid family ethic of honesty and hard work, in 1969 – he tells us – he joined the Gallino Group, where in 1973 he was entrusted with the task of starting up the Alfa Sud plant in Caserta. In 1980, with his wife’s temporary blessing (for two years), he decided to see if he would be as capable as an entrepreneur as he had been as an employee. Today, the group is present in 10 countries, with 23 plants, 3,760 employees, and a turnover of around 665 million. In 1998, the speaker was awarded the honor of Cavaliere del Lavoro. In his passionate presentation, he told us how the history of the car has been rich in technological innovations, starting from the first internal combustion engines to the insights of Henry Ford, arriving at the present day where the problem becomes the production
of energy. ”
Where will we get the energy from? ” the speaker asks, why ban the internal combustion engine in 2035? Why not look for alternative sources? Do our politicians and European ones know that upstream of battery production, 85% of the necessary material is in the hands of China, while in the rest of the world they only proceed with assembly? And disposal? And furthermore, what happened to the great Italian industry, once a leader in the automotive sector and now relegated to the background? Without mincing words, the report included a strong accusation against our
leaders for the incompetence shown in managing the country. An apparently simple character, proud of his past as a worker and proud of what he has been able to create amidst difficulties, who found great consensus among those present.
L.F.

An unusual presentation by newly elected President Lombardi at the Serre del Grumello.

Walking among the tables in informal dress code, he thanked those who elected him, the Past President, the new Board of Directors, and declared his minimum objective to disappoint all members at least once. After introducing himself, his family, and his passions (at least in football terms, dreadful!), he found us somewhat unprepared on Rotary history and encouraged us to understand the 2022-2023 motto of Rotary International President Jennifer E. Jones “Imagine Rotary”: imagine a world that deserves our best, where we rise each day knowing we make a difference. He emphasized the importance of Rotary Round Tables and outlined the four pillars of his program: 1) adaptation: the ability to adapt and innovate (within tradition). 2) engagement: placing members at the center of what we do. 3) reach: working on membership and welcoming people who share our values. 4) impact: the ability to solve problems effectively and, in this perspective, evaluate the sustainability of service projects. Entrepreneurship, youth, and communication will be additional priorities of his term. Finally, the question posed to each member: why Rotary? Have you changed someone else’s life for the better through your involvement in Rotary? Has your life changed for the better thanks to Rotary? (Reflect, people, reflect… as Renzo Arbore said in a television commercial in 1980…).
LF

The “handover ceremony” evening is always a special moment in the life of the Club.

The outgoing President, slightly moved and somewhat relieved, offers his greetings and thanks; the incoming President, not at all moved and a bit concerned, receives the investiture and remains silent, waiting to attend the next meeting to present his program. Stefano Croci has led the year with wisdom and harmony. He brought many brilliant guests, proposed important service projects, strengthened relationships with other clubs in the Gruppo Lario (all of whose respective Presidents were present at the evening), reinforced the Club’s group spirit, and passionately supported our Rotaract. “Perhaps I did not involve everyone, but on the other hand, I discovered many friends. It has been a year of great personal growth; I take my leave happy.” The baton passes to Gianluca Lombardi, who will certainly continue in the brilliant wake of the Presidents who preceded him. Also present was Diego Minonzio, to whom Rotary Como dedicated an award for the attention his newspaper shows toward Rotary and for the 130th anniversary of the newspaper itself. I also wish to highlight the welcome presence of Maria Cavallini, who shared a message of thanks in memory of her Federico, the “gardener distiller.”
L.F.

A grand closing for Stefano Croci’s year with a highly prestigious speaker, Michele Ciavola, HR Director of Eldor Corporation.

This is a leading group in the automotive sector with headquarters in Orsenigo and branches in various parts of the world, from China to the USA, with 3,850 employees. It is estimated that over 300 million vehicles currently have Eldor components. As senior Human Resources Manager, the Speaker is responsible for selecting personnel, ensuring proper management so that it is functional to the company’s strategic objectives, establishing career development programs, compensation, and training plans. The core on which the company operates is culture understood as a combination of economics and ethics. After presenting the company, the Speaker moved on to the evening’s topic, “the great resignation.” Following the analyses of management consulting firms such as McKinsey and Randstad, he described a very widespread phenomenon in the world (in Europe alone, 28 million resignations, particularly in the field of Digital Technology) and also present in Italy where, contrary to the search for a permanent position that marked generations, now guiding workers’ choices, particularly those under 40, are no longer career and salary but work-life sustainability. However, companies must be able to intercept their employees’ expectations, otherwise they risk losing talented young people and suffering from high turnover. They must therefore ensure greater flexibility, communication, involvement, and interest in workers, that is, keep existing workers happy, and all this will be the task of HR capable of reviewing the company organization and changing the overall vision. Much interest and questions from those present for a current topic described with competence

On Thursday evening, our guest was Valter Pironi, President of the Rotary Club of Appiano e delle Colline Comasche.

In fact, the speaker, a well-known agronomist, was not attending in his capacity as President, but as the coordinator of the “Lariorti” project. This is a joint initiative among the Rotary Clubs of the Como area to promote a better understanding of environmental issues and provide initial instruction on cultivating vegetable gardens in schools and within certain associations. Drawing on his many years of professional experience, the speaker held theoretical and practical lessons in several primary schools, involving approximately 540 children, assisted by their teachers and Rotary volunteers, including our own President Croci. Through a series of slides, he shared this rewarding, yet demanding, experience with us, later presenting those in attendance with two booklets entitled “Gardening: Valter Pironi’s advice for budding gardeners and beyond.” For instance, how many people know what Cucurbitaceae are? Do you remember the last time you tasted a Solanum Lycopersicum? Do you know what “mulching” is? If you can answer these, you are already excellent horticulturists…
LF

On March 12 and 13, at the Sala Stemmi of the Municipality of Como, in collaboration with Rotary Club Como Baradello, Rotaract Club Como, Rotary Club Lomazzo Laghi, and Rotary Club Appiano Gentile e Colline Comasche led by Dr. Roberto Magni, screenings for the prevention of Amblyopia were held as part of Project Elisa.

The project was a great success, exceeding expectations; screenings were performed on a total of 268 children, aged between 10 and 22 months.

There was excellent feedback and participation from many members of the various clubs; praise also goes to those who, despite being unable to attend the event in person, still wished to provide their contribution in support of the service.

At the Sala Scacchi of the Chamber of Commerce of Como-Lecco Via Giuseppe Parini 16 Como

OPEN LECTURE: “Climate Change on Lake Como: Consequences and Strategic Directions”
Organized by the Rotary Clubs of Como

Open Lecture aimed at drawing attention to the effects of climate change on our territory, also in reference to the disasters that occurred last summer, to raise awareness and promote prevention. All with a constructive and non-controversial approach.
Several speakers of undoubted authority will assist in this objective: Luca Mercalli, meteorologist and climatologist, Aldo Marchetto, head of IRSA – Institute for Water Research in Pallanza, and the laghée singer-songwriter Davide Van De Sfroos moderated by journalist Giorgio Gandola.

We inform you that all available seats are FULLY BOOKED, therefore it is no longer possible to register anyone.
Those interested can follow the event which will be broadcast live on the Facebook page of Rotary Como Baradello @rotarycomobaradello
The live stream will be visible directly on the page feed, so it is not necessary to have liked the page.