Above all, serve to think

The sixth edition of the conference “Growing between the lines”, again organized by the Osservatorio Permanente Giovani-Editori, with the dual aim of investigating the relationship between young people and the media (especially newspapers) and, at the same time , to identify the most effective strategies to help make of today’s young readers of tomorrow, more comprehensive in order to make them better citizens, began with these words: “it is this, and only this, the reason for our being together. the reason for those who believe that reading becomes not only a reading. But above all, serve to think. And to think, in a democracy, is not superfluous exercise. it is essential to exercise, “concluding,”We need more public spirit. We need more communities. we need more country. And we, all of us, we’re here for, “words with which Andrea Ceccherini, President of the Osservatorio, made his debut in the intervention of the opening of the conference, which gathered around the same table in Borgo La Bagnaia, in the province of Siena, publishers and directors of major Italian newspapers, young people, teachers, presidents of banking foundations, the subjects of civil society, representatives of the world of ‘ company and representatives of the country’s institutions.

This two days of meetings, round tables and debates, which for the first time also had its direct Twitter through the Osservatorio’s official channel, was conducted by the Deputy Director of the newspaper La Stampa Massimo Gramellini and saw the participation of publishers and the directors of the major Italian and foreign newspapers, the most authoritative exponents publishing world, the representatives of the Italian institutions, in addition to a representative of students and teachers involved in the national project “The Quality Information in the Classroom”, promoted by the Osservatorio in high schools of the second degree of the whole Italy.

Speaking of “Young people and their daily”, “The future of the press”, “Young people, the press and other media”, “Young people and their values,” “The Young and the community” and “Media and ruling classes “, students were able to discuss, in an open and clear, with some of the most influential leaders of our time, by Monsignor Gianfranco Ravasi, President of the Pontifical Council for Culture to John Elkann, as a publisher, Giovanni Bazoli , Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Intesa San Paolo, Massimo D’Alema, Deputy, Gianfranco Fini, President of the Chamber, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Franco Frattini.

The work of the Conference was attended by some authoritative Italian publishers (from Piergaetano Marchetti, President of RCS MediaGroup, with Giancarlo Cerutti, President Il Sole 24 ORE), prestigious directors (by Ferruccio de Bortoli, Director of Il Sole 24 Ore, Mario Calabresi, Director La Stampa) and representatives of the business world and finance (Marco Tronchetti Provera, Chairman of Pirelli, Diego Della Valle, Tod’s President, Giuseppe Mussari, Chairman of Banca Monte dei Paschi). Special attention was also given to the testimonies and experiences of the international media, represented by two authoritative American information protagonists. The Vice President and former director in The Washington Post, Leonard Downie Jr, spoke about the future of newspapers and Thomas Curley, President Associated Press, one of the largest agencies in the world, presented their visions for the role of the paper printed in digital age.