Today, at the presentation of Project The Italian Makers, Mirta Michilli, Director General, Fondazione Mondo Digitale, tied together success stories, experiences and dreams as well a careful analysis of the critical factors in the sector. The Fondazione Mondo Digitale will coordinate the project partners and local activities.

 

Mirta Michilli asked Rome Productivity Councilor Marta Leonori, how Rome can help young entrepreneurs.

 

“Thank you for the invitation and for this initiative promoted by the Fondazione Mondo Digitale and Inail that aims to provide greater space and trust, as well as tools, for our younger generation that is about to enter the working world. What can Rome’s administration do? First of all, we must create the conditions for these actions to become feasible, helping schools, providing tools, promoting initiatives such as this one. Not just with resources, as happened in the past, without verifying their true utility. As you know, we have practically no resources left. They are minimal until the end of this year. This, however, obliges us to review what we are doing and to look for initiatives that can be supported with different tools, by providing spaces, even the information channels that we all have.

 

As you were reminded, I am the youngest councilor and I am responsible for craftsmanship and commerce, tourism and innovation. It’s the first time that these sectors have been grouped together. In theory, I’m also the first to have entered the digital world, when Internet came to my house. I was one of the first because my parents inspired us to do so. I was sixteen; we had a 64K modem and one mail account for the entire family.  Now, telephone and iPads that connect to wifi have begun a true revolution …

 

I believe that initiatives such as this one are useful because they are truly interesting and ambitious, because they provide trust that – as Mr Tagliaventi pointed out – is necessary. We cannot always escape abroad. That is the most depressing thing that can happen. Knowing that graduating students believe their best bet is to leave for England, France, and Germany or across the ocean is something that we cannot accept. We cannot block it, but it should not be the first idea that comes to mind either. We have to create more favorable conditions, here. …

 

 

There are various signals of improvement and we must incentivize them. …

 

Notwithstanding the great difficulties faced by artisans in Rome, we are still slightly better off than the rest of Italy. Our numbers are better. This is where we have to start. And projects such as this one, which involves students, are extremely precious to us, because it represents the future of our city. The public administration will no longer present monumental calls for people to be employed after five, six or seven years. None of us can wait that long. We need new enthusiasm. I loved the part of the video that put work and passion side by side. We need to be satisfied. …

 

 

Rome has fallen behind in many ways and we have to renew the conditions to move forwards, promoting self-enterprise, the growth of artisanal trade, co-working and the creation of start-ups. I believe that we must lead Rome into the 21^st century … We must put together our cultural and historical heritage with innovation. In these terms, craftsmanship really is the future …”

 

 

·  Video Documentary on the World of Craftsmanship [short version]

·  See the event photogallery