5 inspiring stories to know about contemporary Italy. IDEAS – Italian Dialogues on Excellence, Arts and Science is a project of the Directorate General for Cultural and Economic Promotion and Innovation of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
Composed of five episodes – five documentary portraits about different creative and productive sectors –, IDEAS is available on YouTube and at www.ideasitaly.com.
The goal of the web series is to provide a fresh insight into the stories, people and processes behind Italy’s new creative identity: an invitation for the international audience to rediscover the country in its most innovative, virtuous and dynamic dimension.
The project aims to reflect on the major themes of the contemporary debate, specifically looking at the great ethical challenges of our future: environment, innovation, common goods – some of the issues on which modern Italy has a lot to say about. Each story sheds light on Italy’s vast resources when it comes to manufacture, culture, tourism, and environmental challenges.
These five ideas are creative, successful, and innovative, and are designed to present the most significant voices of the contemporary Italian scene to a global audience.
Each story is:
· Personal and collective, highlighting the importance of teamworking, and shedding light on creative realities and collaborative projects.
· Firmly linked to a territory and to a community.
· Characterized by ethical and fundamental values, such as environmental sustainability, scientific and technological progress, urban regeneration, social integration.
Five sectors and five interviews
IDEAS tells the story of five people, five ideas from different areas and fields:
· Business and Society: Livia Cevolini, CEO of Energica (world-leading manufacturer of high-performing Made in Italy electric motorcycles), highlights the potential of the Italian automotive sector, which has always been associated with excellence and is ready to take up the challenges of environmental sustainability.
· Architecture and Design: Orizzontale, a collective of young roman architects, focuses on the urban regeneration of peripheral areas, with particular attention to new forms of interaction between citizens and urban commons.
· Arts and Heritage: Gianluca D’Incà Levis, creator of Dolomiti Contemporanee, explores the juncture between landscape and contemporary art, focusing its attention on the recovery and regeneration of mountain environments through arts and culture.
· Science and Research: Francesca Santoro, biomedical engineer of the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, talks about her innovative research projects, from the 3D photovoltaic patch that accelerates the regeneration of damaged areas of the skin, to the first model of biohybrid artificial synapse, capable of making biological neurons and neuromorphic chips talk to each other.
· Scenic and Performing Arts: Simone Merico, Vice Chairman and Chief Business Officer at Balich Worldwide Shows, tells what it means to be an “emotion engineer” in a leading company in the organization of major live events and Olympic ceremonies.
Where to find it
The five documentary portraits are available at www.ideasitaly.com and on the YouTube Channel IDEAS Italy; they will also be shared on the Social Media profiles of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and of the IDEAS project.
IDEAS online
Website: www.ideasitaly.com
Instagram: @ideas.italy (https://www.instagram.com/ideas.italy/)
Facebook: IDEAS Italy (https://www.facebook.com/ideas.italy)
YouTube: IDEAS Italy (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCENlpdhNL-cOlyuOY-fr6jw)
