Italian President Sergio Mattarella has honored 28 Alfieri della Repubblica, teenagers aged 11 to 18 who stand out for their altruism and capacity for inclusion. The 2025 edition, focused on experiencing and communicating solidarity, shows that youth social commitment is not a myth. These boys and girls work on projects ranging from helping migrants to integrating people with disabilities, making it clear that empathy has no age.
Civic innovation: when code and the street meet 🌟
Among the awardees, several have developed digital platforms to connect volunteers with local associations. A 16-year-old created an app that maps food collection points in real time, using open map APIs and push notifications. Another group designed a chatbot to assist elderly people with bureaucratic procedures, trained with lightweight language models. These solutions, far from technological fireworks, demonstrate that programming applied to real needs generates tangible impact.
The selfie generation takes a break to help 💪
While many adults believe young people only know how to use Instagram filters, these 28 Alfieri have spent months organizing dinners for homeless people or translating documents for refugees. It seems that the algorithm of solidarity works better than TikTok's: no one asks for likes, but the satisfaction is viral. Perhaps the next challenge will be teaching boomers to share without tagging the whole family.