Pink Campidoglio

Yesterday, Rome’s town hall hosted the second edition of Pink Cloud, an event that promotes the technical and scientific training of young Italian women and that this year dedicated even more space to training and employment opportunities.

 

The Aaula Giulio Cesare in the Palazzo Senatorio opened its doors to 200 young female high school and university students to discuss new employment opportunities provided by technology to the new generations. Speakers included: Mirta Michilli, Director General - Fondazione Mondo Digitale, Roberta Cocco – Social Responsibility Director and National Project Development Microsoft, Carlo Purassanta - CEO Microsoft Italy, Carlo Parmeggiani - South Europe Region Public Sector Director Intel, Suzanne Fallender - Director Global Girl and Women’s Initiatives Intel Corp and two representatives from Roma Capitale, Marta Leonori, Productivity Councillor Alessandra Cattoi, School Councillor. Optimism was the key word of the event; hope in the future the wish that the speakers extended to the 200 participants, including 6 foreign students from Russia, Norway and USA who were in Italy for the first time as representatives of the Friendship Ambassador Foundation (FAF).

 

"It’s a great honour to have all these girls here,” exclaimed Councillor Cattoi, “our country is really a paradox: women study, many reach important results in our universities, but then they find many obstacles in the working world. This is why I believe that “pink quotas” are a necessary tool to allow women to emerge. I am in favour of a bill that will guarantee a position to women in politics.”

 

The two students who shared their enthusiasm at the end of the conference described Pink Cloud in their own words: "It was a real learning opportunity. I never would have thought about become a computer engineer, but this initiative has really broadened my horizons." The Microsoft CEO was just as enthusiastic: “While my generation was hit by technology, you were born with it, so exploit it as an opportunity for growth, work and training as much as possible.”