Winner Age Divide category – Harmony in diversity: a different way is a must
Elisa Mariotti
Independent professional
Bibbiena (Italy)
The story behind the picture, by the author.
Mohamed is fifty-four years old, he emigrated to Italy 15 years ago. Gaia born in Italy, she is twenty-three years old. Mohamed renews ancient carpets in Gaia’s father’s activity. Gaia works for the United Nations. When I met them she was following an online Master in Global diplomacy. Gaia has a degree, Mohamed has a diploma. The use of IT is essential for Gaia’s work, study, and private life; she uses correctly the most common IT tools and she has had no difficulty increasing, as needed, her digital skills that she would like to extend at least in the field of image management and editing. Mohamed uses the computer basically to read mail and to keep contact on social media but he does not consider it necessary for his work, which is mainly manual. I found them in front of each other, him struggling with the he signs of time left on the carpet, her with the laptop on her lap: an example of harmony in diversity.
That kind of diversity that is the basis of evolution, of the enrichment of the individual who, by comparison, can appreciate different points of view, can analyze reality from perspectives that he would hardly have been able to identify alone. But who knows if Mohamed would have chosen to renew carpets if his IT skills had allowed him to choose a different occupation.
There will be no true equality as long as each individual cannot decide his own destiny according to his own aspirations and attitudes, without gaps dictated by cultural background, including the digital one.
Special Mention Age Divide category – Cosiendo pantallas
Mila Serrano
Sociodigital activity leader
L’Hospitalet de Llobregat (Barcelona, España)
The story behind the picture, by the author.
Conxita offers an online sewing session to her neighbors. These sessions are called Tastets: A knowledge exchange programme that has been ongoing for the last decade in a telecentre that offers a public service of Internet access and technological training, in the Torrassa neighborhood of the Catalan city of L’Hospitalet.
In order to learn how to connect through videocalls, face-to-face sessions have been held previously from the telecentre. And for those who do not have access to the Internet or a device, the need to connect from public services like this is more present than ever.
The digital divide is not breaking by itself.