Autorizzazione Tribunale di Bergamo n° 04 del 9 Aprile 2018 – Periodico trimestrale – Anno III – Numero 9 – Dicembre 2020 – Direttrice Responsabile Valentina Dolciotti – Stampa: Sestanteinc – Bergamo Dolciotti – Stampa: Valentina Anno III – Numero 9 Dicembre 2020 Direttrice trimestraleAprile Responsabile 2018 – Periodico di Bergamo – n° 04 del 9 Tribunale Autorizzazione LANGUAGE

COVER STORY, LUCIANO CANFORA Tiziano Colombi

1 GRANDANGOLO a cura di panoramix54

2 | DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 | 3 "It was necessary to take advantage of it to train readers instead of filling their heads: not dictate opinions, but teach them to judge for themselves. The thing was not simple: readers often demanded answers, and you shouldn't give them an impression of ignorance, doubt, inconsistency. But this was precisely the com- mitment: to deserve their trust instead of stealing it from them" The Mandarins, Simone de Beauvoir, 1954

THE MANDARINS Editorial, Valentina Dolciotti

ooking to the news, unfortunately, never disappoints. that a pornographic video portraying a teacher (and a kin- To discuss language and the responsibility it always dergarten teacher, at that! If she had taught in middle school, carries with it, I can't help but take a position regar- that would have been fine, or even in primary school... but ding the infamous story (the ideal sequel to ‘Piccola in kindergarten, never!) spreads among a group of mothers. LStoria Ignobile’ by Italian singer-songwriter Francesco Guccini Mothers, in fact, are another notoriously asexual category, – if only he would go back to writing songs) of the young except for that one moment of sacrifice and elevation (for 22-year-old woman from Turin, who was unfairly fired due to the homeland, for God, for the family) in which she gave birth her erotic photos and videos being shared. to a child who became one of the students of the teacher The way in which this piece of news was communicated, in question. written and then read by millions of Italians is the real ‘ignoble Indeed, one of the proposed headlines does not even specify story’. National and local newspapers used headlines such as to whom the teacher is thought to have sent the ‘porno- (I quote verbatim): graphic videos and photos’. It probably happened like this - The kindergarten teacher fired because of a pornographic – while she was having breakfast, she randomly sent them video; to her contacts in a moment of euphoria because women - Kindergarten teacher is fired for a red-light video broadcast are capricious, it is known; in fact, until 1963 women were by her boyfriend; unable to become magistrates ‘because women are unsuited - Sex: pornographic video from the kindergarten teacher in to exercising judgement and balance’. the mothers' group chat; The last headline is, without a doubt, the best: ‘No bigotry, just - Kindergarten teacher sends pornographic videos and pho- the headmistress’ incompetence.’ I find it brilliant. First of all tos: fired; because it immediately clarifies – just in case it might occur - Teacher fired: no bigotry, only the headmistress’ incompe- to anyone in a flash of immediately dampened lucidity, that tence. this is a case of bigotry (and moralism, and falsehood, and Let's spend a few minutes analysing these headlines, imme- ‘respectability’, and machismo, and sexism) – that no, there diately silencing the first hypothetical protest that we might is no bigotry here. We simply have an inexperienced head- be met with: ‘It's just a headline, if you read the article...’. mistress who had never before found herself faced with a No. The percentage of people who only read the headlines case of defamation and who was not at all accustomed to in a newspaper, especially online, far exceeds that of those bureaucracy, regulations (and, evidently, common sense), and who stop to read the entire article (70%). Having clarified so unwisely pushed for and facilitated the resignation of the this, let's go back to the words chosen for the aforementio- shameless teacher. ned headlines. And here it makes sense to refer to her as a teacher, yes, What reason is there to point out that the woman in que- because a headmistress is an employer and personally re- stion is a kindergarten teacher? Are teachers asexual? Or will sponsible for her employees and trade union relations and it you only be fired if you are a teacher and take pornographic is unacceptable that she used a totally private video to force photos, but not if you are a baker? her employee to resign by defining her as being ‘Incompatible If being extremely precise about reporting all the facts had with the work of an educator’. Having sent erotic photos and been about professionalism (which, by the way, I don't think) videos to your boyfriend certainly does not undermine the then, in the title, it would also have been useful to include that professionalism of a teacher (or a lawyer, or a pharmacist, or the ‘boyfriend’ was an ex-boyfriend. a minister). Yet this is the message that has come down to us. This detail is important in the context of revenge porn (be- And here, too, it is a question of language. Not necessarily cause it is, in fact, about revenge). verbal. Often the unspoken is just as strong. Often prejudi- Another example: ‘Sex: pornographic video of the kindergar- ces scream in our heads without leaving room for thought, ten teacher in the mothers' group chat.’ According to the reflection, or even just a little compassion. investigation, the video was released, first of all, by her ex- Unfortunately, I have not found in the media a real effort to boyfriend, violating the law (a detail that perhaps in a headline communicate this news objectively; indeed, it seems that the could have been summarised with the word ‘crime’ at the pettiest stereotypes have been cheerfully trotted out, preten- beginning, instead of ‘sex’), in a chat shared with friends on a ding not to know how important words were and are. How soccer team (therefore men, not mothers). much they can hurt, violate, traumatise, hide, cage, label. How Unfortunately, in Italy in 2020, it creates more of a stir to in- carefully they must be chosen, especially by those who, by sinuate (and, therefore, to leave to the imagination) the idea trade, produce them in large quantities.

4 | DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 5 08 Parole O_Stili 46 Is diversity diverse?

12 Lessici inclusivi 48 The brain and languages

14 Gender (un)covered 51 An alliance for equal opportunities

16 The prison of power 52 Ageism

18 Diversity is not a threat but an 56 Sustainability in perspective opportunity 58 She's the one who works 20 Architette, the plural feminine form of architect 61 10 questions to

22 Diversity in school books 64 Cover story: Luciano Canfora

24 Are you managing your emotional 70 Culture columns wake? Music, Books, Fashion, Childhood, Art, Cinema, Theatre 26 Linguistic law and culture 86-133 Dossier: 28 The universal language of beauty COMPANIES STORYTELLING

30 We are the words we speak 134 Companies columns Rice and silk 36 The irresistible power of the unsaid 40 Thinking of differences 32 The art of language Beyond the mirror Point break 38 Language @work 44 The power of language 34 Language is a serious thing Wonder

6 | DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 | 7 nched via WhatsApp that has turned into aim of inspiring us to choose the right a journey full of satisfaction, teachings words, words that know how to overco- Rosy Russo and a lot of hope for change. me differences, overcome prejudices and The first stop on this journey was ta- break down the walls of misunderstan- ken in Trieste (where the Parole O_Stili ding. Words that free us from labels, that association is based) in February 2017, do not isolate, that do not make us feel when the Non Hostile Communication wrong. It was born with the ambition of Manifesto was presented in front of an becoming the manifesto of those who are VIRTUAL IS REAL audience of over 1200 people, a paper at risk of being marginalised every day. written by several collaborators in our Among the ten principles included in the t this time, when we must keep insults have in common? They are all ai- community and which collects ten ‘sty- latter, my favourite is certainly the one our distance, kind words can med at women. According to the latest le’ principles that aim to reduce, stem that is best at telling us how we can con- become the gentlest caresses SWG survey for our association, in fact, and fight negative language ​​online. The cretely begin creating a path of inclusion and most intense hugs. women are among online trolls’ favourite first signatory of the manifesto and our and equality, number five: ‘Words are a AIt is with this simple sentence that we targets. In this unfortunate ranking, ho- guest of honour was Gianni Morandi; an bridge. I cultivate curiosity, openness, want to begin to talk about what Parole mosexual people are on the top step of indisputable example of operating with the positive dialogue that arises when O_Stili is and what it does. the podium, receiving +15% insults com- great style on social networks. mental, social, cultural and hierarchical Today, too often, words are chosen and pared to the previous year, followed by From that moment onwards, the mani- barriers are overcome. My language can used in an unconscious, imprecise, casual migrants (+9%) and by people of Jewish festo has rapidly spread from bulletin create inclusion and citizenship.’ and thoughtless way. Most of the religion or culture (+12). board to bulletin board, to the classro- In short, including is a choice that we time they are only used to A symptomatic fatigue regar- oms of Italian schools and universities. It must make every day and in every con- take up space, to capture ding ‘inhabiting spaces’ has become an educational tool for over text we live in – our families, busines- attention. Worse still, that are hostile has 250,000 Italian students, has been tran- ses, virtual spaces – and language is a words are used now clearly emer- slated into 31 languages, and the Presi- fundamental part of this choice. As Saint obliquely, to mi- ged. How many dent of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, Augustine says: ‘Hope has two beautiful srepresent a times a day gave it to 500 children during the official children: anger and courage. Anger truth rather when you’re inauguration ceremony of the 2017/2018 about the reality of things and courage than to il- The Parole online do school year. It has featured in television to change them.’ luminate you hap- broadcasts, books and cultural projects. And it is with this hope that Parole O_ it for the pen to Matera 2019 adopted it as an ethics char- Stili is today a welcoming community sup- benefit O_Stili project: read in- ter, together with over 350 Italian mayors, ported by tens of thousands of people. of all. sults, including Beppe Sala, Chiara Appendino, So, if you believe that words have weight Or they violent Antonio De Caro, Leoluca Orlando and and value, then Parole O_Stili is you, too. are learning phra- Dario Nardella. In addition, several large used ses, companies such as Tim, Sorgenia, Wind, to sa- jokes Vodafone, Pigna have also adopted it. bota- that words that ‘Why was the manifesto so well received ge, to offend and widely shared?’ we often ask oursel- attack cultu- ves. The answer is that it uses simple but and to are res and deep and direct language – the virtual injure. iden- is real, you are what you communicate, Choosing tities? sharing means taking responsibility, etc. our words important Certainly – which allows it to be understood at is therefo- too many. multiple levels and by a wide audience. re very im- Yet, words Furthermore, it is written in the first portant. They (online). also have a person, thus presenting itself as a com- define us. They lot of power, mitment of shared responsibility that is can hug or reject. and very positi- useful for encouraging respectful and ci- They can be flowers ve power; they can vil behaviour. or they can be wea- move, enhance or give Over the years, some variations dedica- pons, they can build brid- confidence. And it is ba- ted to specific areas have been added ges or they can increase distan- sed on this belief that, in Au- to the classic version of the manifesto: ces. gust 2016, I wanted to raise a provoca- politics, public administration, compa- ‘You look like a possessed witch’, ‘You tive question for many colleagues in the nies, children, sports and science. The are an unpleasantly vulgar borgatara ces- world of communication and marketing: most recent addition, and perhaps the one we care about most, addresses is- sa’, ‘You really are insane! You’d be better ‘What can we do to improve our vir- Rosy Russo, President of the Parole O_Stili Association off learning Italian first!’ What do these tual spaces?’ A provocation that was lau- sues of diversity and inclusion with the

8 | DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 | 9 The Manifesto of Non-Hostile Communication

1. Virtual is real 6. Words have consequences On the Internet, I only write or say what I would I am aware that what I say or write can have dare to say in person. consequences, small or serious. 2. You are what you communicate 7. Share with care The words I choose define who I am. I share texts and images only after I have read, They represent me. assessed and understood them. 3. Words shape the way you think 8. Ideas can be discussed. I take all the time I need to express my views in People must be respected the best possible way. Those whose views and opinions differ from mine are not enemies to be destroyed. 4. Listen before you speak No one can always be right, and nor am I. 9. An insult is not an argument I listen, with an honest and open-minded attitude. I accept no offensive and aggressive words, even if they support my point of view. 5. Words are bridges I choose words to understand, make myself 10. Silence says something too understood and get close to others. When it’s better to keep quiet… I do.

10 11 Paola Caselli LESSICI INCLUSIVI The importance of images

iversity is more than an a standard sample of society, i.e. viously rarely found. exotic state of things. young, fair-skinned men and wo- However, it is important to un- Diversity is a principle men who are in good shape and derline that the aim of Lessici In- of reality: we are not demonstrate full professional clusivi is not to criticise a specific Dall the same. And what is more, achievement. idea of normality, but to challen- we should not even be. To accept Launched in 2019, Lessici Inclusi- ge the idea of a single model as diversity is to accept that what vi addresses the world of graphi- the legitimate representation of is different could change us, fix cs. The project is a collection of a city and society. us, occupy our space, that what about 300 cut images (cut-out) VERSO wants to support the is different could leave a perma- gathered from a broad and free idea of a truly plural city, a city nent mark. On the other hand, online database (www.instagram. for all, in which everyone can be the principle that ‘we are all the com/lessici.inclusivi), which is considered a legitimate subject, same’ suggests an idea of equality usually employed in renders and worthy of being represented and that is not compatible with rea- edited images by professionals occupying space. lity and with a plural community. and students of architecture Thus, Lessici Inclusivi is not only a In fact, the struggle for equali- tool or a way to spread the idea ty and inclusion arises from the and graphic design. of inclusion: it is an opportunity principle of diversity rather than The uniqueness and merit of the for those who use it and but at uniformity. Being fair does not project does not lie in the sim- the same time, it is a challenge in mean giving everyone the same ple act of collecting the greatest terms of acceptance for society. opportunities, it means giving number of cut images possible, In the end, the thesis comes everyone the opportunities they which had already experienced down to one last question: does need based on the nature of a boom and grown widespread including specific categories of their diversity, which often is the in the past few years, but relies people in graphic products have real cause of exclusion. on the careful and thorough se- a true impact on the real-wor- There are infinite ways to reach lection of the images themselves. ld process of inclusion of these this goal. One way – very com- In this way, Lessici Inclusivi gives categories? Moreover, can ima- mon but at the same time un- new opportunities to professio- ges alone lead to social inclusion, derestimated – is language, the nals in the field and to whoever even if this purpose is not alrea- lexicon. else is interested in representing dy shared by either the users or VERSO, a collective of young and displaying reality in a more the viewers of these images? architects, with the project Les- equitable and multifaceted man- Thanks to the project Lessici sici Inclusivi (the literal English ner that is more respectful of Inclusivi, VERSO believes that a diversity, in contrast with the translation would be Inclusive graphic vocabulary, if used Lexicons), wants to propose an mainstream, single-facet repre- sentation. well, can generate inclusion, a alternative to the mainstre- Thus, thanks to Lessici Inclusivi, sense of belonging and of com- am trend of the official and ‘nor- it is now possible to find in this munity, only if these concepts mal’ representation of cities and free database young but also old exist in our critical consciou- societies. Usually, the subjects people, both thin and fat men sness. of these images (insider repor- and women, people with disabili- ts, magazines and promotional ties, people of different religions, PAOLA CASELLI, 1992, Master’s De- representations of brand-new races and social status, and many gree in Architecture. Architect. urban interventions) comprise other categories that were pre- DIVERCITY | NUMERO 7 – GIUGNO 2020 | 13

12 | DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 13 Elvira Di Bella

GENDER (UN)COVERED Interview with Vera Gheno

he terminology Co- te gender-neutral lexical for- me of inclusion is the need ordination Unit of ms. Feminization is the most for intersectionality because the European Par- common approach in these language can’t be studied in liament has recently languages, especially for job isolation from power, privile- Tlaunched the YouTerm FEM titles like Kanzlerin and sén- ge and inequality. I had the project to help raise awa- atrice. Genderless languages pleasure of talking about reness of women’s rights such as Estonian, Finnish and this with Vera Gheno, who through language. Europe- Hungarian don’t need parti- is a sociolinguist specialised an institutions are widely cular strategies to be gender in digital communication, a known for their commitment inclusive. translator from the Hunga- to all individuals regardless While language inclusiveness rian and a collaborator of Romance languages have a grammatical gender. you wouldn’t write that in a letter to President of their gender, so why crea- still raises some questions the Accademia della Crusca. This is their inherent limit. We live in a linguistic Mattarella, but you do say it. On top of that, te a terminological database among Italians, its impact is reality where everything is either male or fema- gender changes are also social matters. The fe- specifically addressing gen- more real than ever. Lan- What is the relationship le. While inanimate objects and animals do not male noun ministra (minister) is as correct as der inequality? guage is the reflection of between language and gen- question this, some human beings do not feel professoressa (teacher) in Italian. It is semanti- The Covid-19 pandemic has our dominant culture and a der stereotypes? Why are represented by their own language. We believe cally correct, not politically correct. When you increased social inequalities powerful means of affirma- they difficult to see? the wise will always be wise, but that isn’t true. don’t know what you are talking about, you just around the world, including tion. Think about when you Language has the power to Fortunately, the Italian Accademia della Crusca say that it is politically correct. gender discrimination. This read national newspapers, reflect people’s reality, cultu- doesn’t play a prescriptive role, because cen- year presents us with a two- where leading female profes- re and society, among many tralisations can enable communication as well How can we fight linguistic bias? fold challenge: how to com- sionals are often referred to other things. In this sense, as cause disruptions. I must speak in de- I quote my colleague Federico Faloppa: there is municate more effectively simply as Samantha or An- it is a sort of litmus test of fence of schoolbooks: the tide is changing, but no enemy. Inclusion, just like tolerance, assumes and consciously and how to gela. Think about when you what is right or wrong. Lin- it will take some time. The schwa and asteri- that the perfect ones should include or tolerate do so throughout an unpre- call a woman you don’t like guistic stereotypes are more sk could be one of these changes in fifteen or the flawed ones. We live with differences, says cedented event in human a slut or a man who doesn’t difficult to identify, isolate twenty years’ time. The first step is eliminating Fabrizio Acanfora. We don’t have to accept or history. The European Parlia- conform to the conventional and thus avoid because they stereotypes, like images of a mother ironing or erase them. In his book #Odio, Faloppa invites ment offers multiple lingui- canons of an ideal sociocul- are automatic. We think that a black child using the infinitive. us to listen to victims – even those we would stic choices for a single com- tural model a pussy. The use language issues do not affect least expect. This is my piece of advice: be munication purpose: bringing of female job titles is a major our life, but language inner- In Femminismi Singolari (2019) you mention aware of your privilege, no matter what it is, recognition to diversity. Na- issue in the Italian language: it vates every aspect of our some examples of web users railing against fe- and listen. Just listen. tural gender languages such sounds awful some say, it has daily routine. Most of the male job titles because they are too “political- Vera Gheno has published Femminismi Singo- as Danish, English and Swe- always been like this, or even time, we just don’t have to ly correct”. What are they afraid of? lari, Potere alle Parole, Parole contro la Paura dish employ neutralisation the male form is cooler. If think about it. In this lingui- They are afraid of change. Human beings are and many more enlightening essays on the im- and prefer gender inclusive a point of view – we refer to stic instinct, we spread gen- used to belonging somewhere. And they belong portance of words. terms like chair or police of- the androcentric view in this der stereotypes and more. to a psychological, cognitive and linguistic pla- ficer. In grammatical gender context – becomes univer- ce. After struggling for so long, we wish langua- languages such as German, sal, it is easy to assume that In France, a schoolbook ge could stay exactly the same as it was when Romance languages and Sla- it is the only one. Undere- adopted the point médian, we studied it. Language, however, constantly ELVIRA DI BELLA was born in 1992 and holds a degree in vic languages, every noun has stimating language demands in Italy we still debate the changes. We refuse the natural changes in lan- Translation and Interpreting, a Master’s in Human Resources, a grammatical gender and it means ignoring deep social use of inclusive graphic si- guage because we learned normative grammar is a Partner at YouTerm FEM, and is HR Generalist at Doctors is almost impossible to crea- unease. Central to the the- gns… at school. Take, for example, a me mi in Italian: Without Borders.

14 | DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 | 15 Stefano Ciccone THE PRISON OF POWER Looking for new words to express a different way of being in the world of men

he way workplaces are organised has tion of homosexual people, and of people with often aimed to either emphasise dif- other differences, not only propagate injustice ferences in hierarchical terms, or deny towards them, but also create a cage for whi- them with neutral and standardised te, heterosexual, productive and self-sufficient Tmodels. Today, there are attempts to see dif- men. ferences as a resource. But still the underlying There is no need for excessively complex or thought seems to consider "others’ differen- in-depth analyses: each of us has always known ces" and to "include them" or "value them". this more or less consciously. When, at age And so the attitudes stereotypically attributed three, they tell us not to cry so as not to look to women become resources to be capitalised like a "girl", they tell us that girls have less di- on in the new organisation of the market, in gnity but also that to hold on to our own digni- after-sales services, in customer loyalty and in ty, we must learn not to listen to our emotions, new personal services: hospitality, empathy, to hide them until we no longer recognise who chooses to stay at home to "make baby gain space and legitimacy for one's parenting seductiveness. them. And when, at 13, we witness a boy being food and change diapers" is considered to be experience and a richer relationship with one's The commonplace is that the recognition of insulted by being referred to as "queer" or "a lacking the necessary dedication and compe- children. The most widespread response are differences and opposing forms of discrimi- faggot" we not only discover violence towards titive determination. A man who chooses not rancorous claims of being victimised by female nation are "good manners", a "conformism of homosexual people, but we register it as a to limit himself to teaching his children to ride opportunism and paranoid representations of the politically correct". "What harm will a joke warning for every boy and man: "Anyone who a bicycle, who tries to build a close relation- an anti-male conspiracy that is shared by insti- about your colleague, or appreciation of her, crosses the lines of 'obligatory manhood' or ship with them, is still called a "mammo": a man tutions, the media and the courts. do?" Those who do not "play the game" are transgresses its unwritten rules will be ridi- who performs female functions that undermine More generally, the change in roles, destinies labelled as wanting to impose pedantic "rules”. culed.” Social relationships between men are his authority and virility. At the same time, and relationships for women and men is repre- Yet it is quite the opposite: the joke, the smirk, impaired and impoverished: the only possible a woman who asserts herself at work is one sented by the media, and by commonplaces, as the comment on a colleague’s physical appe- contact is a slap or a playful punch, you have to "with the right attributes". Language reveals to a threat to men, their idea of ​​themselves, their arance are anything but transgressions. Even stick to the joke, competition, or heavy-handed us that we have no points of reference for re- way of being in the world. We describe change if they are smuggled through as "spontaneity" camaraderie. cognising change. as a threat and not as an opportunity for men. they reimpose conformity to "unwritten rules" Today we realise that the stereotypical roles of Today, with work becoming precarious and in- Perhaps also for this reason, men still fail to re- and consolidated clichés. women and men, divided between caring work termittent, with women increasingly present cognise and express their desire to be capable Even today, for men, valuing differences in the and professional commitments, prove to in work and, above all, with families that are of transforming roles, working styles, forms of world of work appears to be an issue that con- be a cage for us, too. For too long we have no longer rigid and immovable... we discover sociality. If we experience changes following a cerns the inclusion of others (women, sexual thought of work as our place of self-actuali- that this model is limiting for us, too. This divi- past model, that is impossible and limiting for minorities, other cultures ...). But what if the sation, as a framework for the construction of sion of roles results, for example, in mothers ourselves, we will only be able to live in vi- recognition of plurality, of diversity asked us male genealogies. Through work and by pro- more often being granted custody in cases of ctimhood, resentment or nostalgia. to recognise men as different? What if it asked ducing an income we have found confirmation separation. While the stereotype rewards us If something has no name, it struggles to exist. us to try to differ from stereotypical roles and of our role ("My wife does not need to work", and rewards us in our careers, we find that it If we do not have the words to express the models? We have always thought that the pro- "I am the one who brings home the money"). penalises us in relationships with our children. new male experience, to share a different way blem does not concern us, we have thought We have underestimated the obstacles that Yet the most common trend among separated to be fathers, to represent the male body and of ourselves as the standard against which all women have encountered at work, or conside- fathers is not to critically address that stere- the desires of men, we will hardly be able to other differences are, by default, measured. But red them "natural and inevitable" (the lack of otype. There is no recognition yet that wo- produce a different expression of our being in we could try to shift our point of view: not promotions or the lack of hiring because, "You men being fulfilled at work, or men having an the world. limiting ourselves to taking on the "rights of know what will happen when she has a child"). experience of being a father that is no longer others" but recognising how the inferiorisation Even today, a mother who invests in her care- connected to them being the "heads of the fa- STEFANO CICCONE was born in 1964 and holds a PhD in and discrimination of women, the stigmatisa- er is criticised for her "ambition" while a man mily", or breadwinners, can be opportunities to Sociology. He works for the Associazione Maschile Plurale.

16 | DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 | 17 whom, and from what background. dates). Admittedly the glass ceiling hasn’t disap- James Brown (the American singer) had a clas- peared, but you can make it hard for someone Terrence Parris sic hit song with ‘This is a Man’s World’ – which to resist you. maybe true. But women have adapted to ope- It still requires the hiring manager to want to rate and succeed in this ‘world’ in a way that hire diversely … and earlier it was highlighted would be far more unlikely if things were the that there remains a resistance, even a fatigue other way around. In my own experiences, I was with regard to the value of diversity in the wor- an above-average student, and whether it was kplace. So why proactively hire diversely? Well, a DIVERSITY IS NOT A THREAT in class, at a pub quiz, or watching a TV game McKinsey report has stated that ‘…latest rese- show, I did well on general knowledge, history, arch finds that companies in the top quartile for geography etc. … because I was raised and gender or racial and ethnic diversity are more BUT AN OPPORTUNITY educated through this ‘four pillar’ lens. I stron- likely to have financial returns above their natio- am writing this as a Black man raised in the climax following the death of George Floyd … gly believe that someone from the ‘four pillar’ nal industry medians.’ Now, when it is tangibly East End of London (the relevance of this will but diversity may be stalling in the wake of fati- background would not fare as well if the circu- good for business, that has to be of interest. become clear), who went on to be fortunate gue and the global mood. mstances were reversed. They have never had In addition, having a diverse workforce has in his career and life. The following is based Two books I’d highly recommend are Why I’m to see the world through any lens other than been shown to improve the working environ- Ion personal and professional experiences, and No Longer talking to White People about Race their own. The same is very likely true of any ment and productivity of a company, and in a is what spurs my passion for life and why I be- by Reni Eddo-Lodge, and White Fragility: Why demographic group that does not have all the business to consumer industry, it is more likely lieve Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) is important. It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About four ‘pillars’. They have the ‘advantage’ of more that the output is more relevant to the end In British society in the 1970s, what is now Racism by Robin DiAngelo. Both highlight how than one cultural reference point. consumer! acknowledged as ‘institutional racism’ was pre- difficult it is to even acknowledge the issues, As a hiring manager for many years, I was always So if the proposition is greater profitability, bet- valent, especially in the police force, and the let alone address them. The once growing se- interested in people who applied from ‘diffe- ter morale in the workplace, greater and pur- chances of having a successful professional ca- a-swell is moving down the priority list. The rent’ backgrounds, for roles not obviously suited poseful corporate responsibility, and improve- reer were less than those of being arrested ‘victims’ of this wave (sadly not a tidal wave to their background. Not necessarily someone ments in the perception of the organisation as or worse. If you managed to ‘escape’ yet) are white, heterosexual, Chri- culturally diverse, but for example a chef who a whole … why the fatigue and resistance? Well, there was just as great a likeliho- stian and male – most likely mid- wanted to become a sports marketer. I’d always the answer runs a lot deeper, and is addressed od of hitting a very low ‘glass dle-aged and able-bodied – want to interview someone who might come to in the books I referenced. But I am arguing that ceiling’. But yet, from this but for now I’ll focus on the it with a different perspective, and not just, ‘this diversity should be seen as an opportunity and grew a great desire for first four. They are pro- is the way we did the same thing at a different not a threat! positive change, in the As a hiring bably breathing a sigh company.’ I felt such candidates would shake workplace and society of relief at the thought things up, bring a fresh perspective, challenge as a whole. So in em- manager for that the agenda may the existing conventions. Maybe it was easier, barking on this arti- many years, I was be shifting. because I was already doing this, and had been cle, I reflected greatly There is a saying: ‘Hi- doing it implicitly and, where possible, explicitly on how it would be always interested in story is written by (the above book by Reni Eddo-Lodge also talks read and perceived. the victors’! Whether about how we also had to conform and not be In a year regarded people who applied absolutely true or explicit in order to ‘survive’). But it does raise by many as the worst not, it really isn’t sur- a question, the reason I’m writing this, and why in living memory, and from ‘different’ prising that it could be I chose the title. ‘If you were interviewing so- one almost everyo- argued that the way the meone for a position where languages were not ne will want to forget, backgrounds world is viewed is throu- a specific requirement for the role, would you it may seem hard to talk gh the lens of those four view someone who was bilingual or multilingual about Diversity, when for pillars. White heterosexual who had all the relevant qualifications more fa- many it was already a luxury or Christian men are seen as ha- vourably than the other candidates?’ Very likely trend before this year’s hardships. ving shaped the world we live in to- yes … not least because one may already see a There was/is already a sense of ‘Diversi- day, for better or worse, and by whatever path for the candidate beyond the current role, ty fatigue’. People in power were saying it was means. They have colonised for centuries, physi- and in a way that would favour both them and already difficult to ‘tiptoe’ around or even un- cally, and are increasingly behind a growing cul- the company. So why isn’t diversity seen in the derstand the issues, so trying to convince such tural and intellectual ‘colonisation’ through the same positive light? After all, a candidate from a people of the benefits to a company and society media, both traditional and social. True, many diverse background with the same and relevant of having a diverse environment is an increasing would say that social media does democratise qualifications is likely to have tried and worked challenge. This was perhaps happening before the ownership and distribution of content to harder, as well as overcome more obstacles just Corona, but the current global mood of survi- a degree, but it still remains the case that the to get to the interview. I also encourage candi- val and self preservation makes it all the more predominant perspectives being presented are dates to go into interviews with a greater sense difficult for Diversity to be given the important based on those created by, or perpetuating the of confidence and self-belief (not arrogance, but TERENCE PARRIS, 1963. Sports, Brand and Diversity Consul- attention it deserves. #MeToo already had values of, those four pillars. This is arguably true a belief that they tant (Former Head of Football Marketing - PUMA) momentum, and #BlackLivesMatter reached a no matter where in the world it comes from, by have more to offer than the non-diverse candi-

18 | DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 | 19 Mariacristina Brembilla ARCHITETTE,THE PLURAL FEMININE FORM OF ARCHITECT Language as a tool of gender empowerment

anguage as a tool for gender empowerment or female safety coordinator. Last November, Kamala Harris – in the Whi- Young female architects are mistaken for the secreta- te House, Maria Luisa Pellizzari – in the Italian ries of male colleagues, just as more mature female Police, and Antonella Polimeni – at La Sapienza architects are called by the generic – apparently very LUniversity, were highlighted by the media as the first respectful – ‘lady’. Not to mention the decisive, but not women to occupy have traditionally been exclusively equally prestigious-sounding role in architecture and male roles. design projects that talented but unrecognised pro- gues throughout Italy to request a which I was institutional secretary primary school children on issues The slow but inexorable process of demolishing the fessionals have held, such as Charlotte Perriand, who similar resolution from their Pro- and promoter of various initiatives, of participatory planning. so-called ‘glass ceiling’ has been going on for years now, worked alongside Le Corbusier, or Doriana Mandrelli, fessional Order for the issue of the such as the bonus payment for Last year, ‘Architects in the clas- but while hearing the expression ‘first man’ makes me the professional partner and wife of the star architect feminine stamp. new fathers/new mothers, letters sroom’ was presented at MAXXI think of Neil Armstrong on the moon – a great achie- Massimiliano Fuskas. The spread of the term archi- to new mayors on gender main- in Rome, the national museum of vement for humanity – the expression ‘prima donna’ If the male paradigm remains dominant, just as the role tetta and of the female stamp is streaming, the ‘Other views on the 21st-century arts designed by ar- (‘first woman’) is very different and still loaded with model imposed starting at university level is also male, currently supported by Rebel Ar- city’ format and the ‘Architetti/e chitect Zaha Hadid, as an example negative connotations of an obviously sexist nature, lin- then it is quite understandable that architetta strug- chitette, an association for social (Architects) in classrooms’ project. of best practice in the context of ked to the derogatory use that is made of it to indicate gles to enter the daily lexicon. The cause is certainly promotion, also founded in Berga- Archidonne, which represented the international conference titled the presumptuous and capricious attitudes of succes- not to be attributed to the pretext of the term being mo in 2017, with the aim of pro- synergy the female way, was lau- ‘Reading the space’. sful women (or men). cacophonous or to a presumed and erroneous etymo- moting female role models among nched in 2010 with the participa- For the youngest citizens, who Language and society evolve, mirroring each other, logical betrayal, but rather to the persistence of hesi- younger generations of professio- tion of about thirty architects, and are the protagonists in this sometimes asynchronously, and perhaps for this reason tations of a cultural nature, linked to the more or less nals, thus promoting a more inclu- was the result of an idea that Fran- initiative – and who accept the the declension of professional titles in Italian, such as conscious introjection of assimilating to the masculine sive and equitable vision of archi- cesca Perani had, and was inten- introduction of terms declined architetta (female architect) or ingegnera (female egi- that causes the term with the feminine declension to tecture on an international scale. ded to be an active and proactive according to gender as comple- neer) struggle, despite the time being ripe, to enter our be perceived as implying a devaluation. The book Architette = Women stance to contribute to a cultural tely natural – the affirmation of daily lexicon naturally. Since 2017, female architecture graduates registered Architects Here We Are! The change to give recognition to the women in the working, political In addition to a recognised greater reluctance to use with the Order of Architects in Bergamo can use, as a # timefor50 (equal time) and female figure and access to the and social world is already in it- the female declension in Italian for professional titles seal certifying their possession of the legal requiremen- #WAWMAP (WOMEN ARCHI- same roles in professional and pu- self a tangible sign of an evolution with a certain social prestige, compared to those of ts to exercise the profession, a new professional stamp TECTS WORLD MAP!) Campai- blic life as for the male figure. towards a more inclusive society; humbler professions, which have always been used with the female declension, with the word architetta, gns are just some of the many Since 2017, the Equal Opportuni- however, the spread of language with greater ease (such as peasant – contadina; or placed after their name, surname and registration num- initiatives promoted by Rebel Ar- ties Group of the Order of Archi- that respects differences remains worker – operaia), it should also be noted that the ber in the Professional Register. chitette, which have been a part of tects has been promoting the use a fundamental tool for increasing construction sector is among the professional sectors This, too, is a first step that is reminiscent of a civil rights numerous national and internatio- of language that respects differen- and consolidating the social achie- that are the most emblematic of gender segregation, conquest, the right to represent oneself with a title nal conferences. ces through the continuation and vements underway. both horizontally and vertically. Trivially, in the collective that certifies one's gender identity in the profession. The common background to the implementation of the ‘Architects imagination the construction site is the virile workplace The Order of Architects of Bergamo was the first in experiences illustrated so far is to in the classroom’ project. Over the MARIACRISTINA BREMBILLA was par excellence, characterised by tasks that involve the Italy to approve the female stamp. Together with my be found in the choral path, which course of almost ten years’ worth born in 1971 and has a degree in use of physical strength and exposure to risk of serious colleagues Silvia Vitali and Francesca Perani, I was at lasted seven years, of the Archi- of activities, the project has seen Architecture and a Master’s degree in injury. It is easier for most people to imagine a female the forefront of the affirmation of this right and the donne working group of the Or- the involvement of an annual ave- Safety Management. She is a freelan- cer. interior designer than a female construction manager disclosure of this result, which then led other collea- der of Architects of Bergamo, in rage of twenty architects and 500

20 | DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 | 21 Marzia Camarda DIVERSITY IN SCHOOL TEXTBOOKS Finally, a draft law

he theme periodically returns to the every year, a number that is as necessary as it is fore: school textbooks still contain exorbitant; and thousands of editors contribute many stereotypes, both in terms of the to reviewing these pages, most of whom are not language used and the exercises and in-house and therefore do not have access to Tmodels presented, in terms of general balance, training: and it is evident that, on a topic like this and even in their iconographic representation. – in which it is necessary to deconstruct certain Not only that: women’s contributions to various models before adopting new ones – training is disciplines, to knowledge and progress, are still indispensable and one cannot simply refer ge- greatly under-represented; and too often, a fi- nerically to guidelines without specific training gure who is difficult to ignore is highlighted in (which, moreover, also applies to teachers). involved in education, will cer- canons of the disciplines be re- every citizen’s ‘equal social di- a special ‘box’, as one would do with an excep- Some individual publishers in recent times have tainly improve overall results. balanced); but there are many gnity [...] without distinctions tional case, instead of being integrated into the implemented a revision process for their text- A law like this, however, is other associations and groups regarding sex, race, langua- general flow of the discussion. It is a well-in- books, with meritorious results, but it is clear not only useful for those who, that ask that school texts and, ge, religion, political opinions, tentioned gesture but the result achieves the that relying on individual intentions is not enou- today, are unfortunately still more generally, schools, adapt personal and social condi- opposite result. Consequently, it is not only the gh and that, consequently, the solution must be under-represented: it is a (po- to a society which – in reality tions.’ We cannot ignore contributions of women of letters and philo- to intervene at a systemic level to ensure that tentially precocious) funda- – has already undergone pro- that school is the first (and sophers, scientists, mathematicians, historians the canons are re-discussed and updated, by in- mental educational tool that found change. perhaps the only) true in- and artists who were women that is often cluding not only gender equality, among other helps all of us to measure our- We cannot pretend that our strument of social mobility ignored; above all, it perpetuates the idea that things, but all the diversities that are contained selves against the multiplicity sons’ and daughters’ future ful- and, as Calamandrei argued, science, for example, is a man’s world and that and described in Making textbook content in- of realities that surround us. filment, their ability to emerge ‘the central organ of demo- women, generally speaking, cannot and should clusive: a focus on religion, gender and culture It is necessary and urgent to into an increasingly uncertain cracy [...] because it alone can not contribute fully to advancing the arts and produced by UNESCO in 2017, a document to invest time, skills and energy world and their constructive help create people worthy of sciences. which this law makes explicit reference. into avoiding future situations contribution to society and being chosen, from all walks Publishers are aware of this: so much so that These stimuli from international institutions are in which we again find oursel- progress do not pass throu- of life’ and, I would add, can over 20 years ago they drafted a document, the not new: on several occasions, in recent deca- ves having to manage a world gh quality education and the represent a society to which ‘Polite’, in which they committed themselves (in des, Italy has signed agreements in which it un- in which part of the popula- harmonious realisation of the everyone feels proud to be- agreement with the state) to introducing gen- dertakes to change educational schemes that tion, due to preconceptions, is talents of each and every one long. der equality into textbooks. And for several ye- favour some categories over others and to re- unable to make the most of of these children. ars, in fact, attempts have been made to apply move the causes of these inequalities. their opportunities and skills, We also have an enormous them, but the results, as documented for exam- The draft bill presented in July of this year and which would be useful to the responsibility towards ple by the scholar Irene Biemmi’s studies, do not signed by the honourable Fusacchia, Lattanzio, whole community. the generations to whom correspond to the effort made; so much so that, Muroni, Palazzotto, Quartapelle, Boldrini, Ciampi Moreover, the need to have we are parents, teachers and according to Biemmi, the books that adopted and Carbonaro has the objective of supporting more balanced textbooks in educators in general, because the ‘Polite’ and those that did not had exactly publishers in concretely resolving the critical is- the sense stated above is also it is clear that the health of a MARZIA CAMARDA the same biases. sues that prevent the application of fair criteria felt by teachers, who have or- country depends on whether , 1974. Under- In spite of good will and commitment, therefore, to all citizens. The law therefore provides for an graduate degree and post-graduate ganised themselves into asso- it can build opportunities and specialisation. Cultural entrepreneur, and the passing of time, too little has changed. observatory, in which reference guidelines ciations (such as that of Indici social equity. independent consultant, Commissione The reasons for this difficulty in achieving fair re- will be drawn up, but above all it provides for paritari, which has collected Therefore it is necessary for VII Cultura for Science and Education presentation are not entirely attributable to pu- training for editors and teachers: a transmission over 2200 signatures from te- the constitutional criteria of The Chamber of Deputies, member blishers: in Italy 1.5 million pages are published of skills which, by bringing together the actors achers who request that the to be applied that recognise of the board of Movimenta

22 | DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 | 23 Rose Cartolari ARE YOU MANAGING YOUR EMOTIONAL WAKE? Three Ways Leaders Can Positively Impact Those Around Them

hen boats and can lead to increased rate, it's easy to lose a sen- pass you by stress, anxiety and a negati- se of the emotional state of on a lake, ve outlook on life. Regard- your mind, of how you are they leave a less of age or culture we all reacting to things around wakeW — a trail of frothing intuitively absorb and send you and the impact it has waves that, even if you di- out emotional wakes. Even on others. We tend to judge dn't actually see the boat my college-aged kids tell me others based on their actions pass by, tell you that one that their dorm rooms are (i.e., what we observe), but did. Human beings also lea- draped with posters that say when it comes to ourselves, ve a trail behind; we leave things like, "Your vibe is your we only look at our inten- emotional wakes. tribe." tions (what we planned in A growing body of research As a leader, being aware of our heads), rarely taking the demonstrates how quickly and managing the emotional time to objectively look at messages, especially those it more and soon becomes se- ts, such as "Tell me more," and deeply humans, usually impact you have on others our actions when we are communicated through non- cond nature. or "Help me understand that unconsciously, absorb and is critical. Corporate cultu- triggered, and how others react verbal behavior. Most of us Get strategic about your better." then mirror the emotions re — the everyday beha- to them. For exam- are not great at recognizing conversations. Most negative Develop a service mindset. of those around them and vior that makes up the feel ple, through lots of practice, and identifying changes in wakes come from conflicts or First, focus on helping the how these emotions impact of any given work environ- I have noticed that when I our own feelings early enou- misunderstandings, so other party get whatever they our state of mind and rela- ment — is often defined he- get anxious or am in a hur- gh to do something about it, learning to have clear, open need from the conversation. tionships. We tend to expe- avily by the personality and ry, my voice heats up. My re- so recognizing them in others conversations with people will The more you can help them rience these phenomena emotions of the person in sponses get faster and shril- can be a challenge. But we do help you create positive inte- create their "best outcome," as an "aftertaste" following charge. Some leaders cre- ler. As a result, those around know things physically before ractions and minimize negati- the more you create a moti- an interaction with someo- ate stressful, anxious and me might perceive me as we know them cognitively. Get ve ones. Here's how: vating, inspiring environment ne. Some interactions leave draining environments while angry or shrewish. So now good at picking up on the si- Be clear about your commu- around you. us feeling enriched and un- others create friendly, upbe- when I recognize my voice gnals that something is off and nication objectives in a con- Your emotional wake is power- derstood: a positive after- at and fun ones. This inhe- changing, it's a cue to slow start trusting yourself. For me, versation. What do you want ful. It has the power to disrupt glow. But others might leave rently has an impact on the down and examine what I when things feel funny, I usual- to achieve? How will you fra- and destabilize. But it also has us with a bad taste in our strength and efficacy of a am communicating and the ly get a tense, sudden malai- me the discussion? How you the power to galvanize and mouth, with negative emo- team as well as their ability impact it's having on those se in the pit of my stomach. frame this determines the energize people, and it really tions and feelings. to take risks and generate around me. As you begin to I cannot articulate why, but quality of the conversation. is in your control. This works in both di- new ideas. understand and respond fa- I know it's time to focus, to What tone will you use? If it rections: Just as we are af- So, what are some practical ster to these signals, you will start paying attention to what doesn't come easily, think ahe- fected by the emotions of ways that leaders can acti- become better able to align subtext and nonverbal messa- ad of what kinds of questions ROSE CARTOLARI, DiverCity Advi- sory Board member, leadership con- those who surround us, our vely manage the emotional your emotional messaging ges are present, to understand you can ask to get the heart of emotions impact others. wake they leave behind? with who you are (or want sultant internazionale ed executive what is really going on and what is really going on. What coach. Dopo aver ricoperto ruoli ma- When we spend time with Invest in becoming a ma- to be) as a leader. why I'm reacting to it. This, in tone do you want to use? nageriali in multinazionali, ha co-fon- ster of self-awareness Become an expert at rea- positive people, we are . turn, allows me to modulate Listen more than you speak. dato ed è stata COO di Scharper. È ding people. often more cooperative, With all the distractions and Being able to my response. Paying atten- Work to understand the real membro del Forbes Coaches Council, scrive e tiene seminari su leadership, more energized and less change in the workplace and understand a situation qui- tion to both nonverbal as issue by clarifying meaning and stressed, whereas negativity the pressure to deliver re- ckly is often about being cambiamento culturale e trasforma- well as verbal messages from asking open-ended questions. zione del business. permeates our relationships sults faster and at a cheaper aware of hidden or weaker others gets easier as you do Delve deeper with promp-

24 | DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 | 25 Vincenzo Miri LINGUISTIC LAW AND CULTURE For a culture of legislative and judicial inclusiveness

ack in 1994, an illustrious Piedmontese jurist According to Saussure's famous notion, after all, lan- proposed an essay with a curiously provocati- guage is a 'system of signs that express ideas'; and ve title to the scientific community: ‘The mute then, if the law is called to regulate society and to rea- law’. The author, relying on legal anthropology lise the constitutional values ​​of full and effective equa- Band ethnology studies, investigated the birth of essen- lity, by standardising its own rules also through tial legal structures in an archaic society of non-spe- the provisions of treaties, conventions and other su- aking men and women. Thus he concluded: ‘The law pranational instruments, it is only, or mainly, through was mute, the sources were mute, the acts were mute’. language that a marked change towards inclusiveness and the more patriarchal and discriminating models It is true, to return to the issue of gender, that some Well. The absence of words, in those societies, cer- and respect for individual identities can be registered. can be undermined. grammatical rules provide for the masculine to have tainly did not mean the absence of discrimination or a The actors of this change are and must be all the In this regard, it seems useful to me to recall the exi- a so-called ‘neutral’ function (e.g.: ‘tutti i cittadini’ – ‘all lack of power structures. people called to measure themselves with legal expe- stence of the so-called ‘denigrating epithets’. These are (male) citizens’, is understood to also include ‘tutte Indeed, the transition from 'silent' law to 'spoken' law rience, on multiple plans of action: women and men words that are used to humiliate and confine people le cittadine’ (female citizens), but in any case, at le- has highlighted, and still today testifies to, a cultural engaged in the formation of legal texts, lawyers, judges to roles of inferiority (I am thinking of filthy expres- ast at the institutional level, the inclusive value can be matrix which, historically, has reserved legal action and magistrates, officials and administrative officials, sions such as ‘whore’, ‘negro’, ‘fagot’) and which have enhanced: I am thinking of art. 82 of the Statute of overall to men: from the formation of laws to their just to name a few figures. the characteristic, in addition to that of insulting indi- the Region of Tuscany, where it is specified that ‘The application in countless concrete cases. To recognise linguistically – it is good to acquire with viduals, to strike the whole social group referred to, use, in this statute, of the male gender to indicate the Today, in fact, faced with a scenario of essential juridi- awareness – means to recognise juridically and cultu- creating social stigma precisely by virtue of the per- holders of rights, public offices and legal statuses is to cal linguisticity, which sees the law expressed through rally; it means ensuring inclusion and enhancing par- formative character of language: with the word ‘fagot’, be understood as referring to both genders and is words, laws and judicial measures, the signs of a preci- ticipation in the same community, in positions of full in fact, not just a single individual, but all homosexual therefore used only to keep the text simple.’ se and deliberate male declination of professions, legi- equality and with a common commitment to the eli- people at the moment of the enunciation are judged After all, language, as a universal means by which in- slative texts, partisan acts continues to resist strongly. mination of discriminatory forms. despicable just for being such. ter-individual understanding is achieved, describes a And if, then, the horizon of investigation is extended University lecture halls and the general theory of law Those epithets deserve particular sanctioning at specific reality. As such, it records the historicised so- to other types of discrimination, such as those regar- lessons come to mind, where we learned that there the legal level: by expressing contempt and hostility ciety, but it is also a formidable lever for modifying it, ding sexual orientation and gender identity, we see are 'constitutive' rules, capable of immediately achie- towards certain groups, they not only reflect feelings through the generation of new linguistic uses to be not only legislative resistance to the achievement of ving their effect (for example: ‘Article 100 is repealed’). of sexism, racism and homophobia, but at the same adopted at a given historical moment and in a given full equality and equal social dignity for all people, And it is relevant that this nature has been identified time generate and feed them. As the philosopher of juridical experience. but also of the opposition, all linguistic and cultural, to starting from the phenomenon of the so-called per- language Claudia Bianchi teaches us, denigrating labels The language of law, then, expressing a broad and decline its content and perimeter of protection. I am formativity of speech acts, which carry out the action are symbolic means to normalise, naturalise or ratio- multiform meaning (semantic, normative and inferen- thinking, of course, of the endless discussion that, in the when they are uttered (‘The session is open’). nalise negative beliefs, attitudes and emotions against tial), must become a political instrument for the rede- last year, has been generated around the introduction, The teaching, of course, is that ‘you can do things with people, groups, behaviours, affects; to stigmatise and finition, in a position of full equality, of the relationships within the law that was proposed and discussed (also) words’. de-humanise them; to change their position within the between persons within a legal system, also and above against homo-lesbo-bi-transphobia, of the definitions Let us educate ourselves to think, then, that through social hierarchy. all by abandoning its androcentric character and of those factors and of the connected recognition of the words of the law we can achieve equality. The response, then, must be firm, severe and clear. recognising full linguistic citizenship for all. all identities: the more that was included, the stronger In other words, we can eliminate, in addition to stere- And effective, so that we do not just discuss mere Feminising language, including identity, promoting was the resistance. otypes, positions of domination that are still effective style formulas, which have only the vulgar fortune of equal dignity. In short: in the juridical sphere, language powerfully and current. being obvious. expresses social constructs, relations of domination We can do it in multiple ways and modalities. First on As for a proactive plan, on the other hand, educating or models of behaviour, and carries with it a visible the repressive front, in order to sanction – on a civil oneself, also at an institutional level, regarding an inclu- trace of distant cultural sedimentations and structures or criminal law level – conduct that is evidently discri- VINCENZO MIRI. Lawyer. President of the LGBTI Rights sive dimension of legal language, becomes fundamen- of power, which undermine the effectiveness of the minatory. The more adequate the language of the le- Advocacy – Lenford Network tal, to record but also to promote change. inviolable rights of all. gislative text, the more effective the protection will be

26 | DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 | 27 Silvia Camisasca THE UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE OF BEAUTY Communicating through art at the Fatebenefratelli Hospitale

poken art, and art that nardo, guiding us through the feelings through a variety of is sculpted, represen- halls of the unit, which has materials, from tempera to ted, shaped and liste- been revived by the works of plaster, from watercolours ned to is proving to art created by young patien- to pastels, from clay to pa- Sbe not only a strong tool to ts who collaborated with the pier-mâché. ‘In particular, we support the therapeutic pro- instructors of the two-year have noticed that the clay cess, as initially thought, but course on Therapeutic Art has a plasticity, softness and also an idiom, rich in nuan- of the Accademia di Belle elasticity that puts studen- ces, with its own grammar Arti di Brera. Art has shown ts at ease, helping them to and syntax and with an orde- itself to be a truly universal acquire the fluency with ma- cultural integration, as well artistic-therapeutic approach sible, in semantic ways, and the red logical sequence. At the language, capable of crea- nual skills that is the first step as promoting not only self-k- with pedagogics is, therefore, facilitation of the acquisition Laboratory of Research and ting a direct line of exchan- towards opening up towards nowledge and self-acceptance aimed at interventions based of symbolic capacities.’ Art, in Art Therapy, founded by the ge between adolescents who others,’ explains the doctor. for a better relationship with on multidisciplinary knowled- the hospital, has transformed Director of the Department have diverse therapeutic Non-verbal language is able, peers, parents and adults, but ge. With this method, art inter- hallways and rooms into sun- for Childhood and Adole- paths behind them: ‘With in fact, to grasp and encode also raising the level of com- prets and restores emotions, ny and lively spaces. Therapists scent Medicine, Luca Ber- our team of psychologists the creative expression inhe- munication and understanding fantasies, desires, fears or me- meet children, both those who nardo, within the ASST Fa- who follow these adolescen- rent in all of us but which, in between the sphere of adul- mories, going so far as to fish have been admitted and those tebenefratelli Sacco Hospital ts’ progress in our workshop, many cases, fails to identify a ts and that of young people. within the intimacy of the soul: who are outpatients, in a dedi- in Milan where, for the first we create programmes tailo- ‘translator’ who conveys and All of this happens in a pro- this makes it a truly privileged cated wing within the hospital time in Italy, a methodology red to the specific needs and makes emotions and thou- tected, continuous space, cre- means of communication and in which they can experience has been used experimental- attitudes of each individual, ghts flow: art has the power ated in a scholastic context in interaction. For every child or themselves and the surroun- ly and practiced successfully in order to develop their ta- to catalyse the inputs of which kids can free their emo- adolescent a new path is crea- ding environment. This allows for over 10 years that sees lents and reveal inclinations our inner universe, offering tional and affective potential ted ad hoc, which is unique and those who approach and work in various artistic manife- and aspirations,’ continues an alternative to the most to establish relationships ba- unrepeatable: ‘Every initiative with the material and manipu- stations a privileged chan- the director, ‘and that is why common ways of looking at sed on trust, accompanied by is shared, because growth is late it and to stimulate their nel for expressing and sha- art is so effective, be it in ca- the world and exchanging educators who are trained to only growth if it is shared,’ un- creativity, with a psychological ring the emotional-relational ses of behavioural disorders, our views of our world with facilitate this path of growth. derlines Bernardo, ‘and at the benefit for those who practice interiority of children and learning disabilities, dyslexia others. For adolescents in Among the objectives for chil- same time, then, interpersonal it and for their families. The adolescents suffering from or autism, as well as for vi- particular, for whom reality dren and adolescents who are relationships that are establi- works of art, created in recent behavioural disorders. ‘The ctims of bullying, cyberbul- is mostly entrusted to inte- autistic, for example, is that shed in everyday life are analy- years by the children, are exhi- environment we have desi- lying, or with substance abu- riority and self-managed by of strengthening their abili- sed, without losing sight of the bited in the department of the gned here is available free se problems, as well as for intimistic processes, art al- ty to make choices, express primary objective, which is to Casa Pediatrica, bearing wi- of cost not only to young adolescents who are visually lows them to express them- themselves and manage their facilitate emotional expression: tness to the journey made in visitors from the Centro impaired or hearing impai- selves through methods and attention through sharing spa- sensory exploration of the ma- the discovery of their own im- Nazionale sul Disagio Ado- red. The methodological set- techniques which, if propo- ces, materials and activities terial, refining praxic and fine mense emotionality. lescenziale within the Casa ting provides a vital space in sed as part of an educatio- and, where verbal language is motor skills, exploring and Pediatrica, but also to invi- which the students can con- nal path, develop a shared not effective or ideal, the as- identifying emotions by repre- SILVIA CAMISASCA. 1976. Physicist diduals with various psychia- sciously externalise and give language of openness, sociation with images can be senting them through colours, and journalist. tric conditions,’ explains Ber- shape to their emotions and comparison and social and helpful. The integration of the in tactile ways and, where pos-

28 | DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 | 29 Maria Cristina Origlia WE ARE THE WORDS WE SPEAK The linguistic intelligence and media literacy that we lack

he daily news offers scoveries of neurologist Paul Ma- Let's change the subject and countless examples of cLean in the 1970s, we know that tackle another extremely sen- an inattentive – and, at our reptilian brain is instinctive sitive issue: immigration. In this times, deliberately un- and needs to be able to trust, it case, too, if we define it as an Tscrupulous – use of language in seeks credibility; the limbic brain ‘invasion’ or ‘a wave’, we trigger As Federica Spampinato argues in La nuova scien- digital society, based on inclusive dynamics, which the description of reality by the is linked to emotion, empathy, visceral reactions, alerting the za del rischio. L'arte dell'immaginazione, della di- makes up for rather than aggravates the inequali- media, politicians and experts, belonging, and selects what to reptilian brain, which receives fesa e della protezione (The new science of risk. ties exacerbated by the effects of the pandemic. or those who are presumed to transmit to the neocortex, which the message that it must defend The art of imagination, defence and protection, Certainly not the sort of tweet that the extraordi- be experts. As I write this arti- quickly evaluates and makes de- itself. ‘Defining immigration as a Guerini e Associati, 2020), information responds nary Commissioner for the COVID-19–19 emer- cle, I am learning of the exciting cisions based on the information humanitarian emergency can ra- more and more to so-called agenda setting. In es- gency, Domenico Arcuri, sent out, which read, ‘The election of Antonella Polimeni filtered by the first two. Therefo- dically shift the focus,’ writes the sence, the media itself (and those who are behind vaccine in Italy will arrive in January, but not for to the position of Magnificent re, communicating in the correct author, adding that the well-k- it) decides which topics to emphasise and which everyone’. Rather, we need words like those ut- Rector of the La Sapienza Uni- sequence and using the appro- nown American linguist and not to touch. An example? Just think of ‘the televi- tered by Kamala Harris in her speech when she versity, dean of the Faculty of priate semantics for the three co- political communication analyst sion information during the COVID-19 19 pande- became Vice President–elect of the United States Medicine, the first woman to gnitive steps is essential in order George Lakoff describes ‘how it mic, aimed at saturating viewers, polarising them of America: ‘Black people, Latin Americans and in- lead the academy in seven cen- to transmit effective messages. is the metaphors chosen by the now towards alarmism (which conceals sensa- digenous people suffer and die disproportionately. turies. Wonderful news, except Paolo Borzacchiello explains this various political parties influen- tionalism), now towards the compulsive reitera- This is not a coincidence. It is the effect of that it has been polluted by re- very well in his latest book, Il co- ce the perception of the topics tion of news and monothematic information, with structural racism, of inequalities in education and peatedly being described – al- dice segreto del linguaggio (The proposed and therefore votes.’ I the possibility of obtaining, in both cases, reactions technology, health and housing, job security and most everywhere – with the secret code of language, ROI would argue that The Donald has that are not functional to the management of the transport.’ trite and outdated expression Edizioni, 2019), where he analy- offered us, over the last four ye- social order.’ In the digital environment, then, the of the ‘glass ceiling’ that is being ses one of the most commonly ars, a depressing and effective (to risks of manipulation increase dramatically and broken by another – heroic – used metaphors to recklessly de- his uneducated target audience) users – often and willingly – are unable to defend woman. A rhetorical image that scribe the pandemic: war. Well, it repertoire of metaphors. If on themselves again fake news, messages of incite- does nothing but underline what has been proven that terms such the one hand the communica- ment to hatred and violence, sexist, sexual and appears to be women’s ‘mission as ‘assault’, ‘under attack’ and tion of leaders and decision-ma- racist content, etc. According to the author, ‘the impossible’, taking attention from ‘cope’ cause adrenaline rushes, kers – political and non-political risk is not understanding that the digital world the programme presented by and words like ‘stuck’, ‘grope in – is fundamental in guiding pu- is not a digitisation of the physical world. In fact, Polimeri – in which she speaks the dark’ or ‘handbrake on’ are blic opinion, on the other hand, identity dynamics change, and with them social of diversity, inclusion, biodiversity processed literally by the repti- however, we cannot ignore the dynamics, because they are governed by the same – and knocking the wind out of lian brain, causing micro shocks responsibility each of us has codes and by the same rules of context, langua- the inspiration of that part of the to the parasympathetic nervous in exercising active citizenship, ge, communication. The relationship has changed: population that believes in gen- system that ‘paralyse’ the body. which passes through our abili- the entire awareness must evolve.’ An enormous der balance and intelligence. That is, says Borzacchiello, they ty to discern and find our way job, which would require the commitment of all And when I speak of wind, of the cause us great stress, creating a through the information over- actors involved, generating the intergenerational breath, I am referring to the che- sense of frustration in which it load we are subjected to. And dialogue necessary to create a new shared lexi- mical reactions that the ‘wrong’ becomes very difficult to make here, media literacy education con (as well as some good rules), with which to MARIA CRISTINA ORIGLIA, born in 1970, holds a Degree in words trigger in our brain, af- sensible decisions. comes into play, i.e. literacy and properly inhabit the digital environment. What we Economics and Commerce and is a professional journalist with a fecting our mood, our thoughts So what do you think the word cognitive training for the media are experiencing, paradoxically, could be the right socio–economic background. She is president of the Meritocracy and our behaviour. Since the di- ‘lockdown’ generates in us?! and the digital world. moment for a governed transition towards a true Forum.

30 | DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 | 31 Nicole Riva THE ART OF LANGUAGE Words and silences among the pages of Goliarda Sapienza's masterpiece

o. This is the syllable that Goliar- had the misfortune of being born on 1 January da Sapienza, initially an actress in 1900 into a disadvantaged family in rural the theatre and cinema and subse- Sicily; after a childhood plagued by rape and quently a writer, heard every time by a stay in a convent, she begins to lay the Nshe presented L’arte della gioia to a publisher. foundations for her social rise, which will lead The novel which, with over five hundred pages her to obtain the title of ‘Princess’, another and a gestation period of nine years, is only word that, as we understand it today, suits her today considered Sapienza’s masterpiece, was little. partially published in 1994. The book, which However, it is not only the word that is rich was finished in the mid-1970s, was written in in meaning; the life of Modesta (modified to too experimental a style and its content was the anglicised ‘Mody’ from a certain point in considered decidedly too immoral for the ear- the story onwards) is closely connected to the Modesta is said to have been and female loves, all different: the reader the idea that the to- ly 1990s. In the end, the story of Modesta, the link that exists between words and silence. The ‘born to be a man’, yet she, childhood curiosity with pics covered are taboos, on the protagonist, managed to reach the shelves of young woman is aware of living in a society that a woman, holds the reins of Tuzzu, youthful love with Be- contrary, it makes them appear some bookstores only in 1998, when Angelo wants to see her silent and obedient. Modesta everything and, while the story atrice, the search for maturity so normal and everyday that Pellegrino, her husband, paid for the publica- never lets slip any of her secrets and wins the unfolds, she insinuates herself with Carmine, the impossibility they do not need explanations, tion of a thousand volumes for Stampa Alter- favours of those she admires, through patience into socialist circles, thinks of of realisation with Carlo, tor- and this can only be synony- nativa. In the meantime, the author had passed and plotting without ever thinking aloud. revolution and communism, ment with Joyce, the search for mous with great modernity. away. The book had to wait for success abroad From the very beginnings of her early educa- stands against the mafia and the past with Mattia and finally ‘Words nourish, and as food and the go-ahead from Einaudi and Mondado- tion in the convent, she learns that there are is avowedly anti-fascist, at her tranquillity with Nina. Modesta they must be chosen well be- ri (between 2008 and 2009) for a wider au- beautiful words, like blue, suave, emotions and own risk, in the 1920s. Becau- experiences love continuously, fore swallowing them’; Mode- dience to have this novel sit on their bedside firmament and other, ugly words, like evil, hell se of these political ideas she but on the level of words, as sta's strength comes from the tables. and sin. Soon, however, that life of prayer and spontaneously is also arrested by the Black- always, she gives away little. awareness that in the struggle The question then arises , devotion feels restrictive to her and, just when shirts, at the beginning of the To explain it using Carmine's for survival within society, it is and perhaps so does curiosity – what is so a particular word is pointed out to her as the Second World War, and spends words: ‘I love you is a word that not only the actions of indivi- perverse in the words which, in black and worst of all, hate, the child she was becomes five years in prison. The poli- one has to be careful to use’. duals that must be authentic, white, describe the story of Modesta? This aware of herself, together with the discovery tical lexicon has great weight For Modesta the word ‘love’ is but also what they say. This is is exactly what it is important to talk about of autoeroticism, and she tries escape from in this novel; in fact, althou- absolute and she herself asser- a concept which – even more when approaching this novel: no word, used or the convent cage. gh the Sicilian setting tries to ts that ‘evil lies in the words so today, in the era of online omitted, is left to chance. Goliarda Sapienza By now, at the height of adolescence, she keep the characters away from that tradition has wanted abso- harassment and bullying – is probably kept in mind the intrinsic strength of knows that the answers to her questions are what happens on the continent, lute, in the distorted meanings received with reluctance by the the words of the Italian language and beyond, found in books and in culture, so after reading the background to the plot is that words continue to cover’. common imagination. also of the Sicilian dialect. what the Mother Superior of the convent has a continuous reference to the In this novel there are many Since ancient times, literature has used the left her, she is able, secretly, in the great villa darkest years of the last cen- sexual and amorous aspects, artifice of the aptronym, which consists in gi- of the Brandiforti, to read the books that be- tury. yet we talk about orgasm, ho- ving a character a name that represents one of longed to her uncle Jacopo. The small library In addition to social mobility mosexuality and bisexuality their characteristics. From the very first pages, contains Voltaire, Diderot and Marx, all the and political ideas, the cha- without ever explicitly naming NICOLE RIVA, 1991, Master’s Degree in it is immediately clear that Modesta is the an- books are marked up by Jacopo, who left this racter of Modesta is stron- anything. This silence that pe- tithesis of herself. Her name is antiphrastical treasure behind believing that no one in that Modern Philology. Secondary school tea- gly characterized by romantic eps through the omission of cher of Italian, History and Geography by choice. Shrewd and alert, this little girl has huge house would ever understand it. experiences. A life full of male words, however, does not give

32 | DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 | 33 the actual presence of women in professions After all, the topic of language adapting to considered of high(er) prestige. This aspect is gender is an ancient one. The text by Alma Stefania Cavagnoli also relevant from a legal point of view. It is Sabatini, Recommendations for a non-sexist precisely for this reason that legal practitio- use of language, dates to 1987. A useful refe- ners, journalists and those who play a politi- rence, but still disregarded. cal role have greater responsibility in the use To fight for the recognition of gender dif- of language. ferences means, first, to start with langua- We decide how to use words, and the tone, ge, which describes, brands and deconstructs prosody, mimicry and gestures that accom- these differences. It is therefore not a margi- LANGUAGE pany them. Using words to build or to de- nal issue, but a central one. It is a question of stroy is part of our freedom (of speech). recognising those who speak and are called. Words are democratic and free, they are not If you do not recognise this, the situation and IS A SERIOUS THING the privilege of a few, but the heritage of our perceptions will hardly change. all. Speakers have the power to determine, At the core of all this resistance is a power through spoken and written words, relation- relationship. Evidently, the masculine is con- How not to discriminate with words ships, from affective to professional ones. It is sidered more important, and this is demon- through words that we define ourselves and strated by women who both implicitly and define the world. For this reason, we can all explicitly attribute greater power to the ma- he centrality of the word has long communicating asymmetrically between pro- contribute to changing the asymmetric reali- sculine gender, using its form for their pro- been the key to interpreting lingui- fessionals and non-experts. In these cases, damage ties in which we move: using words in a con- fessional functions. stics, with respect to both dimen- communication can do great , if it scious way, reflecting on why "It has always This is the real problem, which must be di- sions of language: its abstract di- is not cautious, not precise, not adequate to been said like this", accepting different usa- scussed and confronted. Especially in profes- Tmension, shared by human beings and linked the interlocutor. And not only linguistic da- ges – and not only in relation to foreign loan sional bodies, in institutions, universities and to thought, and its concrete realisation in a mage. words – thus changing reality, and not only the press. The grammatical rules are clear, specific historical, social, economic How do you obtain respectful communication. with many tools that can clear up any doubts, and cultural context. communication, which is re- Habit and routine allow for fast, spontaneous, such as publications, handbooks and guideli- Words serve two main spectful of the people incisive communication: but the awareness of nes, which build on the scientific reflections purposes: to think and involved? The answer these processes is fundamental to expressing that have been made in Italy since at least learn, and to relate. is apparently sim- oneself in an appropriate way with regard to the 1980s. The problem is not limited to a And we use them ple: by applying the context. It is through language that cer- simple change in desinence, but is rather a mainly in the grammatical tain negative habits can be changed. And more substantial issue, which is often coun- written and and pragma- it is us, through our expressions, who make tered with two rather predictable arguments the oral for- tic rules and them change. by detractors: either the topic is dismissed ms, to whi- respecting Words, in fact, change with the context: they as futile, or it gives rise to heated reactions. ch we have those who are resemanticised, borrowed, born and ex- Neither does justice to the issue. added the speak with tinguished. The way forward is education. At The indications of the Accademia della Cru- transmit- us. home, at school, in professional circles. Star- sca on the use of feminine forms refer to ted form, There are ting with a reflection on their use. It is not professions at the highest level, to institu- and in two di- enough to say, "I has always been and said tional positions. In fact, there is no need to particular mensions, that way", but we must ask "why it has always repeat this for positions that are considered web com- which been said that way". The perception of those less prestigious (teacher, nurse, worker, flo- munica- must be who speak and those who listen is decisi- rist ...). And if we were to apply grammar tion. It is kept di- ve; it is due to perceptions that some say to all cases in the same way, no one would precisely stinct: per- that a word is cacophonous, often only be- resent the words ministra, procuratrice, sin- the latter sonal use, cause they are not used to hearing it. But it daca, avvocata. that needs for which also has ended the use of “Negro", transfor- The use of a language that considers gen- more rules, no sanctions ming it into "Black", and the use of "lady" in der seriously contributes to building a cul- more checks, exist, and ri- the professional field has been transformed ture that takes differences into account, and in order to re- ghtly so; it is the into "doctor, professor, engineer, president...". at the same time represents everybody who spect the objecti- individual who de- If language is the construct of society, it is participates in social, economic and political ve of communica- cides how to use the us who decide which representation of the life. It’s simple: just use the feminine forms! tion: that of adequately Italian language in his world we want to give. To continue to use transmitting the message, or her communication. And the masculine forms means to propose a lin- the thoughts of the communi- there is the institutional dimen- powerful guistic reality that does not correspond to cator. Because language is , sion, which has the duty to be precise the world and society as they really are – a STEFANIA CAVAGNOLI and so are the consequences of unconscious and correct, which therefore must use the world in which many of the most prestigious was born in1966. She has a research PhD Romanistics (Dr Phil). Associate Professor of Applied use. Inadequate communication not only fails appropriate gender in language. The grammar institutional positions are covered by wo- to achieve its objectives, but also changes re- of equality serves to create greater clarity, Linguistics and Language Teaching. Director of the University men, at the European level and also (albeit Language Centre, Università di Roma Tor Vergata. lationships between people. Especially when in addition to the objective of representing still less so) at the national level.

34 | DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 | 35 Marzia Camarda Silvia Camisasca 2 Claudio Guffanti MO VERBATHE IRRESISTIBLE VOLANT POWER 2Verso l OF THE UNSAID

hildren are kinetic cre- body that registers them: or rather, satisfaction that makes it a bre- atures, and when they according to Freud, that body ego ast-object, hypnotic and available, don't get what they that precedes any mental or emo- a dispenser of pleasure that comes 'emseek, they take what tional awareness. After all, while in various shapes with regard to Cthey find. Technology, in the - cap still physiologically immature, the ease of handling, design, and con- tivity we were forced into with new-born lives through physical tent. ‘The ease of access and the the first lockdown, and, in part, at maternal contact and experiences seductive power of these devices Lthis stage, was the support that al- interactions, first with the mother, make them indispensable not only lowed families to keep going and and later with the outside, throu- for children, but also for us adults; maintain an equilibrium within the gh the non-verbal dimension of we are heavily dependent on them home,’ states the psychoanalyst the body, of tactile, olfactory sen- and they absorb most of our time. Uberto Zuccardi Merli, Scientific sations and changes in tempera- From this point of view, the digital Director of Gianburrasca-onlus, ture: these factors are the basis revolution has the same far-rea- member of the World Association of the cognitive-relational ching consequences as the advent of Psychoanalysis and of the Mila- development of the personality of fire or the wheel, in terms of nese Society of Psychoanalysis. The and are the prerequisites for sub- the changes produced in daily life image of a prison is not hyperbolic: sequent interpersonal contacts. for all of us,’ explains the scholar. than thinking of the child today, lective and experienced outdoors, ties that are superior to those of children and adults have, in fact, li- Isolation and distance from peers The presence of technology, whi- one is already thinking of the con- thus giving vent to word and mo- previous generations, react more ved in a state of motor compres- in childhood create the failure of ch affects all aspects of all human sumer and worker of tomorrow. In vement.’ readily to external input and are sion, limited in terms of space and a whole process of knowledge relationships, manages to be per- this way, technology is an oasis of The greater exposure of the child more inclined to grasp intercon- movement, indoors, resulting in a and exploration in the relation- vasive, making the non-verbal di- joy for them, but it doesn't come to publicly experiencing hobbies, nections and to relate informa- condition ‘never experienced in ship between the body and the mension of enjoyment fundamen- down to that. ‘The playful dimen- sharing play, involved a theatrical tion,’ analyses Zuccardi. However, human history on this scale and, environment and the self and the tal, which, in children, has made it sion is never an end in itself, no spectacle that many of us will re- it is difficult to predict what the even if we cannot currently eva- other. ‘The natural intolerance of possible to compensate for the children’s games have ever been member: a real performance in symptoms of technological over- luate the effects, I provocatively little ones to confinement during frustration of discharge through just games, but always a means of which children’s imaginations led dose will be: ‘Learning disorders, suggest awarding the Nobel Peace these months was made tolerable physical movement: ‘Not surprisin- learning about reality and about them to identify with roles that difficulties in managing aggression Prize to technological devices, whi- by the ludic object, represented by gly, when they have a technological building relationships between the were not theirs, posing as heroi- or in respecting authority figures ch are not infrequently demonised, the digital device, which has the device in their hands they do not child and what surrounds it. Each nes or characters they knew. have been increasing for several but, as powerful catalysts of atten- power to quell their hyperactivity, speak, they close in on themselves game opens the child to the wor- With technology, the exhibition years and the only corrective fac- tion, were capable of distracting gathering all their ability to con- in silence for hours, even, being ld, always containing a relationship has moved to another space, a vir- tor is school, as a place of irrepla- children from the natural need centrate and retaining it for a long stimulated on fronts other with a technical skill,’ Zuccardi un- tual one, and the reduction of the ceable training: the only institutio- to express themselves through periods,’ continues Zuccardi, spe- than that of the word.’ A silence derlines, specifying, however, that verbal component has been com- nally appointed entity to intervene movement, to experience a variety cifying that, with reference to the that can only worry us and is the this has always happened: ‘Lego, pensated for with enhanced visual in the growth process and, as such, of activities and to keep them busy very purpose with which some effect of the direction taken by the puzzles, even guns, all the games and tactile perception, which is also able to train children in the and silent for hours, which allowed social networks, such as Tik Tok, market or, if you like, by all of us: of the past already contained fundamental in a context made up use of technology.’ For these, and parents to work, participate in me- are programmed, we can speak ‘Today's society looks at the world the function of teaching skills, but of images and manual interactions: many other reasons, we hope for etings and manage their relation- of a ‘commercial battle for atten- of childhood as a pool of consu- in all these activities there was a a closed environment. ‘Not surpri- a return to the classroom. With ships with their children 24 hours tion’ conducted through a speci- mers, for which it tends to gene- strong verbal component: linguistic singly, adolescents show significant desks with or without wheels a day,’ concludes Zuccardi. Espe- fic communication channel: that rate more and more seductive exchanges were also guaranteed cognitive and language delays, use on them. cially since for children, the predo- of attraction and enjoyment. In objects for the child,’ Zuccardi re- by the fact that, contrary to today very limited slang, have difficulty minant form of communication is technology, moreover, there is no marks. In addition, daily use greatly – a feature which was exacerba- in structuring articulated periods. body language: it is the vehicle for verbalisation of thought, the tech- refines one’s skill in using techno- ted during lockdown – when free On the other hand, children today, SILVIA CAMISASCA. 1976. Physi- messages and emotions, whether nological object is archaic in itself, logy, turning precocious children time is spent alone and indoors, thanks to technological stimuli and cist and journalist. conscious or not. And it is still the that is, endowed with a power of into experts: this means that more the games of the past were col- cybernetics, develop logical abili-

3636 | 36DIVERCITY | DIVERCITY | NUMERO | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 7 – GIUGNO 2020 2020 DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 | 3537 Mara Tanelli e AA. VV. LANGUAGE @WORK

ecent technological advancements are ma- traits. The former are agentic-instrumental traits (e.g., king it possible to collect an extraordinary active, decisive). The latter are communal-expressive amount of data on how individuals behave, ones (e.g., caring, emotional). react, express themselves, move, and interact Such language traits, and their attribution to women Rwith each other. These data can be stored and proces- and men, can indeed have an impact also on the wor- sed with ‘’intelligent’’ algorithms to extract knowledge, king careers of individuals. The work in [3] shows that hidden information, and, often, achieve a deeper un- differences in the attribution of agentic and com- derstanding of the context. Such a technology-driven munal characteristics used in letters of recommen- perspective in the field of social sciences is of great dations to describe male and female candidates for interest, as technology supports the analysis of large academic positions can influence selection decisions. data sets and the development of tools that can bring Such results are particularly important as letters of the results to a wide public. recommendation continue to be heavily weighted In this article, we discuss an example of such cross-fe- and commonly used as selection tools. Along these li- eding among economic science, linguistics and ma- nes, a stream of research analysing job postings shows chine learning to analyse the impact of gender-bia- that their language has a strong impact on the hi- sed language in corporate documents, which ring process at all levels [4]. company’s attitude towards gender equality and in- REFERENCES clusion as a whole. has been the object of a joint research A quantitative assessment of (conscious [1] Tenenbaum, R. et al., (2003) “Parent–Child Conver- project between Politecnico di Mi- and unconscious) gender biases in A first attempt to build such a system has given rise sations About Science: The Socialization of Gender Ine- lano and NTT-Data, with the lin- documents and communications to the GeNTLE (Gender Neutrality Tool for Language quities?” Developmental Psychology. guistic support of Prof. Cristina How gender biases can be of great help to raise Exploration) project, in which a prototype tool was [2] A.E. Abele (2003) “The Dynamics of Masculine-A- Mariotti of the Università de- awareness on these important developed. Such a tool takes as input corporate docu- gentic and Feminine-Communal Traits: Findings from a and stereotypes manifest ments and – thanks to an inner layer of linguistics-in- Prospective Study”, Journal of Personality and Social gli Studi di Pavia. issues. To build a language Psychology. To understand how langua- themselves in corporate model able to spot the ab- formed automatic text analysis – provides as output [3] J.M. Madera at al., (2009) “Gender and Letters of ge impacts the perpetra- sence of gender neutrality a specific scoring along significant gender-related KPIs, Recommendation for Academia: Agentic and Communal tion and diffusion of gen- language and how and/or to highlight discrimi- together with the possibility of “deep diving” into the Differences, Journal of Applied Psychology. der biases and stereotypes, nations, two major appro- original documents to interpret and understand the [4] Gaucher, D., Friesen, J., & Kay, A. C. (2011). “Evidence aspects that were highlighted by the software analysis. That Gendered Wording in Job Advertisements Exists and it is worth noting that the technology can support the aches can be undertaken: Sustains Gender Inequality”. Journal of Personality and phenomenon goes well semantic and pragmatic. The We believe that such an automatic analysis tool can Social Psychology. beyond the corporate wor- analysis and the mitigation of former is based on: a) looking indeed help companies to raise awareness about [5] A. Ndobo (2013) “Discourse and attitudes on occu- ld. For example, [1] showed their effects for target words and exploiting their true corporate culture on gender equality mat- pational aspirations and the issue of gender equality: that scientific discourse between the recognition of agentic-instru- ters and about their written production, which is a What are the effects of perceived gender asymmetry powerful weapon to shape the firm’s identity on and prescribed gender role?” European Review of Ap- parents and children has inherent mental traits vs communal-expres- plied Psychology. gender-related differences since early sive traits; and b) looking for keywords these matters. [6] Soon, W.M. et al., (2001) “A Machine Learning Ap- childhood, with repercussions on later stu- (e.g., man/woman, male/female) both in iso- The tool, while being able to provide useful recom- proach to Co-reference Resolution of Noun Phrases”, MIT dy choices of the children themselves. In general, [1] lation and in compound phrases to detect the pre- mendations on how to act to manage any gender-re- Press. found that parents were more likely to believe that sence of non-neutral expressions (e.g., gentlemen’s lated communication bias hidden in company docu- science was less interesting and more difficult for dau- agreement). The second and more complex approa- ments, should neither be intended to provide a direct judgment of the resulting scoring, nor to automati- ghters than for sons, and fathers tended to use more ch is to reason in a pragmatic way, i.e., exploiting the MARA TANELLI, 1978, Ph.D. in Information Technology, Professor of cally enact the needed mitigation actions. The latter cognitively demanding speech with sons than with reference and co-reference associations. These may Automatic Control at Politecnico di Milano. CRISTINA ROSSI-LA- activities must be performed by dedicated specialists, daughters when performing science tasks. unveil unneeded overextensions of the masculine for- MASTRA, 1973, Ph.D. in Economics and Management of Inno- working jointly with the firm’s executives. This reali- Stemming from these early signs is all the literature ms to generic referents, [5]. vation, Professor of Business and Industrial Economics at Politecnico zes a virtuous synergy between a technology-enabled investigating the dichotomy between the so-cal- Thanks to data analytics tools, one can in principle di Milano. CRISTINA MARIOTTI, 1971, Ph.D. in Lingiustics, Associate analysis and the human-centric stage of discussion, led “agentic” vs. “communal” traits, which are a tra- automatize these linguistic analyses to assess the Professor of Linguistics at Università degli Studi di Pavia. RAFFAELE analysis and reasoning, which is absolutely indispen- demark of gender bias in behavioural psychology, presence of gender stereotypes by text-mining, [5]. MANCUSO, 1991, M.Sc. in Management Engineering, Ph.D. student sable to initiate the cultural process that will eradicate see [2]. These studies conceptualize both the gender Once the desired features are extracted from data, at Politecnico di Milano. ALESSANDRO SANTI, 1964, M.Sc. in the deepest roots of gender bias and stereotypes. stereotype and the gender self-concept as the distin- and with deep context knowledge, one can develop Electronics Engineering, Director of Consulting at NTT-Data Italia ction between more “masculine” and more “feminine” specific scoring methods to compactly evaluate the

38 | DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 | 39 profound analysis of the reality of her time. Im- Sara Del Bello portant pages took sha- pe that filled the columns of ‘Mujeres’, a section of the El liberal de Madrid newspaper. She was issu- ing an invitation to the women and new genera- tions of her country – at THINKING a difficult historical time, to question the monar- chical regime and dicta- OF DIFFERENCES torship of De Rivera – to participate actively in political and social life, The philosophical topicality of María Zambrano as never before. This was a necessary step to en- eminine philo- reflection, take their linguistic and concep- courage a process of in- sophy - which had cue from the perspecti- tual – revealing one or tegration, where women to make room for ve of an important in- more female presences. should not be satisfied itself in a terrain tellectual of the twen- In fact, her philosophy is with economic emanci- Fhegemonically domina- tieth century, María populated by the voices pation, but demand reco- ted by declensions of Zambrano. of women who become gnition of their differen- masculine thought – re- The passionate atten- vehicles of that specifi- ces: ‘This emancipation minds us how much dif- tion that the Andalu- city, too often denied by is rather a failure which ferences represent the sian thinker – who lived male domination practi- women will have to con- terrain for the deve- an existence marked by ces that are one-dimen- sole themselves for with lopment of specificities exile and was witness sional and therefore much higher achievemen- necessary for a broader to a Europe wounded unable to fully under- ts.’ understanding of rea- by the violence of wars stand otherness. Her thoughts also took lity. The same impossi- and totalitarian re- Among the few women shape through the choi- bility of systematically gimes – dedicated to to attend university ce of some female cha- reducing the latter to human relationships, led in 1920s Spain, María racters – from Antigone a single facet arises, in her to the discovery of Zambrano said she re- to Diotima, from Eloisa fact, from the multiple the shadows and lights presented an exception to Saint Teresa of Áv- heterogeneity of reality. of which every expe- in a strongly male-do- ila to Galdós’ Nina – And diversity, precisely rience is composed. The minated landscape. As who characterised her as such, presupposes Zambranian chiaroscu- if she were a heresy, reflections. Thus, the its diversified narrative ro becomes a metaphor, a bearded woman or a philosopher from Vél- due to the inability to which her language was circus curiosity – as she ez-Málaga, working at a conceive of existence also filled with, of the herself wrote – and de- time when thoughts re- as a constant re-propo- ability to grasp and, at claring herself always garding sexual differen- sitioning of itself. the same time, to welco- feminine, never feminist ces had not yet found Without going into the me the diversity found – without ever not being fertile ground for deve- depths of a feminine in the world. feminist – she actually lopment, exhibited her philosophising that runs First, I would like to expressed her rejection foresight. Her philo- through the history of emphasise the role that of any form of labelling, sophy, we could say, is thought – first by affir- the female plays within which falls within that an exaltation of differen- ming a right to equality, her speculative univer- process of systematisa- ces. And Antigone, most then by seeking one's se. There are two ways tion of thought and re- of all, acquires strong own peculiar mode of in which Zambrano gave ality towards which she symbolic value, with pro- expression and action, space to her being a wo- would always be critical. found political meaning. starting with sexual man: the political-social Her commitment In a reinterpretation of difference – we touch analysis of the Spanish to the female condition the original, Zambrano upon some key concep- female condition and the manifested – as mentio- entrusts the protago- ts which, in this brief search for a narrative – ned above – through a nist with a role of poli-

40 | DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 | 41 tical-social renewal. In dedicated a great deal fact, a deadly exercise of space to reflecting of power – embodied on democracy in Euro- not only by the sove- pe – an issue that would reign Creon, but also by require a separate di- Antigone's brothers and scussion – not only un- father – is contrasted derlines how a demo- by a different mode of cratic regime is truly expression of human re- democratic when it has lationships, of which the the ability to stop befo- latter is a spokesper- re the integrity of the son. Antigone's journey, individual, but also how as she descends into it exemplifies the con- the depths of the cave tinuous development of where she is buried ali- a musical melody. A me- ve, is a metaphorical taphor that adds an in- journey into human dispensable ingredient: consciousness through richness comes from continuous rebirth. It is differences. To take up the itinerary of an un- Zambranian language veiling of the respon- again, democracy has sibility that each of us nothing to do with the has toward the other by static nature of an archi- virtue of our actions; tectural order. Rather, it it is the acceptance of is the meeting of multi- exposing oneself to the ple voices, each the be- gaze of others; it is the arer of its diversity be- possibility of dialogue cause equality does not made possible by mu- mean uniformity. tual listening; it is the Here I refer to her manifestation of a word idea of ​​piety, also re- that comes from an ini- presented by the figure tiatory path. of Antigone: acceptan- In the Zambranian rein- ce of otherness is the terpretation, Antigone expression of piety. It has the opportunity to is knowing how to deal meet and deal with the with what does not cor- souls of those who ac- respond to oneself, wi- companied her during thout reducing it to her short life, thus al- something more like lowing not only self-un- oneself. Unlike toleran- derstanding, but also gi- ce, which derives from ving her the opportunity the human inability to explore the reasons to bear that there are underlying her family’s humans who are diffe- and her city’s tragedy. rent from us, compas- It thus becomes the em- sion is instead knowing blem of a democratic vi- how to deal adequately sion of power, based on with the other. a dialogic relationship An invitation that, even and the recognition of today, sounds very topi- equality, as a prerequi- cal. site for the acceptance of differences. And here I come to the SARA DEL BELLO. 1984. second aspect. The Spa- PhD in Political Philosophy. Content nish philosopher, who Specialist - Researcher

42 | DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 43 accept diversity nor value dignity, therefore deciding not to making vulgar statements about women, or the LGBTI+ apply for the job … the company will lose potential talent, community, or people with a disability when we are among Luciano Costantino and the person will lose trust in that company. friends, and then behaving in an inclusive manner when we are in the company of women, the LGBTI+ community or Language and diversity people with disabilities, does not make us inclusive people. It is therefore important to question our assumptions It is the same with family, at work, in our relationships: we about others and understand that the community we live cannot expect respect if we do not apply it to other con- in is comprised of diverse people. We should probably start texts, especially those we are most familiar with, where we THE POWER OF LANGUAGE to listen, understand and learn from others so as to make feel “safe”. them feel included. Let’s get to know the person instead of As language is the first step towards inclusion, by using in- assuming things we think we know. If we are with a person clusive language we foster equality and contribute to the If properly used, words can create we do not know, and whose gender we aren’t sure about, stamping out of discrimination, allowing all individuals to feel let’s ask how they would like to be addressed instead of respected. An included person is a person who feels safe, a safe and respectful environment for all assigning a gender to them according to our what we (ar- a person who feels appreciated and valued, a person with bitrarily) imagine applies. Their answer may not surprise us a voice that is heard. Let’s think of the benefits that inclu- that much, but asking the question creates a condition of sion can bring to the workplace: if all employees feel mutual openness and respect, fostering a comfortable and included, respected and treated equally, not only does their anguage has the power to influence how we see acknowledge and accept differences. It is wrong to call a inclusive environment. morale improve, but their productivity also increases. things and thus to shape our reality. We cannot person “a cancer victim” just as much it is to belittle their Moving one step further, we realise that inclusive language Let’s start with the person and not with the idea of that achieve inclusion without considering language, be- battles: each person deserves acknowledgement, under- is continuously evolving and needs to be put into context. person that we have in our mind. When we speak, wri- cause inappropriate or non-inclusive language cre- standing and agency on their personal path. Instead, let’s Let’s think for a moment about the LGBTI+ community: te and communicate, let’s think about the meaning of our Lates division. Inclusion therefore passes through language. say “person who had cancer” or “person who has cancer”. there are certain words (“queer” for instance) that, when words and what kind of image they create. Finally, let’s re- To start with, inclusive language is made of words that allow Once again, let’s remember the human beings and use used within that identity group by people who belong to it, main open to accepting the diversity of others and to adap- us to reach a broader audience, in different contexts and words that empower them, not victimise them. can be appropriate. However, let’s imagine what impact that ting our language accordingly. Inclusive language is a work in with full respect for their diversity. Inclusive language means By the same token, when we refer to people who were same word has when it comes from a person who does progress and also means continuous improvement. Only first and foremost that all those we speak to feel respected abused, we should not define them as “victims of abuse”: not belong to the LGBTI+ group … Perhaps this is one of when we understand how to use such inclusive language and accepted. victimising them could mean making them passive, helpless the most complex aspects of inclusive language. have we really accomplished the mission of inclusion. Because words have weight, the meaning we assign to and powerless, whereas we should seek to empower them them can influence our feelings, behaviours and even be- so that they can move past trauma. Therefore, let’s talk Language in movement liefs. Most of our biases, even unconscious ones, come from about them as “people who have experienced trauma”. It The language of inclusion is the result of a process of un- the language we use or which we are used to. Our family, might seem like a subtle difference, but words can create derstanding others, empowering them and making them cultural background and upbringing play a fundamental problematic situations or create conditions for improve- feel that they are part of society. Inclusive language is cer- role: growing up in a family that constantly uses derogatory ment, depending on how we use them. tainly important for others, but it is also important for us, words to describe a situation will inevitably make us averse Language regarding gender is far more complex, especial- because it opens us to empathy and emotional growth. to that situation, because growing up we associated nega- ly in relation to languages like Italian, which is gendered, After having questioned our beliefs, let’s ask ourselves if the tive connotations with that specific situation, which now with every word being either male or female. Though not words we use are respectful in the context in which they constitutes the only possible reality. Luckily for us, there is an exhaustive response to the issue – which would likely are used. We need to assess whether the language we use something that we can do about it, as responsible adults: require a separate discussion – I would like to clarify so- treats all people equally, without fostering stereotypes or change our language. This will enable us to also change the mething that might be helpful in understanding the com- discrimination. If we are not sure, we can do a little inversion way we see things. plexity of the question and the inadequacy of language. The by changing the subject of the sentence to see if it sounds heart of the matter is about the distinction between sex odd to us. For example, if we are not sure whether the The person first (biological sex defined by the reproductive organs we are following sentence is inclusive – “Women should not be in In every conversation we have, we must always bear in born with) and gender (a social construct, or rather the leadership positions” – let’s reverse it and say, “Men should mind the person, and not what they represent in our ima- way a person self-identifies). So, beyond the male/female not be in leadership positions”. If the sentence sounds gination. It is not inclusive to say “disabled person”, “alcoho- binary, people can also self-identify as transgender, cisgender, weird in either of the two ways, then we can be sure that lic” or “drug addict”, as these words put the person second non-binary, etc. – and yet language, which is also a social the other way is also inappropriate, and non-inclusive. This and focus on a word that describes them, which is not only construct, sometimes cannot adequately describe all the resource works in a variety of contexts and can be useful derogatory but also unnecessary. Let’s learn, instead, to use possible ramifications of the issue. Or language may have in understanding the language of inclusion, especially when “person with a disability”, “person with alcohol use disor- a word to define a gender, but the word may not be used. we substitute others for ourselves. der” or “person with a substance use disorder”: we send For example, let’s think of recruitment situations, and more And this is the main point: we all have the capacity to use LUCIANO COSTANTINO was born in 1983. He has a degree in a positive message to whoever is listening because we talk specifically of the moment when a person who self-iden- inclusive language. It is a voluntary act, a conscious choice of Political Science (Università di Napoli Federico II, 2007), a specia- about the person first (not their condition!) and further- tifies as transgender fills in the application form and, in the wishing to communicate in line with the values we believe lisation in International Law (Université Paris II Panthéon-Assas, more we make people feel included by giving them the op- “gender” field, only finds the options of male or female. This in, with respect for diversity and inclusion. It is how we cho- 2009), Master of Business Administration (WHU – Otto Beisheim portunity to be considered as what they are, simply people. person certainly does not feel included, and just to keep ose to educate our children; it is the language we decide to use in our life, it is the willingness to include the grea- School of Management, 2015). He has worked as an International Speaking of medical conditions, let’s not fall into the trap things simple may decide to tick one option or the other, Civil Servant – in Human Resources – as a UN-Globe Staff Coor- test number of people possible in our daily lives. It is also of victimising anyone who is affected by a pathology – but perhaps hesitating, thinking it over, and arriving at the con- dinator – Diversity Champion – Diversity and Inclusion Trainer at the same time, let’s not ignore reality; in fact, we want to clusion that they cannot work for a company that does not how we live our private lives and what we tell our friends:

44 | DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 | 45 Chiara Bersano IS DIVERSITY DIVERSE?

iversity appears visible? It is more complex collected and processed, un- to be a beautifully than it seems. For a time, less there is explicit consent. simple concept: we the concept of the anony- This limitation clearly im- are all people, and mous CV made strides, as it pacts both the size of data Dwe should all have the same appeared to protect some samples available and their opportunities. of the discriminatory trai- reliability. Going forward, as In fact, diversity is quite a ts at the time of recruiting, companies work on diversity different proposition. yet it is very difficult to truly and inclusion, we need to re- Let's consider the visible and strip a CV of references to alize that data and analytics invisible traits that deserve locations, education and pre- must be at the center, iden- the same inclusivity approa- vious work while remaining tifying what to measure, how ch. relevant and credible. to track so that action can Invisible and visible diver- Diversity is perceived and be influenced in the desired sity: gender, race and age vs. controlled in very different direction- making sure that sexual orientation, political ways depending on govern- we target the whole talent li- opinion, union membership, ments’ requirements and cul- fe-cycle to help bridging the ethnicity, religion. tural aspects. gap. In addition, officially recogni- While in the US Affirmative sed “protected” groups are Action and Civil Rights Act Further reading: radically different depending policies require employers on the government: to not discriminate and take https://www.thecrimson.com/ In France, there are as many affirmative action to ensure article/1973/3/20/affirmati- as 20 elements of anti-discri- equal treatment of candida- ve-action-vs-quotas-pbabffir- mination: origin, sex, family tes and employees regardless mative-action/ situation, pregnancy, physical of the recognised categories, appearance, family name, he- most of Europe recognised http://www.di-elle.it/leggi-vo- alth state, disability, genetic form of diversity remains ce-menu/183-d-lgs-198-06-co- characteristics, habits, sexual gender. dice-delle-pari-opportunita orientation or identity, age, The absence of reliable data political opinion, union mem- is certainly one of the pro- https://www.improovo.com/di- bership, ethnicity, nationality, blems, but so is the fact that, versity-management/ race and finally, religion, are in many situations, such data formally recognised; is essentially impossible to https://hbr.org/2019/04/ In the US, policies prohi- legally capture, given that the-mistake-companies-ma- bit discrimination based on privacy laws restrict the pro- ke-when-they-use-da- race, creed, colour, national cessing of sensitive catego- ta-to-plan-diversity-efforts origin and, later, gender, pe- ries of data. ople with disabilities, people Where there are quotas (or https://www.hldataprotection. over 40 and veterans; reporting requirements, as com/files/2018/12/HR-Pri- In Italy, age, ethnicity, disabi- per the Civil Rights Act in the vacy-Webinar-Protecting-Pri- lity, gender and sexual orien- US), employers are required vacy-in-Global-Diversi- tation are commonly mentio- to collect certain types of ty-and-Inclusion-Initiatives.pdf ned, yet the law recognises information through self-i- only the ‘Quote Rosa’ in the dentification or visual asses- Codice delle Pari Opportu- sment. In Europe, these same nità. data types are, on the other CHIARA BERSANO. Global HR Value Advisor. Can we make the visible in- hand, prohibited from being

46 | DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 47 Elisa Gaggero e Silvia Martella THE BRAIN AND LANGUAGES Why intercultural teams are more innovative n the movie Arrival, linguist ple. They chose to use only available words. Each language Louise Banks, played by Amy shades ranging from light blue shapes specific capabilities of Adams, is selected by the to blue (or dark blue), because the brain, which are common US government to try to in Russian these shades have among people who speak the Icommunicate with extra-ter- two distinct names, "goluboy" same language. restrials who have landed on and "siniy", while in English Let's consider, for example, our planet. As Louise learns they are expressed as shades the Kuuk Thaayorre people: the alien language, she also ac- of the same colour. As a result, this aboriginal tribe in Austra- quires a new skill: she begins both groups completed the lia consistently uses absolu- to have visions of the future, a task correctly, but the Russian te cardinal directions (North, "power" that derives precisely native speakers were faster, South, East, West), instead of from the new language, which thanks to their mother tongue. relative ones (forward, back, ri- is written and conceived in a The research confirms that the ght, left, etc.), which are more circular way (and not from left language we speak influences usual in most languages. For to right, like Italian, for exam- the way we think and the way this reason, they have a very ple). The new language allows we organise our knowledge: keen sense of direction, to the her to conceive of time as if language, in short, structurally extent that they always know it were a "circle", rather than shapes our brain. From ge- which direction they are facing. sequential, and this is why her station and then throughout Their brains have developed a visions of the future look like life, children’s mother tongues sort of internal compass, whi- memories of the past. The create connections and speci- ch other cultures may have as film explores the Sapir-Whorf fic neural maps in their brains, well, but which their language hypothesis, which theorises providing them with the basis doesn’t help them develop. how language affects human to know the world and name For this reason, according to cognitive development, taking what they see, hear and feel, Boroditsky – who carried out it to a whole new extreme. We shaping the way they think. the study on Kuuk Thaayorre – don't necessarily have to use Our brain learns to perceive when we learn a new langua- science fiction as a point of things and reason based on ge, we're not only acquiring a reference; this hypothesis has the available words and the new way of speaking, but also actually been validated by neu- spoken language. According to a new way of thinking. roscience. Feuerstein and Vygotsky, the The consequences of this In 2007, a group of scholars breadth of our thinking is lin- strong influence of language from the University of Stan- ked to the number of words on the structure of our brain ford, MIT and UCLA carried we use to name ideas and con- open up extremely interesting out an ingenious experiment: cepts, through which it is pos- scenarios, especially from an Russian and English native spe- sible to access greater mental intercultural point of view: in akers were asked to quickly capacities. Language creates fact, if each culture has its own identify which element, betwe- connections in our brain, so language, then each culture ELISA GAGGERO was born in 1986 and SILVIA MARTELLA in 1979. They both have degrees in en the two proposed, had the that it can perceive and con- will somehow have a different Education and are the founders of Le Brainers, an organization that brings their Neurotraining same colour as a given exam- struct reasoning based on the structure in the way it thinks. method to business environments.

48 | DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 49 Misunderstandings between different cultures shares the same values. can then be traced back to actual structural dif- From a training point of view, this convergence is ferences: there are objective difficulties in acces- activated, once again, by language: in intercultural Enrico Falck sing the way other people think, even if they sha- business contexts, HR departments and trainers re the same nationality and language, but have need to create a common language with shared different ways of communicating. In fact, different meaning. This language should have univocal va- languages can exist even within the same idiom. lues and objectives, to which everyday choices Let's think, for example, about the linguistic, and can be traced back. AN ALLIANCE FOR EQUAL therefore cultural, differences between peo- Let's consider the recent scandal concerning the ple who live in cities and those who live in the Ellen DeGeneres Show: during the summer, some suburbs, between the North and South of the employees reported a toxic and racist environ- OPPORTUNITIES same country, between young and old people, ment. The scandal escalated because the slogan men and women, entrepreneurs and employees, of the TV programme is "Be Kind", words that medical sciences and human sciences… we could were chosen for their high value and meaning. Sodalitas Foundation proposes a Charter for Equal go on and on. These words immediately made the host and her We shouldn't forget, however, that this linguistic team think about the values they chose to pur- Opportunities to promote inclusive growth and cultural diversity is crucial for a dynamic and sue and urged them to make the changes neces- innovative company. sary to allow her 270 employees to feel that “Be In a study published in Economic Geography, the Kind” was an authentic and shared motto. he Covid-19 pandemic is Labour, the Ministry of Equal Op- to the forefront today, as we are authors concluded that cultural diversity repre- A place where words are chosen with care, in having a very strong im- portunities and with the network of all engaged in the challenge of bu- sents a plus for innovation. They studied data order to convey values and respect for the pe- pact at the social level, National Equality Councillors. ilding economic recovery that will from 7,615 companies that took part in the ople who work there, allows employees to feel making it even more evi- The authoritative support of Italian allow us to emerge from the worst London Annual Business Survey, which is aimed welcomed, increases engagement and guides all Tdent how much our society is af- and European institutions is a fun- socio-economic crisis in recent hi- at executives and investigates their companies’ kinds of choices, from the smallest to the most fected by widespread and increasin- damental prerequisite for involving story. results. The results revealed that companies run important. gly accentuated inequalities. Italian companies in a real ‘alliance In fact, we must not hide that many by culturally diverse teams were more likely to Interculture, conceived as the creation of a shared In the space of a few months, the for equal opportunities’. are tempted to believe that, at such develop innovative products than those with ho- culture and the comprehension of the structu- gap between the included and the To do this, we must first spread a difficult time, the goal of returning mogeneous leadership. ral differences that exist in our way of thinking, excluded has widened further and greater awareness among com- to generating growth requires, at Any company should aim to create a work en- acquires even more value and becomes a tool disparities in terms of protection of panies themselves that investing least for some time, setting aside vironment that is rich in languages and cultures that allows us to treasure an infinite number of rights and access to opportunities in Diversity and Inclusion means apparently ‘softer’ issues, such as di- if they want to have a relevant and striking different views of reality: a gift that can be obtai- represent an emergency that is as investing in the competitiveness versity and inclusion. impact on the market. For this reason, it is neces- ned only through different brains, with different serious as it remains underestima- and development prospects of the Instead, the exact opposite is true: sary to select talent. perceptual capabilities, different paths of thought ted. company itself. making companies more inclusive After a process of high divergence, i.e. the diver- and different words to express them. Despite the efforts made in recent The Charter is a declaration signed and more capable of enhancing sification of incoming talent, convergence must years, Italy's delays regarding the voluntarily by companies of all sizes, diversity is a fundamental boost be created, so that the diversity existing in the objectives of the UN 2030 Agenda for the dissemination of a corpora- for the prospects of economic re- company becomes part of a larger group that are there for all to see. If we look at te culture and policies of inclusive covery. the 27 member states of the Euro- human resources, free from discri- The companies that sign the Char- pean Union, our country is fifth-last mination and prejudice, capable of ter for Equal Opportunities and in Europe in terms of its ability to enhancing talents in all their diversi- Equality at Work are deeply convin- reduce inequalities, trailing behind ty; it is part of the European Diver- ced of this. with regard to the female employ- sity Charters Platform, promoted ment rate, one of the most effective by the European Commission to factors in the fight against poverty. concretely contribute to combating The world of work therefore emer- discrimination in the workplace. ges as the sector where intervening The Charter has already been must be prioritised in order to adopted by 800 companies, reverse the trend and take decisive non-profit organisations and public steps towards equal opportunities administrations which employ over and inclusion. 700,000 workers. Now a self-as- This is why the Sodalitas Founda- sessment tool has also been deve- tion is committed to promoting loped, which allows companies to the Charter for Equal Opportuni- measure their D&I performance, ties and Equality at Work, an initia- identify gaps and areas for impro- tive developed in synergy with the vement and undertake measures to ENRICO FALCK, President of the So- European Commission and, at the make real improvements. dalitas Foundation national level, with the Ministry of It is important to bring these issues

50 | DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 | 51 Alexa Pantanella AGEISM Is it an issue of few words?

eally?! You phenomenon, which is not make distinctions. don't look your no less powerful for all It doesn't care about age at all!’ that. The thing that le- gender, skin colour, ‘You can't be ads us to discriminate religion, social class, Rtired at 25.’ against people (or to orientation or ability. ‘We need more energy associate stereotypes Ageism affects all indi- and creativity. We will with them), simply ba- viduals without distin- ‘I hope I will be as sociate with the word ‘older’ people (this bring in younger talen- sed on their age. Wha- ction, even those who perky when I’m your ‘grandmother’? Maybe can start at age 45-50) ts.’ are less accusto- age!’ A compliment, that of Little Red Ri- are not very widely re- ‘Despite his age, med to experien- like many others. But ding Hood? An elder- presented. Unless it is he still wants to cing discrimina- what does this actual- ly, sickly (also for fun- a question of adverti- get involved.’ tion, such as men ly say? More or less ctional reasons, in this sing products that help Can we say that who are white, this: ‘My goodness, you fairy-tale), defenceless them during the sunset ageism is an is- heterosexual and are over the hill, you woman who spends her years: medical aids, an- sue of few words? do not have any should have the vital time knitting. Imagine, nuities, insurances, etc. Based on these disabilities, for signs of an amoeba, but instead, if we were pre- All products that are examples, whi- example. fortunately you do not sented with a different relevant to the needs ch you are likely Ageism affects show your age and you version more often, in and functional aspects to have heard everyone. are still vital or, bet- which the grandmother of their life stage. You (or said) at least And what's more, ter, youthful.’ How do is more like Iris Apfel rarely find communi- once, I would say ageism is a form we think the recipient (do you remember the cation that supports n o . of discrimination feels? Or: ‘What would American entrepreneur the dreams and desires The first to use against ourselves, you know about this, and interior designer, of these people. For the term ‘agei- today and/or to- you’re still a child?!’ who became famous example, a dating app sm’ was Robert N. morrow. This is not a compli- thanks to the Citro- dedicated to people Butler, in 1969, in Because ageism ment. It is real discri- en DS3 commercial?). who are in the ‘second the context of an concerns peo- mination against those The imprinting that half’ of their lives, interview with the ple in the so-cal- who, simply because we would receive from who may have separa- Washington Post. led ‘older’ age they are younger, do early childhood on the ted, have lost a love or The phenomenon groups, as well as not seem to have the concept of age would haven't met them yet, certainly existed even tever age that is. those in the ‘younger’ right to have a point of be very different. and want to finally ful- before Butler identi- We know little about age groups. view and to be able to Our familiarisation fil this desire. fied it, but it is very this term, we probably It is the language that express it. These are with the idea of ageing​​ Precisely because of difficult to know (or, don't realise how this accompanies us throu- phrases that can hap- as an inevitable sunset, this state of affairs, we better, recognise) so- type of discrimination gh our growth, instils pen, right? during which one has can call those over 50, mething we cannot can affect us or other and transmits a pro- We must also think of few defences, only has 60, etc. ‘Invisible Peo- even name. And there- people and yet, com- pensity towards attitu- certain iconography needs and no longer ple’, as they feel invi- fore the term ageism is pared to other forms des that can even be- that has been transmit- has much to give, oc- sible. welcome, as it helps us of discrimination and come discriminatory. ted to us since ear- curs in many contexts. And how are younger to identify a widespre- stereotyping, ageism is All this happens un- ly childhood. What is In the world of mar- people affected by epi- ad, subtle, pervasive the only one that does consciously. the first image we as- keting and advertising, sodes of ageism?

52 | DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 | 53 Phrases such as ‘Meet our young or hearing phrases like this: ‘Just colleague’, ‘You are too young’, ‘You think, I would have though you wore are so young’, ‘You are a kid’. Phra- a size 40 and instead you wear a 39. ses that, by putting the emphasis on It looks good on you, though!’ ‘youth’, risk discrediting colleagues. Or: ‘What do you know, with your Because these words may make us size 42...’ think that we do not consider so- Perhaps at first it would sound a litt- meone up to a situation or a role le strange, but it would help us free simply based on their age. By mo- ourselves from the many expecta- ving skills, results and professiona- tions, conditioning and evaluations lism demonstrated in the field into we make about ourselves and other the background. people based on age. And maybe There are those who say that you many things would be simpler. should be proud of your age, reaf- firm it at every opportunity without being ashamed (Ashton Applewhite, for example, launched #agepride in his illuminating Ted talk). And it is IS THERE AN AGE AT certainly admirable thanks to the li- berating intention that all this can WHICH YOU STOP have. BEING A WOMAN? But I wonder if this does not risk having a counterproductive effect: Certainly not at a biological level. On an emo- continuing to emphasise what should tional level, however, there is a moment in only be a number, making it a key to women’s lives in which everything changes, in understanding what we have achie- which a new perception of the self is grafted. It ved or done in our life, what we have is the moment of invisibility. Women feel invi- become, what we should have done sible in the eyes of potential partners, current and haven't achieved, etc. or potential, in the eyes of the social, cultural What if we gave this number a who- and economic context they live in. le other kind of significance, indeed, Placed in the corner of invisibility by the many gave it much less importance? prejudices and stereotypes that see that time And if we made age one of those of life through a single lens: that of the inevi- numbers that accompany us, like table ‘sunset avenue’, where one lives only on our shoe size? Who is interested in needs and not on dreams, desires, the willin- knowing what size shoes we wear? gness to take chances and change. And what value does this number The documentary ‘Still women. When love has no age’, written and directed by Swiss di- have in defining whether we are ha- rectors Stéphanie Chuat and Véronique Rey- ving a positive experience of a cer- mond, is a five-part portrait that gives us a tain phase of life? There is no cor- different vision of this time in life and how five relation. women decide to fill it, overcoming their own So, let's start relating to age as if fears and chasing passions and dreams. it were our shoe size and see what The protagonists teach us that it is not age happens. that defines what is right or possible, but how Maybe we could find ourselves saying we decide to live. ‘Still Women’ is an authentic, intimate and joyful film that subverts stere- ALEXA PANTANELLA. otypes related to ageism and its effects, espe- Name and surname: Alexa Pantanella cially when it merges with gender issues. Year of birth: I wear a size 38.5/39 depending on the shoes Selected by the Visions du Réel festival (2018) Education: I study the consequences of words and the Locarno Film Festival in the Panorama Job Title: Expert in inclusive language and​​ Founder of Diversity & Suisse section, ‘Still Women’ was nominated Inclusion Speaking (a start-up that specialises in research and trai- for best documentary at the Swiss Film Award ning in inclusive languages) in 2019. www.diversityspeaking.com We look forward to seeing it very soon in Italy, [email protected] too!

54 | DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 55 a driving force for the re- made so far. choosing a company. One cognition of other types of of the next challenges will Chiara Zaccariotto diversity. The 2019 edition D&I as a business strategy be to transpose this expe- of the Dive In Festival had The key point is to under- rience into communication, shown that the insurance stand that D&I is a business towards the outside as well and financial services sector factor, a strategic element, as towards one's own peo- is on average more balan- not just a ‘plus’ anymore. ple. ced than others from this The criteria of the Non-Fi- SUSTAINABILITY point of view, with the ge- nancial Disclosure include Future perspectives neral percentage of female both the social and person- Despite an awareness that employees greater than that nel management aspects, resolving the current pande- IN PERSPECTIVE of male employees (52% vs including actions taken to mic takes time, we had ho- 48%). However, there is litt- ensure gender equality, the ped for a less complicated he insurance and financial services bably expected this kind of attention and le representation at the top measures aimed at imple- autumn. Instead, the feared sector has been able to transform support to come from other institutions, and we are therefore still menting the conventions return of large-scale conta- a critical moment into an opportu- like governments, for example. In any case, it far from breaking the glass of international and supra- gion has materialized, with nity to rediscover its social role in has been the right choice: this is the strong ceiling. Unfortunately, the national organizations on the certain prospect of dif- Torder to ensure the well-being of its people, message that came from the companies that updated Value D Inclusion the subject, and the ways in ficult months of coexisten- and not only at work,. took part in the Dive In Festival – an an- Impact Index showed no which dialogue with so- ce with the virus. In dealing What happened during last few months com- nual global initiative dedicated to inclusion improvement, and for some cial partners is carried out, with it, soft skills will be as pletely subverted habits and paradigms that and diversity in the insurance sector. Their indicators there was even with regard to respect for important as hard ones. The had been consolidated for decades. It’s a ra- commitment was confirmed by comments a reversal of the positive human rights, the measures hope – or better, the invi- dical change that affects every aspect of from the participants, who in recent trend observed in recent adopted to prevent viola- tation – is for companies life, from family to work and months have felt supported years. In 2019, in the 16 tions, as well as the actions to continue to develop the social contacts. One of the and flanked by their or- companies in the insurance taken to prevent any di- commitment to being close less immediately visi- ganizations, more so sector that were sampled, scriminatory attitudes and to their employees that they ble consequences, than in the past. the percentage of female actions (Social Footprint, have been able to offer so but with the po- And they tran- executives fell from 21.6% pink quotas, etc.). With far. It is an opportunity that tentially biggest sformed this to 20.2%, and the decline regard to gender diversi- is even more valuable for impact on the experience was even more evident re- ty – which, being the first the insurance sector, whi- future, is the into invol- garding the representation diversity issue that compa- ch for years has had a bad psycholo- vement of women in managerial nies began to work on, is reputation in precisely the- gical and and wil- positions (from 35.6% to the one with the most data se aspects, and now has an emotio- lingness 32.4%) and office workers – Credit Suisse's Gender opportunity not only nal re- t o (from 60.8% to 56.5%). The 3000 report, which tracks to transform a crisis into action in- com- share of first-line female the performance of shares growth, but also to redisco- dividuals mit managers is 25.8%, below of 3000 companies in 56 ver the social role that it h a v e them- the 30% marker considered countries, shows how com- originated from. had, the selves the minimum threshold for panies actually benefit from emer- to a guaranteeing gender plura- a financial point of view gence com- lity. Trends for both career from having more women of a sen- mon, progression and new in management: in particu- se of loss collecti- hires have also come to a lar, the results of organiza- that must be ve goal. standstill. However, among tions with a percentage of understood many non-positive indi- women in these roles equal and processed. Gender evo- cators, an important sign to or greater than 30% cle- Many companies lution in the of development emerged: arly do better. All this also seem to be awa- insurance and the gender pay gap decli- applies to the insurance re of this, and thanks financial services ned from 22.7% in 2018 to sector, which cannot igno- also to the awareness that sector 20.9% last year, a highly si- re global trends, such as they are composed of people, Gender diversity certainly gnificant decrease. In light the growing attention that recently decided to propose services does not cover all types of plurali- of what was said during the all stakeholders (from con- aimed at well-being, from psychological sup- ty, but it has the merit of being the aspect Dive In, it will be intere- sumers to investors) pay sting to analyse the data for to sustainability, or the im- CHIARA ZACCARIOTTO, is Office port to personal conversations. It was nei- of diversity that first brought attention to Manager at ANRA and the Director ther an obvious choice nor an easy one to the importance of diversity and inclusion, 2020, and hope they reflect portance that inclusiveness of www.anra.it She was born in 1988 make, in a new context and in a moment the first to be included within the sustai- the efforts of companies to in the workplace has for and has a degree in Communication when no one had definite solutions. We pro- nability criteria of companies and to act as not undermine the progress young talent when they are Science.

56 | DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 | 57 The story of Roberto – now 51 years old – is not common, at least in Italy. I was fascinated by the ease with which he discusses Claudio Guffanti his choice: on the Rome-Paris-Tokyo-Milan axis he combines the fullness of his role as a father with the strength with which he supports his wife's career. Roberto is an example of diversity and courage and – in life as well as in a work environment – of how different backgrounds represent a value to be sought out and promoted. Let's get to know him together.

Roberto, tell us what kind of a father you are. Gladly. I lived in Rome until 2014 and my daughters were born there: two from my first marriage and the little one I had with my current wife. In those years I managed to balance work and family commitments by frantically racing from one side of the city to the other. I was an attentive father, a clear presence. I never missed the most important moments of my daughters’ childhood: I picked them up from school, participated in meetings with other parents, I was there for performances and sporting events. I was one of the first divorced fathers to have joint custody, even before the law was passed: I fought not to be the dad they only saw on Wedne- sday afternoons and two weekends a month. I wanted to share everything with my daughters: stomach-aches, the joys of getting good grades at school, everyday life and the happiness of a new, extended family. My being a very involved father is motivated, on the one hand, by personal preference and, on the other, by the frequency with which both my ex-wife and my current wife travel for work. I learned not only how to manage daily household chores but, above all, to fill the gaps of a maternal absence that could occur frequently.

At a certain point, life offered you an opportunity: what happe- ned? In 2014 my wife's career took a turn and we moved to Paris. The driving force behind this choice was how uncomfortable we felt living in Rome. We had agreed that when my second daughter gra- duated from school, we would start a new life, perhaps abroad. We were lucky because various conditions aligned and we left earlier than expected. In fact, at that time the company I worked at as an IT manager went into liquidation and I felt a deep desire for change. At the same time my eldest daughter, who had already graduated, began her journey into adulthood and her sister expressed the desire to come to Paris with us. Everything fit together perfectly and it was an easy decision.

Were there any elements that you underestimated? Yes. I left with little ‘awareness’ of what I was heading into, today I recognise that. Work is part of my culture: I took it for granted that in Paris, within 3 or 4 months, once I had solved the logistical problems and learned the language, I would go back to work. But I was wrong, because the initial phase took a long time: looking for a house, settling our daughters in school, rebuilding a network of SHE'S THE ONE WHO WORKS contacts (the doctor, the paediatrician, the social fabric). It takes time to settle all the things that make you feel good. I realised that, without the social network that we used to have around us, life was definitely complicated. My wife was very busy with her new Gender equality between responsability and prejudice job and travelled frequently. I became aware of my pivotal role in the family, the person everything else revolved around. I understo-

58 DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 | 59 od that I could not ask too much of afternoon or evening cooking clas- months dedicated to finding a hou- myself: in that completely new con- ses, although they were better paid: se that suits our needs, COVID-19 text, the role of ‘family man’ – as I I wanted my role as a ‘family man’ to and the lockdown made the situa- Ten questions to define myself – is indispensable and remain a priority. tion complicated. My wife's com- all-encompassing. Managing and or- mitments are growing, despite less ganising the family – in all its quoti- I assume your choice led you to be travelling due to the pandemic. My dian and other aspects – gradually the victim of prejudice. daughter has school and extracurri- became my main commitment and Indeed. In Japan we had the op- cular activities that necessarily requi- GIORGIO SIRACUSA completely replaced the initial idea portunity to participate in various re family support. Therefore, I would of ​​finding a job. Of all the things I public events related to my wife's like to find a job that is compatible do for the family and in support of business. On such occasions all the with my role in the family. I activated Independent advisor and Executive Coach to the C-Suite my wife's career, what I care most people we met approached me – a Coaching path to find my bearings about is creating the conditions for before her – to ask about my work. myself: I have a six-year gap in my my wife to make the most of her When I explained that ‘she is the CV but, at the same time, I feel like a time at home to build a quality rela- one who works’ while I took care capable person, full of strength. I am What were you like when you were youn- if you look at the great-grandmothers and tionship with our daughter. of the family, interest in me suddenly observing the job trends now and ger? How were you educated? grandmothers, is that they did all that stu- disappeared: I belong to the 5-10% doing training courses. It is difficult The first question Italians ask of each other dying but never really worked outside of the How did you experience the ab- of cases in which it is the man who for me to figure out which company when they meet for the first time is, “Where home. It was just not expected at the time if sence of a job? has followed his partner abroad for I might be attractive to: I wonder are you from in Italy?” It was always difficult a family could afford it. This changed with my Human beings identify with the her career. which company will be interested in for me to answer that question. My mother mother’s generation, but with a rather small work they do: work gives us dignity I myself am not free from prejudice. enhancing my experiences and skills.’ is from Friuli, in the northeast, and my father range of professions (mostly teaching). For and autonomy. I identify with the fa- I was comfortable with my role in is Sicilian. Because of his military career, we many years, I thought that coming from a fa- mily and am gratified by my role, but the family, but I was not comfortable In some European countries there moved every two years on average, and I mily of highly educated women insulated me to be totally satisfied from a psycho- with the society around me. The are networks that bring together had the chance to live in various places as in some way from unconscious gender-rela- logical point of view, I also wanted a communities I socialised in (French, people who have decided to take well as abroad (twice in the United States) ted biases. This was wrong: I was confusing professional identity. Japanese and Italian) represented a career break for a few years in from a very early age. We spoke standard education with empowerment. I thank P&G In 2017 my wife was offered a new cultures in which roles are well defi- favour of other activities. They re- Italian at home (dialects were out, as Friu- for giving me the opportunity to raise the job opportunity in Tokyo. My se- ned: the man works and the woman present a valuable resource for lian and Sicilian are mutually unintelligible!), bar on my understanding of these dynamics cond daughter had just graduated takes care of the family. Sometimes companies looking for different but picked up English in the USA when I and the opportunity to improve my Inclusi- from high school and decided to go my discomfort was about relating backgrounds to include in their was 10 years old. My parents were defini- ve Leadership. to university in Paris. So we left for to men who were working abro- staff. Valuing profiles that have ‘ho- tely “diverse” in their culture but created a Japan: me, my wife and our little girl. ad in important positions. I could les’ in their CVs – in which, howe- very inclusive, unified family. In this way we What did you study? Did you study in your In Tokyo, to work, you need a high find no points of contact because ver, they have gained different and could withstand the stresses linked to the country or abroad? level of knowledge of the langua- everything I dealt with was foreign rich experiences – is synonymous frequent moves, and focus on the pros in- I studied International Relations and Eco- ge, which is complicated. Based on to them. with being broad-minded and ha- stead of the cons. As for my education, I did nomics, first in Washington DC and then what I learned from our experien- Some communities are more highly ving the ability to enhance alter- mostly Italian schooling during my most for- in London. The only reason I studied in the ce in Paris I organised our family si- evolved than others: I met many native points of view. Good luck, mative years (scuola media, liceo) but then US was because my father was posted at tuation faster when we moved for more French or Northern Euro- once again followed my family in a move to the Italian Embassy when I was 18 years the second time, I fully accepted the pean fathers – rather than Italians the USA and studied there (for a Bache- old, otherwise I would have studied in Italy. role and this allowed me to make – who had followed their partners. lor’s) and in the UK (for a Master’s). In the I loved the mix of Politics and Economics. the transition from ‘I need a job’ to I participated in the ‘Dads’ Coffee Bachelor’s degree course in Washington DC, I find it an excellent preparation for Hu- ‘I want a business that fulfils me’. Mornings’ with about twenty men: there were students of over 80 nationalities. man Resources! Politics and economics are Thanks to my wife – who encoura- there were those who looked after It was rare in the mid-80s to find such a di- in many ways the study of power. When you ged and supported me – I started the family, those who had a small bu- verse environment. A wonderful experience reach an executive position, and you are in holding Italian cooking courses in siness, those who maintained a job that truly opened the world to me. a company where HR is strategic, like P&G, English: a successful and profitable remotely. It was a similar situation it is very important to understand the way activity organised at home, in which to that of mothers: in the French How did your family influence your growth? power is distributed, its dynamics, and its about six students per lesson inva- community there was a much more Women were always a very strong force use of language. Paradoxically, my studies ded my kitchen for 2 or 3 mornings structured monthly coffee morning in my family. My great-grandmother, grand- prepared me for this better than a business a week. Combining two roles that organised by the wives, but I only mother and mother had a university edu- degree. Lately, I studied Executive Coaching do not overlap and that do not con- participated once because being the cation, along with most aunts, cousins, etc. and became certified. I find Executive Co- flict gave me great satisfaction: my only man made me uncomfortable. This was a matter of pride in my family. I aching, when done well and especially with

culinary activities took place in the CLAUDIO GUFFANTI Claudio was used to debates about politics, history Executives at the Board or Officer level, to morning; at 3 p.m. my daughter re- What are your plans for the futu- Guffanti was born in 1978 and has and science in our household, with both be a major way of improving capabilities and turned from school and after that I re? a degree in Engineering Manage- genders participating vociferously. Come to performance. It is also a great way to work managed extracurricular and family We have been back in Italy, in Milan, ment and is the Founder of UNLI- think of it, I think I learned more at home through difficult D&I issues. MITED VIEWS. activities. I deliberately turned down for about a year. After the first few than at school. The funny thing, especially

60 | DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 | 61 What was your first role and what expecta- In terms of Gender Equality, I am concer- nal for employees and stakeholders. It deli- stainable growth? tions did you have when you started there? ned that there is a moment of stasis with vers more profits for the business – there This is the 2020s. We often forget this be- My first role was as Assistant Brand Manager the progress that has been made. The Co- are dozens of studies confirming that. But it cause of our focus on Covid-19. It is a new on a popular coffee brand. I was 22 years old vid-19 pandemic is even reversing some of is a state, an outcome. Authentic, successful decade and will be a post-pandemic one. As and just wanted to learn as much as I could. the gains. On the positive side, for the diversity is a result of Inclusion. It is through business leaders we have to have the humi- I was told that P&G Brand Manage- first time we see some male leaders Inclusive Leadership and Inclusive Cultures lity to declare that we don’t know exactly ment was the best place to authentically enter the arena that authentic and successful diverse organi- how things will pan out, but need the con- learn about business, and regarding gender equali- sations can develop. Diversity without Inclu- fidence that if we are more open to all sta- was fortunate enough ty, and act. I have been sion is not enough. A photograph showing a keholders, we will succeed. A lot of focus is to pass the gruelling heavily involved in number of women on a board or executive on environmental sustainability, and this is selection process. this at P&G, where team says nothing about the level of assimi- right. However, an organisation needs to be I just wanted to we worked with lation in thinking, expression, communi- socially sustainable, not only environmental- learn as much Catalyst Inc. cation (even tone of voice!) they may have ly sustainable. Good Human Resources le- as I could for a specifically on been adopting simply in order to “fit in”. It aders see themselves as custodians of the couple of ye- male leaders says nothing about the wasted energy that organisation’s social sustainability. Diversity ars, and then in a positive, this kind of assimilation has required. Pure and Inclusion are foundational to creating a move on. I experiential female representation numbers (especial- sustainable organisation. For a business le- stayed a bit way. It has ly when they do not exceed 25-30%) say ader, it is not only a priority based on fair- longer: I just been one nothing about whether the executive team ness and justice – it is clear that unless one left P&G in of the best operates in a better way than before, i.e. learns Inclusive Leadership, one will not be September experiences whether there is a successful form of diver- competitive among peers in the 2020s. of this year, for me, both sity. It says nothing about the allocation of after almost 33 professionally power in the team, since women can often What are the issues that need to be resol- years! In tho- and personally, be relegated to staff roles, while the CEO, ved today and what positive changes does se early days, to go through a CFO and other operational roles continue the near future bring? How would you like working on Caffè process of growing to be the preserve of male executives. Au- to effect change? Splendid sales ma- self-awareness and thentic and successful diversity requires a There are many opportunities today as nuals in P&G Italia’s learning to really un- painstaking effort of Inclusion – which is an we look at “reconstructing” the economy offices, I could never derstand what is going on act, not a state. Inclusion requires continuo- post-Covid. As mentioned above, sustainabi- have imagined that my care- in terms of the non-inclusi- us effort and learning. A good example is lity (social and environmental) stakeholder er would lead me to work in five ve culture, unconscious biases, and language. In other sections of this edition capitalism, and Inclusive Leadership are key countries on four continents, with very dif- the recognition of privilege. of DiverCity, the issue of language and D&I opportunities. I would like to continue wor- ferent work content (Marketing, Sales, IT, Last, in Europe we are faced with a new is examined. The language used to describe king with Executive Teams to make it happen Shared Services, Mergers & Acquisitions, D&I challenge – race and ethnicity. When I leadership talent is so important – whether from the top. I have worked with Boards, Human Resources) and scope (local, re- see people in the streets of our European it is assessing potential or actually recom- C-Suite and senior executives and I want gional and global). It has been an amazing capitals, I often note the increasing diversity mending a promotion – and what makes it to help them develop better, more inclusive experience. of our population. When I visit various wor- a key part of inclusion. However, changing organisations that can meet the challenges kplaces (especially offices), I often notice even a little part of how we communicate of post-Covid and the new decade. I also How have you seen Diversity and Inclusion how this diversity is not reflected there. We can be very difficult. After all, and I speak as believe that one-on-one Executive Coaching change in the last 5 years? have learned a lot from other dimensions of a man, it has served me very well so far. In- can have a role, as a shift to a truly inclusive I think that every organisation and coun- diversity and we need to act on this one as clusive leadership also means the ability to leadership team can be uncomfortable for try is different, but in general I have seen well. We have a problem in Europe and we question your biggest strengths for the sake many (it certainly was for me at the start) D&I start to move from being a peripherical need to tackle it – it’s time. of including others. It is difficult to do but and some issues are better discussed indivi- subject – like an elective subject at school, ultimately raises the bar on your own ability dually and confidentially. like Music or Physical Education – to being What does Diversity stand for, for you? to lead. a central one, like English or Maths. This is Since I work with executive leadership te- How do you define an inclusive workplace? good news, as I firmly believe that D&I wea- ams, I will look at the question through this What are your key commitments? An inclusive workplace is one where every ves itself into many organisational processes lens. Diversity is an outcome. It is a group In my advisory and coaching work, I am employee feels they truly belong, and can or cultural elements. of executives representing the full potential committed to making inclusion – and its express their full human potential. It is a Starting with the more positive side, LGBTQ of humanity. A diverse leadership team is outcome, authentic and successful diversity place that minimises the waste of energy inclusion efforts have probably been the one in which the members learn from each – a foundation of all organisation cultures I that goes with assimilation to a strict set of most successful in western Europe. Mirro- other continuously. As diversity is introdu- work with. To do this, I have a bias for action behaviours which have nothing to do with ring and even surpassing societal trends, the ced to an executive team, it can initially be but recognise the need for an organisation results. It allows people to focus all their speed with which many (but not all) em- less comfortable for the majority compo- strategy that contains Inclusive Leadership energy on results and innovation. An inclu- ployers have made LGBTQ+ employees feel nent (usually white men), but it has huge and Inclusive Culture as priorities. sive workplace generates authentic, succes- they “belong in the workplace” has been im- pros: the team is more open to outside sful diversity and therefore superior results. pressive. trends, more innovative, agile and aspiratio- Why is Diversity a strategic lever for su-

62 | DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 | 63 COVER STORY Tiziano Colombi

INTERVIEW WITH LUCIANO CANFORA

ear Professor Canfora, you represent a with in the nineteenth century. It has been estima- type intellectual that is rather unusual in ted that in 1950, literacy rates in Italy, particularly the contemporary landscape: we could in the south and in the countryside in the north even say that you are unique. You have were equivalent to those found in Czarist Russia. Dbeen able, throughout your writings, to marry your It took another twenty years after that to achieve interest in classical Greek culture with the most the use of the so-called universal language, that lucid analysis of contemporary politics, passing is, a common language that is spoken and under- through Roman history, the Renaissance (Conver- stood by all, beyond various regional dialects. The tire Casaubon), your passion for Gramsci and your involvement of some of the poorest segments of aversion to Fascism, to arrive at our current politi- the population occurred, in part, thanks to cinema cal struggles: I remember, for example, you cutting (which, however, was still too elitist), but mostly off Matteo Salvini, who you define, with extreme through the advent of television, as Tullio De Mau- linguistic precision, as fascistoid, and not fascist. ro has documented extensively in his work titled, Interviewing you on the topic of language, which It Was Television that Unified the Language of the the 9th edition of DiverCity is dedicated to, means, Nation. How so? By simplifying, trivialising. This is a in a sense, retracing the arc of your interests and moral problem. Was it a good thing or a bad thing? life. And it means trying to limit the scope of this For oligarchs, a bad thing, of course. They say: the research, linked to memory, to ideological language quality of literary language has been lost, the pre- and political language. So let’s start with Socra- rogative of a chosen few. For utopians it’s a good tes’ Apologia, one of the first political speeches of thing: everyone should speak well/correctly, but so the Greek polis, which had such a strong formative be it. A dear friend, Beniamino Placido, pointed out influence on intellectuals of all epochs (we need that, on television, if an unusual term is used, the only think of Danton’s readings while in jail). On host will immediately interrupt and translate, pa- the first page of the Apologia, Socrates presents raphrasing the term as if the audience were not himself as a seventy-year-old simpleton who appe- capable of understanding. It is a fact that spoken ars, for the first time, in court. However, over the language tends to be that which can be heard in course of two pages (circa 52 lines), an impressive TV series, from actors; less the language of the range of words can be found that express diffe- news and the in-depth shows, which, in reality, are rent aspects of ‘speaking’ (to pronounce, declare, not watched by many. enunciate, say, speak well, describe, to have heard, roar, etc.). The text is a masterpiece of rhetorical You have reflected widely on the use of language expertise by the young and talented Plato, equip- by old and modern dictatorships (it is no coin- ped with a great gift for language, considering that cidence that Athens was defined by Plato as a Socrates’ Apologia may have been his first text. ‘theatre-ocracy’): when and how did these avail themselves of mass communication as tools to After this long introduction … can I ask you what use (mis)information as a method of manipula- point language is at today? tion? What do you think of current political di- There is this fact: our country was, until the middle scourse? of the last century, a country that was to a large Politicians talk to each other. And they use new- extent behind in that process of creating literacy spapers to send each other messages. That’s the through schooling that other countries, such as function of daily newspapers: they have no other England, France and Germany, had already dealt function anymore. In fact, sales are declining. It

64 | DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 65 would be useful to re-read or re-listen to some to me that I read fiction and notice that the pro- neteenth-century movement that was completely to say that for a publisher, a print run of 1500- speeches made by politicians of the past: they are se has, except in some rare unfashionable cases, different, inspired by communitarian and religious 2000 copies is considered good. It’s laughable. built according to the typical rhetorical structu- adapted to spoken language. motives. I agree with the definition of it provided re of Demosthenes and Cicero – which, on the An antidote could be to remember Giosué Car- by Vittorio Zucconi, immediately after the election So what then, Professor, is power really afraid of? one hand, was learned on the school benches in ducci’s old suggestion: ‘Translate from French, from results: we are faced with fascist pulsations. If we Power is afraid of the press. And it wants to con- secondary school and in the lecture halls at uni- Latin.’ The work of transporting terms from one go back to the end of the Roman Republic, and trol mass media. versity; and on the other hand it emerged from language to another, in fact, forces one to reflect the beginnings of the empire, we are struck by the study of great statesmen. It’s only in the last on word choice and you rediscover the etymologi- the affair concerning Ovid. The poet, censured by With regard to the power of books and of educa- twenty years that it has degenerated. From reaso- cal or semantic value of the word. Augustus for reasons that remain obscure, organi- tion, what do you say to the political class which, ning we have passed to insults. We have lost our ses the return of his books to Rome which, at the during the Covid-19 lockdown, confirmed its no- capacity to reason. Another, no less irritating thing, What do you think of the political language of entrance to the library, are rejected (even!) by a table lack of interest in schools? is the enormous influence of models: the United the so-called ‘populists’? statue that represents liberty. It is interesting how Online learning imposed itself, during this phase, States, of which we are a protectorate, today re- Calling those politicians populists is a euphemism Augustus’s cultural programme included an incre- but one hopes it is a transitory phase. Natural- present the vanguard of banality. American politi- and, above all, a mistake. As Umberto Eco clearly ase in the number of public libraries and, at the ly, online learning does nothing but accentuate cians, during a political meeting, produce sentences said in his last book published by the Il Mulino pu- same time, greater censorship of books that did the difficulties of those children who come from that are composed, at most, of subject, predicate, blishing house, Fascismo eterno, the Right is fascist. not please the Prince. As Leo Löwenthal said, the disadvantaged families, which are not capable of direct object. Then they stop and wait for their The Right uses demagoguery. Demagoguery based history of humankind is nothing but the struggle supporting their children’s learning, denying those adversaries’ reactions. This is because they know on the misunderstanding that a restricted group is for memory and the book is, at the end of the day, children the universal right to an education, inde- that their audience doesn’t understand any more interested in ‘the people’. The right, in fact, is natio- the victim of this struggle. pendently of which social class they belong to. than this. Donald Trump has reached the lowest nalist and against immigrants, Jews and anyone else But the problem certainly didn’t arise in the last point: he only emits invective: ‘Fauci is an idiot.’ This who ‘takes bread from our people’ (tolga il pane). In your opinion, are books still that powerful to- few months, because of Covid-19. The real pro- statement is disconcerting, given that Fauci is the That is the nucleus of Fascism. And this is where a day? blem is the historical debasement of school: think director of the very agency charged by Congress problem arises: journalists are frightened. They’re As far as fiction is concerned, I would say definitely only of the unfortunate merging of history and with managing the epidemic. It must be said that afraid of using the correct term, fascist, and repla- not. Except in rare cases and indirectly. For exam- geography into a demented subject termed ge- this decadence of language touches all areas of life. ce it with another term: populist, for reasons of, ple, there was the famous case of Salman Rushdie. o-history; the chronic attempts to reduce teaching It also has effects on fiction. It sometimes happens let’s say prudishness. In reality, populism was a ni- The same can be said for literary essays. It suffices hours, of adopting textbooks that are not used be-

66 | DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 | 67 cause they are poor and sometimes puerile. I don’t of my illness, which for four years has been demoli- this luxurious treatment – the heavy condition of you believe that, in this historic moment – affli- think there is a real diabolical plot at the root of shing my nervous system and making my existence a house arrest notwithstanding – was made possible cted, among other things, by the first global pan- this. But if there were, it would tend to render ci- constant torture. Parole, police confinement, confined only by money that came from the USSR. demic – this subject has taken root and become tizens as defenceless as possible. This is the reason treatment, what I beg you to grant me is the end The second issue, which is more general and such a sensitive issue? Are we faced with simple for the decline in the quality of content. And then of the conditions of reclusion in the narrow sense, exemplifies the concept of philosophy of history linguistic hypocrisy? there are pedagogists who do nefarious things to with its forms of guarding and daytime nocturnal insofar as it is a reconstruction of the formation of The subject matter, diversity and inclusion, is a very justify this system, to diminish its gravity, alleging surveillance, at all hours, which prevents tranquillity ideas over time, is that in 1934, Antonio Gramsci noble thing when it refers to individual liberty, but educational theories and not concentrating on the and rest, which are necessary in my case to stop the expressed himself in this manner towards his jailor it can be misleading when applied to social bo- specific content. I like to think of Umberto Eco, torturous progressive demolition of my physical and and archenemy, Benito Mussolini, and he should dies, understood as social classes. I’ll give an exam- again, who at a lyceum in Turin, staged a trial in psychic organism. Article 191 of the prison regulation not be judged on the basis of what happened sub- ple: a worker at Ilva is clearly different from the which he himself represented the defence (the requires that the offender who applies for admission sequently, which obviously influences how we as- owner of Ilva. But if, in order to respect diversity whole text can be read in Difesa del liceo). The to probation indicates the municipality where, in case sess it (but which could not be known to Gramsci between them, each of them remains in their so- argument in favour of high school concentrated on the application is accepted, he intends to establish or anyone else at that point in 1934). cial condition, then that is no good. It creates a the value of the Lyceum, as a place that can shape his residence. Given the special conditions special of false syllogism that Aristotle would have called a students’ young consciences. I was called to testify my case, I ask that you grant me, in case this request To conclude this interview, I would like to ask paralogism. That is, an intermediate term that has and emphasised the importance of teaching philo- is accepted, to consult a doctor, since I cannot but you for your views on the topic of our magazine: a double meaning inserts itself into the reasoning. sophy and history as the basis of critical thinking. reside in a clinic or next to a specialized clinic. With diversity and inclusion. One good example of syllogism is well-known: hu- With regard to philosophy of history, let us return thanks and regards. In 1993, Robert Hughes published The Culture mans are mortal; Socrates is mortal; Socrates is to the nineteenth century, to Gramsci and those Antonio Gramsci of Complaint, a very important book that took human. A well-known paralogism is: a circle is a famous letters from prison. In a way that is very - Formia, Cusumano Clinic, 24 September 1934 stock of so-called political correctness in the geometric shape; poems are circular (in Greek, cir- similar to other people who were persecuted, his United States. It is interesting how the author, cle is kuklon, that is, circle as well as Epic Cycle); sacrifice in fascist prisons made him a potent sym- How is it possible, in your opinion, that Antonio who is Australian, reconstructs its development: poems are geometric shapes. I therefore find the bol for the generations that came after the Repu- Gramsci expressed himself like this in a letter political correctness is a linguistic attempt to re- focus on terms used to defined groups misleading, blic was founded. One of these letters is striking addressed to the Duce? concile the American aspiration of guaranteeing especially if the aim is not to resolve inequality but because of its tone and subject matter: This letter by Gramsci is part of a file containing equal opportunities to all and the realisation that to resolve real differences with the introduction of letters that are held by the Archivio di Stato and there are resounding differences between citi- reasoning based on false syllogisms, like the afore- To His Excellency Benito Mussolini, Head of the Go- were happily found by Costanzo Casucci. There zens in terms of demographics, wealth, origins, mentioned paralogism. I repeat: diversity and inclu- vernment, Rome. are also other very interesting ones. I remember etc., with all the contradictory consequences sion is a very important cultural movement where In December of last year, Your Excellency granted, one, for example, in which Gramsci writes to the that this entails. it concerns the claiming and guaranteeing or even given the catastrophic conditions of my health, that penitantiary administration to complain about This is exactly what DiverCity is about. This hastening the granting of individual rights, but it is I be admitted to this clinic, in the custody of the Ca- not having received some books he had reque- subject matter has been manifesting forcefully not as effective if it aims to solve the problem of rabinieri ... Because I meet the legal and disciplinary sted. The problem here is two-fold. The image of in Anglo-Saxon countries for the past 50 years real inequalities between social classes. The risk is conditions indicated by article 176 of the Criminal Gramsci was deformed by the deafening rhetoric and is now also beginning to assert itself in Italy, that the problem ends up being masked by the Code to qualify for parole, I beg your Excellency to of the post-war period. Just think, Gramsci did not to the extent that one has the impression that famous fig leaf. intervene so that I can be granted a condition of actually die in prison, as is commonly asserted. He in certain environments, it’s actually fashionable. existence that allows me the opportunity to mitigate, actually died in one of the most exclusive clinics in What does an intellectual with your background if not to completely reverse the more acute forms Rome, where he was confined. On the other hand, and historical perspective make of this? Why do

68 | DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 | 69 "‘Do not read, as children do, to amuse yourself, or like the ambitious, for the purpose of instruction. No, read in order to live.’" Gustave Flaubert DIVERSOUND BOVARY Music column Book column

LAURIE ANDERSON 1984 AND LANGUAGE AS A VIRUS to those of a virus that changes continuou- GEORGE ORWELL First of all, Orwell tells us, through the in- sly in order to survive – in this case in our vention of new words and the elimination Mondadori, 2014 he musical avant-gardes have perception. Four years later, the American of unwanted words that convey subversi- always been aware of the primor- artist captured the zeitgeist with another ve concepts. As if to say: by eliminating the dial strength of sound: combining it provocative composition, the title of which, t was 1948 when George Orwell began word, we also eliminate the thing itself. All in new forms, artists who wanted borrowed from a phrase by William Burrou- writing his most famous and widely di- the words related to the concepts of fre- new languages have​​ always asked themsel- ghs, was more than eloquent: ‘Language Is A scussed book. He titled it 1984, delibera- edom and equality are removed and reuni- T Virus (From Outer Space)’ transformed the ted in the single term of thoughtcrime. It is ves questions about the meaning of music tely inverting the final two figures of the with regard to their own contemporaneity. very idea of refrains in word-notes (‘Lan- Iyear he was writing in, as if to indicate that a slow but constant process, which sees a And this is how Laurie Anderson, violinist guage! Is A Virus!); a destabilising method the world he described there was not very drastic reduction in the number of words and ‘storyteller’ – as she has always defined to remember that language, in history, has far from his current reality. in order to impoverish and limit thinking it- herself – conceived the practice of her own always played a dual role – that of commu- Orwell collects the pessimism of his time, self. Everything is simplified, stripped to the creativity, going so far as to title one of nicating and that of manipulating us, and harassed by two world wars and the gho- utmost of adjectival characterizations and her well-known songs ‘Language Is A Virus therefore of modifying us by modifying it- sts of the atomic holocaust, and gives life to regulated by a grammar as rigorous as it is (From Outer Space)’. Spoken language has self. In 2000, in an interview with the Ita- what is probably the most famous dystopian aberrant. Nouns and verbs are combined into always guided us by modifying its message lian channel Rai Educational about the long scenario in Western literature. In a halluci- a single term, suffixes, prefixes and compara- through the use of the contents expressed: echo that her work has had, she stated: natory future society, a supra-governmental tives are reduced to the bone, the opposite music, as a non-verbal language, has always ‘“Language is a virus that came from spa- and supra-human power called Big Brother of a term disappears and is created by adding given the listener another way of seeing life ce” was a William Burroughs quote (from controls the masses by dehumanizing them, the prefix s to its positive and so on. through sensory perception, which beco- the 1961 novel The Ticket That Exploded) depriving them of any faculty of autonomous The Newspeak lexicon is systematically rede- mes a legitimate protagonist based on the and it struck me because I found it strange thought and emotion. It is the triumph of the fined from year to year through the publica- strength of the creativity that produ- for a writer to argue that language is an regime at the expense of individuality and tion of more and more concise ‘Dictionaries ced it, and that comes to us without filters, orally transmitted disease. But I liked this love, a portrait – taken to the extreme – of of Newspeak’. Thus, the population finds it especially when it is an unexpected expe- statement because it is difficult to put your the Soviet totalitarianism that Orwell would difficult to express dissent because, literally, rience. A new language. A viral language. thoughts into words and one of the reasons harshly criticize throughout his life, even they do not have the words to do so. At the end of 1981, Laurie Anderson rele- why I devoted myself to the visual and mu- though he called himself a socialist. Touching on themes that are central to the ased a single titled ‘O Superman’. Quickly sical arts is that I love words, but I am also The Big Brother regime is a riot of despoti- philosophy of language, 1984 proposes an and unexpectedly this (non) song crept convinced that they are very deceptive. We sm, torture, falsification, historical memory extreme and terrible scenario which, on the into the ether to clamorously climb the often use language as a defensive weapon loss, mass control, psychological oppression other hand, highlights the great potential of charts: the elusive muse of the New York and we feel very embarrassed when we stop and so on. human language in creating thought and rea- avant-garde had succeeded in bringing her talking. But many new aspects of everything But, beyond these aspects, there is one that lity. At the same time, it opens up questions new language from street level – where she are discovered only when we stop using it.’ makes the scenario of 1984 peculiar and it is that are more relevant than ever even seven- And again, two years ago, commenting on ty years after its release. loved performing without advance notice that concerning the manipulation of language. change – to the viral level, allowing herself eight our current situation with regard to our Orwell insists a lot on this point, describing Is social possible without a change obsessive minutes marked by the repetition relationship with the planet, she declared: it in detail within the novel and dedicating a of language, and vice versa? And to what ex- of the syllables ‘ah-ah-ah-ah’, around which ‘It is more and more complicated to tell special final appendix to it. The creation of a tent does one influence the other? Who are she had embroidered her own voice, filte- stories, because the ending is already han- new official language (called ‘Newspeak’) in- the actors called into question, or in other red by the vocoder. A disruptive effect that ging over us. We are the first human beings tended to supplant the existing one is one of words: who is responsible for such a tran- demonstrated how the avant-garde – with to have the task of talking about the pos- the cornerstones through which Big Brother sformation? What are the risks and possible its language for the few – can become po- sibility of extinction and we write stories implements his diabolical project. It is the benefits? that we might not tell anyone, but we have Finally, looking at it from a positive angle: pular, with the typically viral musical and fear structuralist concept of language as a cre- verbal language of popular song. ‘O Super- to do it because words can defuse .’ ator of reality taken to extremes. Language is it possible for language to become a tool man’ entered the collective unconscious Language is a virus, yes: but it is up to us to is the main means by which one can change and an opportunity for growth, openness and and Big Science, Anderson's debut album understand how to use it, or whether to let the way people think and, therefore, subdue greater well-being for all humanity? released in 1982, which included ‘O Super- ourselves be used. them. Newspeak is developed explicitly for man’ and which even today seems to come the ideological needs of the regime, i.e. to SILVIA ROTA SPERTI was born in 1975. She has a degree in Fo- from the future, imposed a musical-vocal DAVIDE SAPIENZA, 1963, Experimental Scientific Lyceum. create a new worldview and new mental ha- reign Languages ​​and Literature and is a translator of fiction and an Writer editorial consultant. language whose characteristics were similar bits in the population. How?

70 | DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 | 71 “Vain trifles as they seem, clothes have, they say, "Children know these counter-spaces very well, these localized utopias. more important offices than to merely keep us warm. Backyard corners, the Indians' tent or - on a Thursday afternoon - the parental double bed." They change our view of the world and the world's view of us.” Michel Foucault Virginia Woolf. STILE CONTRO PURO SPAZI Fashion column Childhood column LOOK AT ME and language, the way in which we ‘label’ a concept THE ONE HUNDRED LANGUAGES OF which, since 1981, has been telling the world about I’M TALKING TO YOU establishes its form. The most recent neuroscientific Reggio's educational experience, but which also re- literature explains to us that naming an emotion is CHILDHOOD presents a perspective for overcoming educational enough to activate the prefrontal cortex, enabling approaches based on the pre-eminence of the word lothing, with its shapes, colours and styles n the spring of 1945 in Villa Cella, a small village us to master and manage the same emotion without and to enhance the many non-verbal languages ​that is an integral part of our daily communica- in the province of Reggio Emilia, women and men, involving the amygdala, an area intended for primary educational and scholastic culture has humiliated and tion and interaction processes. exhausted by the war that had ended a few days instincts. Changing our words, making our language continues to humiliates, imposing reductive classifica- Ugo Volli, in his Block Modes: The Langua- ago, started building a school for boys and girls ge of the Body and Fashion, compares a wardrobe more inclusive, can make us more open to reality tions of knowledge on children, and fragments of their C using the proceeds of the sale of a tank and some experience, which is, of course, multidimensional. and more aware of reality itself, modifying any su- I to a dictionary. trucks and horses abandoned by the fleeing Germans. perstructures and prejudices. Inclusive fashion, the- Thanks to Loris Malaguzzi, who was born one hun- A wardrobe, like a dictionary full of words, there- Loris Malaguzzi (1920–1994), then a young elemen- refore, also starts with inclusive language.’ dred years ago this year, a richer cultural vision of fore, becomes a list of elements, ordered by colour, tary school teacher, rushed there on his bike to verify Jourdan Saunders, Disability Inclusion Consultant childhood considers children individuals who are full type or occasion that we freely combine for specific what hardly seemed credible. It was true. Women and and Founder of The Resource Key states: of skills and curiosity that guide them along paths of reasons. men, old and young, labourers, workers and peasants ‘Language is an embedded element in fashion and discovery that are always original and always enriched We may want to go shopping, attend a job interview, were building a school for the youngest children, beauty products. Fashion and beauty provide a voice by a plurality of cognitive and expressive ways and go out to dinner: for each occasion we will deci- without money or authorisation or inspectors, direc- that has the power to initiate conversations, bre- forms, with their hands, bodies and heads, with thou- de on a tone of voice, a set of words, the elements tors, technical offices or party leaders, but using bricks ak down barriers and create connections. When we ght and imagination, with writing, verbalisation and of an outfit. and materials recovered from houses and buildings develop an inclusive fashion system, we allow people graphic expression... If the dictionary of a language is made accessible that had been destroyed by bombing. Against all lo- to share their stories, in relation to their personal Each child – if left free to explore – uses a hundred online and offline to anyone who wants to use it, gic and against all prejudice. Malaguzzi joined them, language of fashion and beauty.’ ways of encountering, knowing and understanding then why – in its different stylistic languages ​​– does sharing in what fathers and above all mothers were I also asked Caroline Desrosiers for an opinion who, the other and the world, through a way of thinking the desired wardrobe remain the prerogative of the claiming for their children – that is, a different kind in order to favour the evolution of the system that does not separate the dimensions of experience few? of school, for their childen to be educated differently, We are not bothered by imperfection in pronuncia- and support brands in creating increasingly inclusive and the forms of manifestation of life, but connects online shopping experiences, founded Scribely, the and to be recognised above all as capable, intelligent and intertwines them, valuing all languages, verbal and tion, but we hesitate in the face of a person who is and ready to build freedom, emancipation and the out of shape. first company specialising in the production of Alt otherwise, with equal dignity. Text for fashion e-commerce websites. future. At the basis of this extraordinary story of re- Words, which play a fundamental role, are thus inter- What are we unconvinced by? demption and participation was a shared, simple but We smile when we hear a foreign accent but turn up ‘Inclusive fashion images,’ says Desrosiers, ‘are an twined with non-verbal languages, always allowing chil- essential part of the online shopping experience, powerful idea, namely that first of all you must believe dren to open their minds, with multiple access points our noses if our feet need two different-sized shoes. in children and that ‘you can only learn about chil- What stops footwear companies from selling shoes because by crossing language barriers they help us to the world and different ways of shaping their ideas, visualise how we will look and feel. The images also dren’s things, and things for children, from children’ (C. thanks to the presence of adults who are capable of individually instead of the usual pairs? Edwards, L. Gandini, G. Forman, I cento linguaggi dei We are fascinated by the fact that a foreign person inspire us to use fashion as a form of self-expression being amazed alongside them and of supporting their and to create our own way of presenting ourselves bambini. L'approccio di Reggio Emilia all'educazione research, rather than suggesting or imposing the use of learns our idiomatic expressions to the point of to- dell'infanzia, Junior, Azzano San Paolo, 1995). It was tally mastering them, but we remain uncertain in the to the world. Inclusive fashion is a visual language verbal or mathematical language. While drawing and that celebrates the beauty of our diversity. This is the first of many schools, invented and self-managed while jumping into a puddle, each child makes new face of a man who gives ample space to his feminine in the suburbs and in the poorest neighbourhoods discoveries side. why it's so important for brands to provide descrip- and builds new ideas, new meanings tive captions (alt text) on websites and social media.’ through the participation of teachers, parents and and new knowledge, but also expands the symbols What confuses us? I discussed it with three profes- citizens, with the contribution of lay women's orga- sionals. Christmas is not that far off: the best gift we can give and codes in their possession through a multisensory ourselves this year is to be... free to be. In order to nisations and that of the CLN (National Liberation mode (visual, tactile, gustatory, olfactory, sound) that Viviana Capurso, who has a PhD in Cognitive Neu- Committee), in support of the rights of boys and girls. roscience, and is a researcher and writer, answers: become free to act, respecting ourselves as people, is useful for expressing individual strategies of thought and our communities. Malaguzzi sided with the people of Cella through a and knowledge and to feel unique and whole. ‘Language is not a simple, direct reflection of reality, deep and lasting commitment, through a special re- but expresses a personal view of facts and becomes lationship that was a source of inspiration for his pe- the product of the relationship between thought and dagogical thinking, now recognised in Italy, first in the interaction. In an era in which fashion changes and ANGELA BIANCHI, born in 1982, has a Degree in Public Rela- shape of Reggio Emilia childcare services, and which opens up more and more to the real world, outside tions and Advertising, is the Founder of VirgoImage, the Creator then spread all over the world with extraordinary ELENA LUCIANO was born in 1976, she holds a PhD in Pedago- of ideals and stereotypes, social media and the me- of the blog DiversityStylingByVirgoImage, and the Coordinator echoes. In his pedagogical biography, there is a special gy from the Università di Milano Bicocca. Professor of Early Chil- dia in general play an extraordinarily important role of the Fashion and Luxury Culture Department at the European dhood Pedagogy at Università degli Studi di Parma. School of Economics in Milan. place for the metaphor of ‘the one hundred langua- since, according to the latest studies on the brain ges ​​of children’, the title of the travelling exhibition

72 | DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 | 73 "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view. Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it" Atticus Finch, To kill a mockingbird decidedly challenging at first, within which mo- is about the unconscious, let's not forget, it will ments that are seemingly complete in themselves become clear along the way. Another example of stand out in the viewer's memory. For exam- a seemingly closed scene is Betty’s arrival at L.A. ple: the narrative of the woman who has the acci- airport, where the benevolent ‘Welcome to L.A.’ dent is interrupted, at one point, by a scene that sign awaits her and the atmosphere is composed takes place at Winkie’s diner, in which one man of reassuring elements, typical of an almost angelic tells another (A friend? His analyst?) about a re- world: the woman is sunny and smiling, she we- CINEMA curring nightmare that takes place right in that ars a pink sweater and has neatly combed blonde club: ‘It is neither day nor night and I'm afraid... I hair, the light is warm, the music dreamy... Betty Cinema column actually signals that doubles will be a theme, as see a man... he is the cause of everything.’ The sce- descends the escalators (from Heaven to Earth?) Mullholland Drive will mirrors and reflections. In the images that qui- ne ends with the sudden and frighteningly rapid arm in arm with an elderly couple, her travelling Regia di David Lynch ckly overlap – and they already look like a dream appearance of a horrible face, in the foreground, companions. They say goodbye with affectionate Drammatico, USA, 2001. or a confused memory – Naomi Watts appears in in perfect horror-movie style. The man who re- politeness and the couple get into a taxi where the foreground alongside a smiling elderly couple, counted the nightmare seems to be suffering from the director gives us a particularly distressing clo- his is a neo-noir film, dreamlike and sur- whom we will meet again in several places throu- a heart attack. The only character in this sequen- se-up shot from below, though they are smiling. real. It is a genuine horror and thriller ghout the film. ce that returns, but not before the film's finale, It almost makes you wonder: will they harm the mystery-drama, a sensual love story, but We move on to a subjective sequence that, in a and then only fleetingly in the last few frames, is girl? Are they the people who appeared quickly also a thoughtful reflection on Hollywo- dark interior, frames fuchsia sheets and a green precisely the disturbing character with a dirty and during the initial jitterbug and will they come back, Tod – magic and desire, machinations, vanity and blanket, getting closer and closer to them, as if menacing face that we will discover to be a tramp, like obsessive figurines, to disturb our protago- disenchantment – the dream factory par excel- the camera were entering the bed and we, the a homeless person who lives in the parking lot of nist? Are they memories of a happy past, or of so- lence. It is therefore also eminently a film about spectators, were getting into bed with it. The di- Winkie’s. One of the many homeless people in mething disturbing that happened in Betty's past cinema that adopts the language of cinema – in rector tells us – clearly – that we are entering the L.A., a city where it's easy to suffer reversals and before she travelled to L.A.? It is not known but terms of visual grammar, the script, quotations – territory of dreams. find yourself on the streets; the other side of the we can hypothesise. After all, it is Lynch who said to emphasise the contiguity between the seventh From the darkness of the room we move on to walk of fame and an underlying fear for many. Fear that ‘... we shouldn't stop there.’ art and the unconscious. All this in just over two the headlights of a black car, to the night lights of that, perhaps, also pervades the co-star who is in When Betty arrives home she finds a stranger hours, thanks to the master film-maker David Lyn- L.A. viewed from the top of a road. A close-up of search of fame – or perhaps the other, dark side there. The latter, at first, pretends to be called ch, in a film that was born in 2001 from an idea the brunette woman inside the car who, alarmed, of her mind is ‘the cause of everything’. This film Rita, borrowing the name from the Gilda poster for a TV pilot, then discarded and resurrected as says, ‘But... we shouldn't stop here’. Is Lynch saying a feature film, and therefore has its roots in TV as that we must not stop at the narration of what well as cinema. We propose here an analysis of we see, that the images we are looking at can tell some elements of the language of this film – whi- us more? ch are challenging but logical – which consistently Soon we see the signage on the road the car is constructs its meaning on the level of dreams, of travelling on, Mulholland Drive, which winds for doubles and of cinema, understood as a place of 34km along the Hollywood hills to the Westsi- the unconscious. Meanwhile, of the plot we will de, offering spectacular views of Los Angeles and say that a brunette woman (Laura Herring) finds crossing through the different souls of the city. she has lost her memory after a car accident on Shortly thereafter, after the car accident, while the Mulholland Drive. She wanders the roads of Los woman wanders after having lost her memory, Angeles disoriented, and then takes refuge in an the Sunset Boulevard sign is framed: another very apartment while the owner of the apartment le- long boulevard that is a symbol of the city. aves and gets into a taxi with her suitcases. Here In terms of cinema references, it is useful to note she falls asleep, upset. Later she will be found in that Mulholland Drive – defined by critics in a the apartment by Betty (Naomi Watts), a beauti- BBC Culture poll as ‘the best film produced so far ful and sunny blonde girl from the Midwest, who, in the 21st century’ – opens by framing the words we will learn, has come to town in search of fame Mulholland Drive in the first few minutes and then as an actress. The house is her aunt’s. During the Sunset Boulevard, unequivocal references to both film, the two women will together try to solve the a great twentieth-century film and a disturbing pa- mystery of Rita's identity (this is the name the rable about Hollywood actresses. The subject of brunette chooses for herself, not remembering the film is also this, as we will find out much later. her own). Of course, everything is easier to decode The film opens with a sequence of black silhouet- afterwards and it helps to know that the narrative tes against a purple background, which then turn structure chosen by Lynch, which is as tortuous into jitterbug dancers doing a lively swing dance, as the real Mulholland Drive, consists of: a dream and these couples, while dancing, duplicate on (the first hour and 50 minutes!), the awakening, the screen. a flashback to what happened before the dream, It seems like a beginning that perhaps inaugurates and then the moment of awakening. a story set in the world of entertainment, but it Mulholland Drive has a mosaic structure that is

74 | DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 75 (played, in fact, by Rita Haywor- where she gives a masterful per- oking for her. The Hollywood th) that she sees reflected in the formance of a femme fatale. An dream has become a nightmare. bathroom mirror; a masterful excellent actress, of course, but After the sequence of flashbacks, shot that also shows us an ima- also a disturbing split. we discover Diane besieged by ge of a doubled woman and tells ‘I will kill you’, ‘They will put you someone knocking on her door, us of an identity crisis. We will in prison...’ she says. It’s no coin- the two elderly people (from discover, as we watch the film, cidence. her flight to L.A. at the beginning that the identity that is under- Another sequence that is almost of the film!) sneak in and, redu- going this crisis is Betty’s, not Ri- complete in its own right is the ced to tiny figures, chase her, and ta’s, and that when Rita (who is one in which Betty and Rita go, Diane throws herself onto the actually called Camilla) turns out in the middle of the night, to a bed (with fuchsia sheets and a to be two-faced by betraying show held at the Club Silencio. green blanket); the woman she Betty's love with a director, this Here, both of them blonde and loved is dead – because she her- is actually Betty’s mind and con- sitting next to each other al- self masterminded her murder – science that are tragically split- most like twins – the director and she kills herself. In the last ting (and we will later discover thus indicates the moment of scene, with Los Angeles in the that Betty is called Diane, and is maximum communion between background, the faces of Diane, a failed actress). the two lovers before the cri- Camilla and the scary face of the The element of doubles and sis – the women are immersed homeless person slide over each two-facedness and estrange- in an almost unsettling situation other, and from a careful reading ment, in addition to the use of of discomfort. The artist on the of the credits, the homeless per- reflected images, is also con- stage speaks in English, French son turns out to be a woman. veyed by the not perfectly stable and Spanish: ‘There is no band. One more clue to suggest that shots that denote Rita's bewil- Il n’y a pas d'orchestra. No hay she may represent Diane's un- derment (when she has no me- banda.’ There is no orchestra, he conscious. mory), but at the same time a declares, it is all recorded, all an The last image is the singer of story that is not perfectly ‘cen- illusion, with multiple references the night club, who says ‘Silen- tred’, but rather shaky compared to the hypocritical world of ci- cio’. Lynch is probably inviting us to what it shows us; we will di- nema, to films produced by ci- to appreciate the charm of the scover, in fact, that it is all a dre- nema, pure fiction, to the situa- questions rather than the an- am. Even the screenplay is elo- tion that the two protagonists swers, although the magic of dre- quent: ‘It will be just like in the are experiencing, which is not ams – combined with the magic movies’ – says Betty during the reality but dream. Both begin to of cinema – invites viewers and research undertaken with Rita – cry softly, to the tune of Rebec- critics to find multiple analyses ‘we will pretend to be someone ca del Rio's song ‘Llorando’ and, and dissections of the text. else!’ when the singer faints, revealing A challenging, brilliant and di- The two women, who have be- the playback that continues to sturbing film, psychotic and lu- come lovers in the meantime, play, Betty begins to tremble. cid, erotic and human, though will both become blondes, al- She begins to feel she is passing cerebral. A wise film-maker's most mirroring each other – Rita from dream to reality; soon she reflection on the mystery that will wear a wig – and will look at will wake and be Diane, a failed binds illusion and identity, on the themselves in the mirror, revea- actress, betrayed by her lover, fact that living is a bit like acting ling the theme of split personali- whose murder she has also or- and the key is casting: finding the ty with a quote from Vertigo by ganised. right role. the great Hitchcock. Upon awakening, Naomi Watts’ Moving into the awakening pha- powerful performance shows us se, Lynch begins to spread un- a woman destroyed in her split canny elements around the hi- consciousness, in memories – a therto reassuring character of series of flashbacks begins – of

Betty. For example, the sequen- what led her to murder. The PAOLA SUARDI was born in 1964, she ce of her audition at the studio, other face of Midwestern sunny has a Degree in Foreign Languages and where she arrives – always in a Betty is anguished Diane, with a Litterature and she wrote a thesis on celestial atmosphere – to sick subconscious. "Woody Allen and the meta-narrative". In Los Angeles she attended the Univer- find the car of the divine lead Diane wakes up surrounded by sity of Southern California, courses in actress of Sunset Boulevard par- boxes – Is she going to be made the M.A. in "Film and Television, critical ked at the gates (but this is re- homeless? – and the neighbour studies". She's the owner of ALTEREGO Communication and Editorial Projects. ally a detail for cinephiles), and tells her that the police are lo-

76 | DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 77 Concrete Poetry and Feminism of Griselda Pollock, the encounter between art and ‘Concrete poetry,’ writes Mirella Bentivoglio in the feminism was fundamental for the aesthetic and so- introduction to the catalogue for the 1978 Biennale ciological impact that artists had, especially in the di Venezia, in which the verbo-visual work of eighty 1960s and 1970s, in the transformation of artistic international female artists was presented, ‘reifies and literary practice ( 5). Language has always been the linguistic referent’ (1). Carla Subrizi also under- a powerful weapon to define oneself and the world lines that, ‘The relationship between writing and art and when women, thanks to the awareness that ART in the twentieth century outlines a complex and at took place with feminism and the socio-cultural VISUAL POETRY AND CONCRETE POETRY the same time innovative and experimental tran- transformation activated by 1968, finally re-emer- Greta Schödl and Tomaso Binga sition... Writing and speech were at the origin not ged from the creative and intellectual oblivion only of a renewal of literature but also of research in which they had been confined by centuries of that transformed visual space, ways of seeing and patriarchal culture, the basis of their visual poetics "La scrittura è la pittura della voce". through its arrangement on the page and also on forms in art. A different grammar, as well as parti- was mainly centred on the two directives of the Voltaire materials other than paper. Belloli’s contact with cular spatial and temporal concepts in the work of word and the body. the great poet and intellectual Emilio Villa (1914- art were born from the encounter between wri- isual poetry is an artistic phenomenon 2003), and the contacts of the latter – who from ting, image and performativity’(2). Since the 1960s, Artists and Language that developed over the course of the 1950 until 1952 lived in Brazil with Waldemar Cor- many visual artists, poets, historians and art critics This research, which aimed to uncouple verbal lan- 1950s in the blazing climate of the Euro- deiro, exponent of the Grupo Ruptura of San Pa- have not only tried their hand at concrete poetry guage, making it the object and subject of works pean neo-avant-garde movement, mainly olo – exported the principles of concrete poetry and visual poetry to deconstruct a language that of art created through performance, collage, video Vas a way of finding new relationships between to Brazil, where in 1952 the Grupo Noigandres has always been masculine and patriarchal, but also and photography, has defined not only a new ae- words and images, but also as a political action of was founded. The following year, the Swiss-Peru- ‘were the architects of some of the nodal changes sthetic but also a new form of expression. The vi- explicit cultural dissent with regard to established vian poet Eugen Gomringer, with his colleagues of a critical, aesthetic and political passage full of sual deconstruction of the word was essential in canons. In Italy, this type of verbal-linguistic experi- Marcel Wyss and Dieter Rot, founded ‘Spiral’ ma- openings, perspectives and ruptures that have not order to be able to say what had never been said, mentation began to spread at the beginning of the gazine (1953-1964) in Bern, a magazine in which been fully assimilated or resolved. This passage is what could not be said and therefore finally to be 1960s, thanks especially to the Gruppo 70, founded many concrete poems found space. In 1956, the inscribed in the history of the relationship between able to give voice to ‘the‘problem that has no name’ in Florence in 1963, and to which Giuseppe Chiari, National Exhibition of Concrete Art took place in art and politics and in particular between art and as Betty Friedan defined it in her seminal book The Ketty La Rocca, Eugenio Miccini, Luciano Ori, Lucia the Museum of Modern Art in San Paolo, with the feminism’. (3) Feminine Mystique (6). Having relegated genera- Marcucci e Lamberto Pignotti belonged. In this re- participation of Gomringer himself. The Brazilian The artists, almost all of whom were militant fe- tions of women to the home, by making them be- search area, the word ‘poetry’ conceptually stands group was therefore organising itself programmati- minists, such as Tomaso Binga (the pseudonym of lieve that being a housewife was wonderful, was for ‘anti-poetry’, while ‘visual’ literally indicates the cally and drew up, in 1958, a pilot plan for concrete Bianca Pucciarelli Menna), Verita Monselles, Mirella the mystique that began to be revealed and told permanent conflictuality of the visible inherent in poetry, in which the fundamental principles of the Bentivoglio, Greta Schödl, Ketty La Rocca and Lucia through these revolutionary verbal-visual techni- the nature of verbal-visual experimentation. Lingui- movement were outlined, including the creation of Marcucci, deconstructed both form and content by ques used by artists and poets. Female liberation stically, moreover, this practice can be defined as poetry as a structure; the elimination of the poetic writing a revolutionary new page of the history of was therefore not only sexual freedom and equal a materialistic fact, of strongly objectified products self in the search for objectivity; the exclusion of art, in order to be able to explore with new me- civil rights but also liberation from a masculine-co- that determine their context in this interchangeable random and ornamental procedures; the identifi- ans those fundamental issues of making art, such as ded language, so as to create a new form of visual relationship between iconic sign and verbal sign. In cation of the poem as an object in its own right gender and identity, and to talk about being women writing necessary to give intellectual dignity to the particular, concrete poetry is one of the declina- that communicates its content-structure and not and artists in a different way. It took years for wo- new identity that women were looking for. Since tions of visual poetry, and it is the aesthetic-expe- its content-message. Italy, Brazil and Switzerland men to find their voices, it took years to learn how then, language has become one of the privileged rimental environment in which the Austrian Greta were therefore the propulsion centres for this ne- to speak again, it took years – certainly too many – fields of investigation to understand how it is not Shödl and the Italian Tomaso Binga move, in very o-avant-garde experimentation that was born from to finally be heard, it took years to understand that just a means of communicating but, as the French different ways. the need to break with tradition in order to rework the word is the privileged means for expressing linguist Émile Benveniste theorised already in the This concrete poetry is a cultural phenomenon a new artistic language that was capable of mixing oneself and therefore to be able to give voice to 1950s, a resource of human identity through which that is difficult to date and categorise due to its poetry with technology, painting, music, mathe- a gender, the female, which for too long remained the subject constructs himself. (7) protean nature, but we can still date its birth to matics, design, architecture and photography. Fully mute, nailed to its biological role and walled up in 1943, with the publication of Tipogrammi per Ma- sensing the subversion of the surrounding reality the illusion of the joy of domestic life. Greta Schödl and the Weaving of Words (8) rinetti and Parole per la guerra by the Italian poet due to the industrial and technological revolution, Feminism was among the most revolutionary intel- The Austrian Greta Schödl (born in 1929 in Holla- and art critic Carlo Belloli (1922-2003), one of these poets question both artistic institution and lectual and political movements of the last century, brunn) is one of the most important visual poetry the last exponents of Futurist poetry who, star- language. The common intent of the verbal-visual which, while having its roots in the battle for equal artists living in Italy. Her development took place ting from that type of experimentation, became the avant-garde is to penetrate the constitutive basis civil rights that began in France during the years in cosmopolitan post-war Vienna where, betwe- precursor and diffuser of a type of poetry he called of language, breaking it down and recomposing it of the Revolution, managed to shake our modern en 1948 and 1953, she attended the Akademie ‘visual’, marked by the semanticisation of typefa- on a visual and sound level. Even the spoken word era with its subversive power – not only until the für Angewandte Kunst. With a career as a visual ces, white space and the page. This type of poetry undergoes the same procedure of disassembly and second half of the twentieth century, given that the artist already underway, Greta Schödl meets the becomes ‘concrete’ because it moves the readers’ sometimes of cancelling; in this regard the ver- contemporary digital Fourth Wave Feminist, which fascinating Italian designer, entrepreneur and publi- attention from the meaning of the text and its con- b-phonetic experiments of Arrigo Lora Totino and emerged in 2012, continues the fight against the pa- sher Dino Gavina, friend of Lucio Fontana, all of tent to its constitutive elements: words, syllables, verb-gestural experiments by Adriano Spatola re- triarchy with its battles to eliminate gender discri- whose teatrini she produced, in addition to those phonemes and letters of the alphabet, whose typo- main famous, which began in the 1960s. mination and to fight for total wage equality (4). In of many mainstream artists at the Frankfurt fair in graphic dimension is enhanced, on a graphic level, particular, as emerges from the enlightened studies the second half of the 1950s. In 1959 Shödl then

78 | DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 | 79 80 81 moved to Bologna where, despite her family life worn and inauthentic form of expression, from the and lack of professional recognition, she continued formation of which the female subject is excluded. to produce an extraordinary body of work for fifty The living writings of Binga are therefore born with years. His works reproduce organic and geometric the aim of creating a radical alternative to masculi- forms that intersect with words, which became his ne language. This desire to question the uniqueness pictorial means of choice. The word becomes an of the male symbolic order is also present in the abstract sign, repetitive and emptied of meaning, artist's decision to split herself, assuming the dual the dematerialisation of language thus became the identities of Bianca Menna and Tomaso Binga, rati- main object of her artistic research, which reached fied in the work ‘Oggi Spose’ (1977) in which the the complete abstraction of semantic-verbal fun- artist gets married to her male alter ego. ctionality. Greta Shödl's work is painstaking, obses- Since 1974, Tomaso Binga has directed the cultu- sive, very precise and constant, the materials used ral association Lavatoio Contumaciale, which deals varied: ancient linens from pillow cases, the Italian with poetry, visual arts, literature, music and multi- flag, old geographical maps found by antique dea- media. Since 1992 she has been vice-president of lers, parchment, pages from ancient botanical bo- the Filiberto Menna Foundation, a contemporary oks or spiritual exercises, musical scores and canvas art study centre in Salerno, which promotes initia- paper. The domestic experience is clearly present, tives and projects that aim to spread and deepen the materials used are often full of references to our knowledge of contemporary art. (10) memories of the family sphere and to her private, intimate dimension. The language used is always her mother tongue, German – ‘the mother tongue is Note: the mediator of our first relationship with the wor- 1. Mirella Bentivoglio, Materializzazione del linguaggio: La ld, a sensory, composite language, made of sound, Biennale di Venezia, Arti visive e architettura, exhibition catalo- gue, Magazzini del Sale alle Zattere, Venezia 1978. gestures, contact, linguistic invention, which le- 2. Carla Subrizi, ‘Punti d’incontro tra scrittura, performatività aves its imprint on us and leaves us a creative re- e femminismo in Italia: l’arte riscrive l’identità e la storia’ in serve from which we can draw all our lives.’(9) The Corpo a Corpo, exhibition catalogue, Galleria Nazionale Arte colour scheme is varied and intense: blues, pinks, Moderna e Contemporanea, Silvana Editoriale S.P.A., Roma yellows and always gold as the underlying theme of 2017. a coherent but always suspended discourse betwe- 3. Op. Cit. en reality and vision. 4. Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-97) wrote A Vindication of the Rights of Woman in 1792. In 1793 the activist and playwright Tomaso Binga and the Corporal Alphabet Olympe de Gouges (1748-93) was sent to the guillotine by Tomaso Binga (Salerno 1931) is the stage name of Maximilien Robespierre after asserting that the tyranny of the poet and visual artist Bianca Pucciarelli Menna, men limited the rights of women in her Declaration of the Rights of Woman and of the Female Citizen (1791). one of the best known exponents of contempo- 5. Griselda Pollock, Differencing the Canon, Feminist Desire rary Italian phonetic-sound-performative poetry and the Writing of Art Histories, Routledge, London, 1999. who, as a form of protest in the face of male privi- 6. Betty Friedan, The Feminine Mystique, first edition, W.W. lege, decided to adopt a man's name. Her artistic Norton Inc., New York, February 1963. debut took place in 1971 with her exhibition at the 7. Émile Benveniste, Problèmes de linguistique gènèral, Galli- Studio Oggetto in Caserta, entitled ‘The reactive mard, Paris, 1966. object’. On this occasion, the artist used the pseu- 8. For Greta Shödl, see Paola Ugolini in ‘Greta Shödl e l’arte donym Tomaso Binga for the first time. She wor- di tessere parole’, pp. 7-15, edited catalogue, Richard Saltoun, ked with the Argentine artist Verita Monselles, with London, 2019. whom she created the photographic installation 9. Donatella Franchi, ‘La scrittura che tesse: incontro con Gre- ‘Litanie Lauretane’ (1976), sometimes presented ta Shödl’, in Greta Shödl, Pagine, Pagine 1957-1999, Campa- notto Editore, Pasian di Prato, 2000 with the title ‘Mater’, in which Binga is portrayed 10. For Tomaso Binga cfr. Raffaella Perna, ‘Arte, fotografia e naked while using her body to make the shapes of femminismo in Italia negli anni Settanta’, Postmedia-books, letters that spell out the word Mater. The photos, Roma 2013 and Paola Ugolini, Tomaso Binga in Corpo a taken in the Florentine studio of Monselles, aim to Corpo, exhibition catalogue, Galleria Nazionale Arte Moderna create a new gestural alphabet which, symbolically, Roma, Silvana Editoriale, 2017, pp. 25-26 stands as an alternative to current language. The work is linked to the contemporary experiments of the Living Writing series, of which Alfabetiere mu- ral (1976) is certainly the most famous work. In this case, too, there is the desire to replace writing with the letters of the alphabet with a physical alpha- PAOLA UGOLINI was born in 1968. She's a art critic and indepen- bet; language, written or spoken, is perceived as a dent curator.

82 | DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 83 "It was a whole life of sacrifices and freezing! That's how you do theatre. That's what I did! But my heart trembled every night! And I paid the price , this evening my heart is racing and it will continue to race until it stops" Eduardo De Filippo THEATRE ABRACADABRA All the words used in Abracadabra are calibrated, dense and never random arrows, but rather preci- by Irene Serini, with Irene Serini and sely targeted. Caterina Simonelli, video animations by Anna In Studio #4 in particular, language becomes the main focus and protagonist in a sequence of the Resmini, lights and sound Caterina Simonelli. opening monologue that is repeated but with the IF Prana production, in collaboration with closing vowels of the words simply changed. The Olinda Residenza Artistica masculine is thus transformed into feminine, but it is clear to the whole audience that not only the ‘Each of us is a prism, a sphere, is mobile, and, below and gender is changed, but a whole context of meanin- beyond the current contradictions that oppose and deny gs and sense. As Cecilia Robustelli writes, ‘there is a close link between the use of language and the us, each potentially matches the other’ social disparity of power’: in this scene we per- Mario Mieli ceive it clearly, feeling it before understanding it rationally. We feel under our skin all the annoyance he philosophical thought of Mario Mieli towards the current cultural inertia that still means (1952-1983), the intellectual among the that, in our language, a false neutrality is attributed founders of the Italian homosexual move- to the masculine. This changes the meaning of the ment in the early 70s and author of the words and above all replicates the hierarchies of Tessay ‘Elements of homosexual criticism’ published power that try to bring the female back to a posi- in those years by Einaudi, was revolutionary, pri- tion of inferiority, despite all the social challenges smatic and multifaceted. As is the brilliant theatri- and the progress made over the years. cal research work that Irene Serini is dedicating to We know well that ‘the things that are not na- him. med do not exist’, and it is therefore necessary ‘to The actress has chosen to explore Mieli's thoughts know the words that express the changes taking and words in five projects to be developed over place from the point of view of equality and the five years: each show is called a ‘Studio’, precisely recognition of difference. It is necessary to define because these plays are part of a research project: things with their name, which in Italian is always each appears as a different door that allows entry declined with respect to gender.’ into a world of reflections. In this scene, as in much of the work, Abracadabra None of these are far from us, but Mieli's thought acts by showing us the contradictions that enclose is still burning and current, embodied and close to us, from the inequalities of power to the cultural all of us. constraints established over the years. Not only Abracadabra is a spell, because it still seems ma- that: it also shows us the cracks in these structures, gical to be able to recognise the presence of ma- the opening of possibilities for change and paths sculine and feminine elements in each of us, to to freedom. The same cracks that, metaphorical- overcome categories and divisions in pre-establi- ly, open up in Anna Resmini's animated drawings shed and immovable sexual orientations. Is it pos- that illuminate the scene like a continuous coun- sible to go beyond the binary with which we sepa- terpoint in Studio #4. rate the world, unite opposites to free ourselves Throughout her career, Irene Serini has managed from borders? Is it possible to regain the freedom to convey the most intimate core of Mario Mie- of nuances in our changing identities? li's much discussed and counter-current thinking: The Serini Studios are all apparently ‘non-standard’ a profound investigation of human desire. This is shows: in the first three the audience is arranged a different fire for each of us, but for everyone it in a circular fashion around the actress, involved is a terrain to explore and in which to free often in the whirlwind of the theatrical game. In the last unconsciously locked-in taboos, limitations, fears. one, Studio #4, which debuted in October 2020 at One of the most valuable functions of culture is the Teatro Litta in Milan, the audience is back in its to provide critical tools for us to bring back into seats, but another recurring element remains: the our daily lives: Abracadabra manages to do so, re- constant meta-theatrical game that subverts the confirming how theatre is a necessity and not just structure of the scene. superfluous entertainment. Something is represented during every moment, but the theatrical game of mirrors between au- dience and artists, which is part of the structure of MAURO DANESI was born in 1982. He graduated with a degree the show, is also shown. in Psychological Sciences and Techniques of Interpersonal Relations Editing is also part of this continuous estrange- and Social Organisations. He has worked as an actor for the Teatro tascabile of Bergamo and since 2014 he has been the artistic director ment: it is not linear and a story is not told, rather of the ORLANDO identity, relationships and possibilities cultural a series of linked stimuli are offered with which festival in Bergamo everyone can build their own.

84 | DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 85 COMPANIES STORYTELLING

AVIO AERO KONECRANES AVIVA MM AXA MUTTI BARILLA OPENJOBMETIS COSTA CROCIERE PHILIPS DECATHLON QVC DELL TECHNOLOGIES SANOFI DELOITTE SNAM FINDOMESTIC SODEXO JANSSEN SORGENIA JOBMETOO SYNERGIE TIM

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By the editorial staff NOT JUST WORDS The road to inclusion, step by step

he debate on language that brings col- part of the process of gender neutra- leagues with different creating cultural aware- lity in language nationalities in the or- ness that the company is not recent. ganisation together, has wanted to undergo. TAlready in 2008, the Eu- but also because of its ‘In the case of our com- ropean Parliament began neutral nature, which pany,’ continues Carla- reflecting on the issue, helps work towards in- maria, ‘the factory is our becoming one of the first clusion.’ operational heart, cer- international organisa- ‘The deeper reflection, tainly the largest in ter- tions to adopt specific however,’ adds Carlama- ms of numbers and, also, multilingual guidelines. ria ‘regards each per- the place where most Over the last decade, son’s way of commu- employees are male. the importance of this nicating, the words we Over the years, talent make them as diverse as kforce, and for them di- topic has acquired rele- usually use. As Igor Šur- acquisition and reten- guage evolve so that possible in terms of age, versity issues are part of vance not only in the in- an, Executive Director tion policies and our vi- it reflects current even- gender, seniority; and we their value system, and stitutional and academic of the Parks – Liberi e sion for a brilliant fac- ts and to find alternative also worked on stere- they evaluate companies world, but also in the Uguali association that tory – a new approach solutions to the domi- otypes through targeted based on language and corporate realm. Orga- we are a part of, sta- to manufacturing based nance of the masculine; training and testimonials. ethical behaviour. We nisations, in designing tes, the words that make on technology and inno- I am thinking of the ‘sin- Now we are focusing on cannot miss out on this Inclusion & Diversity you feel excluded are vation, which completely gular they’ – the word of personal awareness and opportunity.’ strategies, have be- not necessarily vulgar transforms the traditio- the year in 2019, chose intend to conduct pilot gun to understand that or offensive ones. Very nal factory environment by the American Dia- projects in our facto- inclusion is also about often, they are the same – have led us to include lect Association – whi- ries, which are open to the manner and tone words we use every day more and more women ch reflects American all functions and profes- with which one expres- that in certain contexts on the production lines, society’s focus on diver- sionals to help people ses oneself at work and make those who do not which brought problems sity, or the schwa – the appreciate the value of that this does not only recognise themselves in relating to language to symbol used by lingui- using appropriate lan- concern gender but also, this expressive parame- the forefront. These sts to indicate pronun- guage and, consequently, for example, disability. ter feel excluded. This were then amplified by ciation – in place of the to increase their awa- ‘On the gender front, is very true in the field our opening ourselves asterisk at the end of reness of the language our mother tongue is of disability, for exam- to the LGBTIQ + world. words, to replace mascu- they use.’ binary, but as part of a ple, where stigmatising At first, in some cases, line or feminine endings. Out of a personal, as multinational company expressions have been sexist or vulgar langua- As a Human Resources well as professional in- we usually use English replaced by others that ge were also followed professional, I feel a re- terest, Carlamaria Ti- for internal communica- are sometimes just as by inappropriate beha- sponsibility to look at burtini follows theories tions as well,’ explains inadequate, incorrect viours. Along with taking language as a fundamen- on the evolution o f Carlamaria Tiburtini, HR from a scientific point of the necessary discipli- tal component of inclu- language in relation to Business Partner and view or, worse, paterna- nary actions, we began sion strategies, to create inclusion with interest. a culture of respect that I&D Leader of Avio Aero. listic.’ to work, at an organisa- CARLAMARIA TIBURTINI. ‘It is interesting to see is a prerequisite for col- ‘This helps, not only be- At Avio Aero, paying at- tional level, on the com- HRBP Commercial, Programs & Com- how there is a lot of re- laboration. Generation cause it is a universal tention to this aspect is position of the teams to ms. Diversity Leader for Avio Aero. search into making lan- Z is entering the wor-

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By the editorial staff

AVIVA SPEAKS THE LANGUAGE OF INCLUSION

Aviva Communities, internal networks for discussing values and welfare

viva Communities, internal networ- At Aviva, in addition to the normal business ks for discussing values and welfare divisions, there is a set of groups that differ lidated network of relationships between col- sity, LGBT inclusion in the family – including The theme of language is particu- not in terms of language, but with regard to leagues allowed Aviva to undertake a series of coming out and outing – as well as work-life larly important to us because only the values ​​they express. These are the Aviva tangible actions that made welfare even more balance and gender balance and caring under by changing everyday words and terms will Communities, or internal employee networks, A effective and concrete, allowing everyone to the effects of the pandemic, in Italy and in we be able to revolutionise our thoughts and which are engaged in initiatives to raise awa- share not only the same language, but also the Europe. culture, aiming to create a world that is more reness and support for the corporate popula- same values – those of inclusion. It was a week in which values ​​expressed them- inclusive in all its facets. tion on specific issues in the field of Diversity, Thus was born the common thread that cha- selves in a universally shared language. Four The simplest way to fully understand the me- with the aim of developing an inclusive and racterised Aviva Inclusion Week, held last Oc- events were successfully organised by Aviva, aning of the word LANGUAGE is to start with equal work environment while respecting di- tober: it consisted of a series of ‘virtual’ mee- each of which was dedicated to a community: its definition. Language is a communication tool versity. tings organised to investigate the issues of the - on the day dedicated to AvivAbility, the con- used by those who belong to the same com- The culture of inclusion, moreover, has also Aviva Communities in depth, with the aim of ference titled ‘Autism, neuro-diversity and in- munity and, in the broadest sense of the term, long been rooted in Aviva's DNA at the in- actively involving employees and consolidating clusion’ was held in collaboration with Auti- it is the capacity and faculty, unique to human ternational level. In Italy there are four com- this inclusive culture which is considered in- smo-è Onlus, which supports the integration beings, to communicate thoughts, express munities: creasingly important in the company. of people with autism; feelings and generally to inform other beings Aviva Ability - focused on developing an open ‘Inequalities, such as gender inequalities, which - for Aviva Pride, there was ‘Rainbow parents, about one's state of mind or about what is and inclusive workplace for people with visi- are still too widespread in Italy, can no longer Inclusion Begins In the Family’, together with happening in one’s external reality, by means ble or invisible disabilities; be considered a secondary issue. They repre- Agedo Onlus, which included reflections and of a system of vocal or graphic signs. Aviva Pride - the long-standing Aviva commu- sent a real obstacle that our country has been statements from parents about the moment Language, therefore, is a way to unite, to bind nity committed to inclusion with a specific fo- facing for some time, and which is serious of coming out to one’s family; people who somehow travel on the same ‘wa- cus on sexual orientation and gender identity; both from a cultural and an economic point - in collaboration with Jointly, there was a velength’. Aviva Carers - supports colleagues with ca- of view, as it reduces the attractiveness of the conference titled ‘Caregiving: A Snapshot of On the other hand, all the worlds we deal ring responsibilities towards family members entire national economic system,’ comments the European and Italian Scenario’, held on with every day are divided into large or small who are not self-sufficient or frail, and scho- Enrico Gambardella, People Lead of Aviva in the day dedicated to Aviva Carers; communities, often united by the same way of ol-age children or large families; Italy; ‘To radically change direction, individuals - finally, during the day dedicated to Aviva Ba- expressing themselves. Human populations in Aviva Balance - a community that is constantly and companies are called upon to play a le- lance, the ‘Work-Life Balance and the Gender various territories are organised into states, engaged with the important issue of gender ading role, offering welfare systems that are Gap in the Time of Covid’ debate was held to which in turn are divided into regions, cities equality. capable of responding to the concrete needs investigate the impact of the lockdown, smart or small towns. In each of these we exchange Over the years, these communities have deve- of employees.’ working and distance learning on roles in the thoughts and information and communicate loped projects and activities with the aim The completely virtual event met with great family. through different languages ​​or dialects. Com- of ‘creating culture and spreading knowledge’ success: over 147 participants joined the event Spreading the culture of inclusive language panies, whether small or large, are organised about issues that have an impact not only on for a total of 5 hours of digital appointments, through concrete initiatives, which are part of into divisions, which are in turn divided into people and the company but also on the so- with speakers and individuals providing testi- our people’s everyday life, is the key to buil- teams. In this case, too, different technical lan- ciety we live in. monials from outside and inside Aviva: there ding a future based on respect and the ability guages ​​are used according to the type of work During the terrible months spent in total were discussions of autism and neuro-diver- to fully understand each individual’s value. we focus on. lockdown, being able to count on this conso-

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periodic surveys.’ These are issues that will see AXA Italy AXA Italy’s is a path that is always mar- increasingly engaged in the coming years. By the editorial staff ked by concrete action, therefore. On ‘We will continue to move forward on this the psychological well-being front, for path of ‘People Care’ in the future, because example, in addition to a very rich collecti- it is part of AXA Italy’s responsibility, as the ve health policy - which also provides for company wants to act to protect what mat- the reimbursement of psychological the- ters, including the psycho-physical well-being rapy sessions - colleagues have a free 24- of its community of people, which we will hour psychological assistance number they continue to preserve and nourish, so that it STARTING can access and a virtual counselling desk to remains energising for everyone at all times.’ manage stress, anxiety or any other difficult In addition to internal proposals, AXA Italy situations. wants to make a contribution to society as WITH LANGUAGE In addition, with a view to guardianship and a whole, with unique initiatives on inclu- protection, we added the opportunity to sion and the empowerment of women, such carry out free and voluntary serological te- as Angels 4 Women, the first Italian asso- Together to include, together to grow sts using some of the most reliable tests on ciation of business angels to support entre- the market, as well as an influenza vaccine. preneurship and innovation for women, or anguage crystallises reality, shapes new features, there is also a complete re- ‘With a view to creating awareness of psycho- Punto Donna, in Milan, in the Giambellino thought and, consequently, culture. vision of all HR policies and documents, all logical well-being, providing information on district, to support women who are victims The words we use are often not neu- incorporating the theme of inclusion. managing emotions (fear, anger, boredom, of violence or social exclusion. tral and we risk falling into the trap ‘We are active on all fronts of inclusiveness: sadness) and webinars on well-being Together with the AXA Research Lof prejudices and stereotypes. This is a very enhancement of female leadership, inclusi- were successfully proposed, Fund and thanks to a colla- topical issue in the context we are expe- veness for the disabled, LGBT+ employees, animated by colleagues boration with Bocconi riencing, considering the stigma of physical multi-generational inclusivity, projects on dif- who put their personal University, in order and psychological illness. ferent abilities, on ways of expressing oneself talents at the ser- to make a concre- One of the lessons of this crisis is the im- and also on being able to limit unconscious vice of others (as te contribution portance of starting with language to re- bias - which affect all of us because they are part-time phy- at the country build a more supportive, inclusive and su- an integral part of the learning process - to siotherapists level, hoping stainable reality, in which companies (also) learn to recognise and manage them, to look or yoga in- for a more have an important role to play, as social at the other as a person who can enrich us structors, sustainable realities made up of people. by bringing what we do not have.’ for exam- and inclu- ‘It is a key issue for AXA Italy,’ said Simone The importance of language underlies, at ple).’ sive futu- Innocenti, Director of Human Resources, AXA, a more general attention to welco- To keep re, AXA Organisation and Change management of ming people and promoting a work envi- human Italy is AXA Italy - who has long been committed ronment that favours a balance between contact about to to creating an environment where all em- physical health and psychological and social alive and launch ployees are treated with dignity and re- well-being. demon- a thre- spect and where individual differences are The moment we are living through makes it strate e-year valued. even more important to demonstrate clo- close- research ‘We offer equal opportunities in every aspect seness, attention, listening and inclusion, if ness, the project of life in the company and we work every day we think about how remote work loosens training on Gender to create an environment where you can se- personal relationships and often erases the we offered Equality, to renely express your individuality, be at ease informal communication that naturally de- was then re- promote stu- and to give your best to colleagues, collea- velops in offices between colleagues, while designed in dies capable of gues and customers.’ the sense of anxiety and fears generated by the space of 4 affecting the po- ‘One AXA,’ continues Innocenti, ‘is exactly isolation are another factor. weeks from the licies that are in- one of the Group's founding values, which ‘We are experiencing a delicate phase, with first day of the lock- dispensable if we are means being inclusive, capable of listening to levels of complexity that must also be mana- down and can be acces- to eliminate the gender and rewarding all types of diversity as diffe- ged at the family and personal level, which sed 100% online. Collabo- gap and, thus, to achieve rentiating elements’. is why we have never lost sight of the human rators can also access a learning the goal set in the United Nations The Group is committed to numerous dimension, the importance of socialising and platform with 16,550 pieces of content, for Sustainable Development Agenda. projects and initiatives, including digital sharing, favouring moments of conviviality free. The digital dimension has played a key webinars on the importance of inclusive between teams, such as virtual coffee breaks role since the beginning of the emergency, language for all our approximately 1,800 or interactive webinars on the topic of resi- with the company's commitment to helping lience. On this path, together with our colle- employees to manage the changes, thanks employees, carried out in collaboration SIMONE INNOCENTI, Director of Human Resources, Organi- agues, we have always emphasised the im- to over 100 online sessions on the use of with Parks, an association that deals with sation and Change management of AXA Italy diversity within the company. Among the portance of reciprocal listening, also through collaborative tools.

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By the editorial staff

I COMMUNICATE Therefore I include?

n the company's strategy document, Barilla language. There was therefore no lack of oppor- Lighthouse, diversity is presented as a funda- tunity to discover the effects that this emergency mental corporate goal. In the words of CEO had on under-represented minorities and under- Claudio Colzani, ‘Promoting diversity and in- stand that certain rights cannot always be taken Iclusion does not only mean doing the right thing, for granted; but also supporting our growth strategy. A diver- 2. We then continued with a second meeting, se workforce and an inclusive culture increase in June, involving Igor Šuran of Parks - Liberi engagement and take into account a deeper un- e Uguali who, with his monologue ‘Words that derstanding of society, leading to stronger deci- exclude’, transmitted during a beautiful theatrical sion-making. session the message that the exclusionary power We have been monitoring the company's pro- of words is very strong. Certain words. Choo- gress for several years through a specific survey sing to use a theatre as an authentically producti- dedicated to D&I issues. In the last one, dated ve environment has certainly led to individual Psychology at the Catholic University of Milan, entertainment provided by Annagaia Marchioro, 2019, most employees declared they were proud reflections; we went deeper into the cognitive and percepti- a comedian and actress, who recited a monolo- to work at Barilla and this has always represented 3. Finally, in September, with Lisa Kepinski – an ex- ve mechanisms that guide us in social interaction gue centred on the importance of words. a strength. Yet, when it comes to inclusion, there ternal member of our D&I Board – and her colla- and understood how language can be a vehicle The event, moderated by Valentina Dolciotti, is always ample room for improvement, in terms borator Tinna Nielsen, we explored the theme of for prejudices and stereotypes, despite our best took place on 22 October and saw huge num- of language and behaviour, Our path is constantly inclusive behaviours and how to promote them intentions. bers participate: many people connected for the evolving. through small ‘practical pushes’, which they define Andrea Notarnicola, our Partner from Newton, entire duration of the session (2 hours) and the We therefore understood the need to pursue as nudges: practicable behaviours both in person then explored the consequences of the impact quantity and quality of the questions addressed a path that would include raising awareness and and virtually. The value of concrete examples that that carelessness and a lack of awareness around to the speakers and to the rapporteur were high. sharing useful tools to make the language used in support the working environment we live every language can produce on corporate culture, also The feedback obtained during the entire course the company more inclusive. day is invaluable. The theory is never exhaustive looking at the other entities and companies enga- of this process has been really important for us; Talking about communication and inclusive lan- in the workplace. ged in similar paths. it was not only a sign of strong interest in the guage can be an opportunity for growth for To enrich these three opportunities for discus- Alexa Pantanella, an expert in inclusive langua- issue concerning inclusive language, but also of everyone. Because words are important, they sion and sharing, we wanted to create another ges and​​ Founder of Diversity & Inclusion Spea- the willingness, on the part of our people, to ask always have consequences, big or small. They can moment during which we could discuss and com- king, shared practical and plausible examples of themselves questions and open up to new practi- include or exclude and, for this reason, they must pare, during which to go even deeper into the non-inclusive expressions that can happen to be ces and attitudes, even in everyday life. be chosen with greater attention than the ones theme of language. used (or heard used) in the professional field, also We need, by working together, to increase our we often use. Together with Diversity & Inclusion Speaking (a indicating how to avoid these types of situations. capacity to include and, to do so, we must learn We therefore embarked on a collective project start-up that works vertically on inclusive langua- Cristina Lazzati, Journalist and Managing Direc- to listen to other people. dedicated to language, divided into several pha- ge), which supported us in organising the virtual tor of Mark Up, shared an analysis of the state of Instead of speaking solely to explain ourselves, ses: event, we created a discussion panel that could the art in the world of marketing and advertising we need to stop and listen to the ideas and opi- 1. In the month of April – during the full lock- address the issue from different points of view. communication, with particular emphasis on the nions of others. The magic word, which is some- David Mixner down, therefore – we chatted with , In fact, we decided to involve different profes- obsolete models that still happen to be propo- times abused, is EMPATHY: feeling, the ability a well-known civil rights activist and long-time sionals who, in various ways, work ‘with’ language sed; she also shared some best practices that are to put yourself in other people’s shoes. consultant to our D&I Board, who shared with and who could help us better understand why creating a new, more open and inclusive way of Today, at this challenging time, it is more impor- us the consequences that this difficult period had the way we communicate is so essential on the communication. tant than ever to stay connected and inclusive on the LGBTQ+ community. It was a valuable op- path of inclusion. The discussion and exchanges were enriched by towards others. portunity to talk about inclusive behaviour and Together with Prof. Manzi, Professor of Social

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Stéphane Codeluppi ALL ABOARD! Inclusive communication at Costa Cruises ith over 20,000 employees from Costa promotes virtuous behaviour through po- 70 countries on 5 continents, the licies that address aggressive and harmful actions, Costa group has always conside- particularly with regard to the correct use of red its human capital one of its language. Our partnership with the non-profit greatestW assets and the custodian of the com- association Parole O_stili and the signing of our pany's core skills, made even more valuable by Manifesto of Non-Hostile Communication, as the cultural and professional diversity that cha- well as participation in drafting the other ma- racterise it. nifestos created over time, saw us promote – in The company operates with a view to respectful our offices and on board our ships –responsible and fair staff management, providing structured and respectful communication, in person and growth paths for individuals and, at the same online. This commitment was reaffirmed in our time, ensuring well-being and inclusion in the corporate Use of Social Media Policy, which also workplace. The corporate values, ​​W.I.D.E. (Warm refers to the principles of the manifesto. Hospitality, Innovation, Diversity, Enrichment), are Online, aggressiveness often dominates in twe- integrated into the People Strategy and are desi- ets, posts, status updates and stories. gned to guide strategies and behaviours towards It is true that social media is set in virtual spa- a common and shared frame of reference on ces, but the people who meet there are real, and land and on board, for all levels of responsibility. the consequences these meetings have are real. In a company like ours, in which multiple profes- Furthermore, what we write remains online and sional roles, cultures and skills coexist, enhancing helps to create our online image. For this reason, diversity is an essential and strategic element. For nowadays we must be careful how we use words, this it is necessary to create and maintain an en- especially online. The world is now hyper-con- vironment that guarantees equal opportunities, nected and thanks to social media we have all safety and freedom of expression for everyone, become small public figures who are constantly including through language. exposed, and it is important to be aware of and We are the only living beings on this planet ca- responsible for the words we use. pable of using such an advanced tool as language, This gentle approach is also taught to young cru- and this makes us unique. With language we ise passengers on board our flagship Costa Sme- describe the reality that surrounds us. With lan- ralda, thanks to a playful activity designed and guage we define who is most like us and who is created in collaboration with Parole O_stili, and less like us, who belongs to our tribe and who inspired by the Snakes and Ladders game. Our the others are. Each word is an act of creating young guests retrace the steps of the Non-Hosti- an identity that tells others who we are, each le Communication Manifesto, familiarising them- word chosen says something about us, about selves with the pitfalls of the web, the correct what we think and what we want others to see use of words and the virtuous behaviours to be of us. Words have power: they move, unite, warm adopted online. the heart. Or they hurt, offend, push away. This is why it is important to be aware of the ef- fects they can have. It becomes essential to think about what you really want to say, to take time STÉPHANE CODELUPPI to understand if you really want to say what you . 1968, holds a Bachelor’s are saying or writing (are these the right words?). degree in Political Science and a Master’s in Hospitality And if you are not sure, it is important to stop, Management. Onboard Sales & Key Positions because not saying anything is often better than Performance, Talent & Development and Diversity & saying the wrong thing. Inclusion Manager

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Patrizia Brognoli SOCIAL INCLUSION

Project involving young people with down syndrome Decathlon Italy

ecathlon Italia's commitment ped us to learn about Down syndrome, to inclusion is inspired by our and understand the value of communica- company’s aim: to make sport tion and working alongside new workers accessible to as many people to best welcome these young people. Das possible, without exception. The association's tutors are important The inclusion of a ‘special’ person is addition, especially during the first few an important moment for us, especially weeks of the internship, as they flank when we welcome people with cognitive both the interns involved in the project disabilities. and the Decathlon employees. Successfully including means overcoming Before being launched, the project is pre- stereotypes and fear of the unknown. sented on the site (retail or logistics): For years we have been promoting in- this provides an opportunity for exchan- ternships in the company for individuals ges and discussion with all employees who belong to the most disadvantaged interested in undergoing training linked categories. The project that best repre- to inclusion and it is an opportunity to sents this commitment is that dedicated respond to any questions and to provide to young people with Down syndrome. reassurance to those who need it. We previously worked on projects dedi- When we talk about inclusion we do it cated to people with physical disabilities, through moments when we raise aware- and having had no other experiences, we ness: having a shared experience of the- felt unprepared to deal with different di- se issues is essential because it helps to sabilities. We have changed our minds. create greater awareness. We know that Our approach changed when we met Da- working in heterogeneous contexts faci- vide (not his real name), a competitive litates new, more effective and efficient swimmer with Down syndrome, who hel- practices, but daily flanking is essential. ped us overcome our barriers. Welcoming It is a growth path that Decathlon stron- Davide, learning about the syndrome and gly desired to take and included in its participating in integrating him into the strategic axes, involving all employees workplace and growing together, showed in order to identify and enhance every how this disability is a good fit in a heal- talent, each with its own characteristics thy environment like ours. What helped and uniqueness that brings value to the us? A passion for sport and the desire company and to the individual. to share it. Practicing a sport with group dynamics is a strong accelerator for de- veloping bonds and interpersonal rela- tionships, a wonderful aggregator. PATRIZIA BROGNOLI, 1972. Degree in Foreign Languages and​​ Decathlon Italia signed a national agre- Literature (IULM), Diversity and Inclusion Manager Decathlon. ement with the AIPD association about FRANCESCO PICCININI three years ago. The association accom- Photo caption: . Born on 19/11/1995, graduated, SPORT LEADER OMNICHANNEL. panies us on this journey: the tutors hel-

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By the editorial staff THE POWER OF LANGUAGE

n a globalised and di- logies translates not only novative ideas. This could gitalised world, verbal into cultural or linguistic cost the company, through communication has be- differences, but also into the potential loss of talent, come an indispensable the way people perceive, the ability to make ethical Itool for expressing oneself and perceive others, as decisions that would have a and interacting with people these impressions influence positive impact on the glo- who are different to us (in interactions and commu- bal market. At Dell Techno- terms of gender, language, nication strategies. In fact, logies it is imperative sexual orientation...) from even when the same lan- that team leaders and ma- all over the world. guage is used, people can nagers are ready to com- Language is the most power- often interpret information municate effectively with ful medium we possess: the differently, due to uncon- workers from different cul- expression of thoughts and scious and involuntary me- tural backgrounds. feelings, it reflects who we chanisms, which determi- Unconscious bias can also are, confirming our indivi- ne their way of seeing the hinder communication duality within an interna- world and the reality that between individuals with tional ecosystem without surrounds them. different sexual orienta- of supporting diversity and mitigate unconscious beha- ployees to look at the world borders that is characteri- The unconscious leads us to tions. In fact, although it creating an inclusive culture viours that stand in the way from other perspectives, cre- sed by diversity. Dell Tech- favour individuals who are is known that women and that addresses unconscious of inclusion. We recognise, ating empathy in the ocean nologies, one of the largest more like us, while underli- men communicate diffe- prejudices responsibly and in fact, that such behaviours of diversity that characteri- technology companies in ning flaws in people we see rently, they usually end up seriously. between individuals can have ses our community. the world, believes in the as less like us. Furthermore, corroborating a common According to a study carri- profound implications in the Unconscious bias and non-in- immense power of langua- the unconscious leads us to thesis based on different ed out by Deloitte, as many workplace by not facilitating clusive language are traps ge. seek or interpret informa- communication models. as 64% of respondents said the innovation that we advo- that we can all fall into wi- It is evident that interna- tion that confirms our per- Many of us think ‘men don't they have experienced and/ cate for on the market. thout even realising and, as tional communication is ceptions, highlighting what listen’ and ‘women are not or witnessed prejudice in the In structured sessions and a result, we may deny our- still influenced today by confirms our point of view very concise and too emo- workplace. At Dell Technolo- forums, we discuss the stere- selves the opportunity to cultural differences. Each and undervaluing aspects tional’: these examples re- gies, we are ready to create otypes found in our society embrace diversity, share dif- culture has, in fact, develo- that could contradict it. present unconscious ste- a new era, in which diversi- and in the way we commu- ferent ideas, new points of ped its own language based This allows us to create a reotypes which, if not ty becomes a pillar of our nicate. We imagine what it view, and learn new ways of on rules and values and​​ has sense of group identity on addressed, do not allow for success and a source of in- would be like to find oursel- doing things. handed it down over time, which to base our position mindful communication. spiration and innovation in ves in someone else’s shoes Viktor Frankl argued that for generations. For in society. Furthermore, these preju- the technology sector. With in order to be better people, ‘Between stimulus and re- this reason, within a work We believe that uncon- dices, even if unconscious, the MARC (Many Advocating ready to face any form of di- sponse lies a space. In that team, people from different scious bias can concern often lurk in our cultures, Real Change) programme scrimination. space lie our freedom and cultures may have different different aspects, from eth- so it is fundamentally im- we offer all employees, cu- To date, over 20,000 em- power to choose a respon- approaches to the business, nicity to gender, as well as portant that we all become stomers and partners a tool ployees around the world se. In our response lies our or the strategy to be adop- previous work experience, aware of them. that aims to break down the have been able to train with growth and our happiness.’ ted to achieve common go- and can create barriers At Dell Technologies we prejudices and behaviours the MARC programme. All There is no one solution to als. that prevent a culture of have begun to experiment that hinder the creation of team leaders have successful- this challenge, on the con- Understanding how to diversity and inclusion with our behaviours and to an inclusive environment. ly completed it. Our goal is trary, the solutions will be communicate effectively from developing in the review our beliefs to disco- The programme includes se- for all employees globally to unique to each of us. has become fundamental workplace, damaging rela- ver new ways of communi- minars, forums and discus- complete MARC by the end for us. tionships that could have cating and to work together sions in which prejudices or of 2021. Session after ses- Diversity at Dell Techno- fostered creative and in- constructively, with the aim beliefs are faced honestly, to sion, we will help our em-

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Chrystelle Simon WORDS THAT MATTER The inclusive language between respect and psychological safety

“Words can inspire. And words can destroy. Choose in unison, find themselves carrying out a job yours well” that has a positive impact on the emotional Robin Sharma and psychological well-being of people and (Author and expert on personal development and on the organisation’s culture. leadership) At Deloitte, we use the keys of language and inclusive communication to spread respect e have known for a long time and fairness, as they are the lifeblood of the that language is a very power- promotion of that cultural change that cha- ful vehicle with which values, racterises the journey of inclusion. To include thoughts and messages are - using communication and genuine dialo- transmitted.W We also know that language is gue without prejudice - means making people non-inclusive and hostile language. These vi- ve language is also a driving force for creating often the bearer of stereotypes and preju- feel confident that they can express their au- deos touch on various aspects of the diversity a greater sense of belonging, to the organisa- dices, which inevitably influence our daily thentic selves and their potential, leveraging spectrum, such as gender diversity and sexual tion and within the teams themselves, betwe- behaviours and our professional and personal sensitivity and respect. This is what we want orientation, parental responsibility, work-life en people. In fact, inclusive language and cul- interactions in the workplace. Communica- for our people at Deloitte. This favours the balance and leadership style. The main goal tural intelligence are closely linked: leaders tion therefore plays a central role in our daily development of "psychological safety". By this of this campaign is to make people think, to are not inclusive if they do not adapt their life, as it activates our thoughts and cogniti- we mean the feeling of being able to express move something in the audience who may communication style to the diversity they ve processes. Language exercises a regulating your ideas, your talent and your potential in identify with the characters in the videos as face and which they address. and stimulating function on the mental me- tranquillity and peace of mind. According to victims of biases and stereotypes. The vide- The communication campaign “Be respectful, chanisms that preside over the birth of thou- recognised studies, psychological safety is os have received very positive feedback and Be inclusive” fits into a broader activity plan, ght and its development, which, for reasons characterised by four levels: a condition in considerable interest from our people, who which aims to raise more awareness of the of necessity and convenience, often have to which people feel included in the first pla- have talked about them and commented on power of words. We invite our people to be fast and immediate. ce, being in a position of psychological sa- them, indicating how much need there is for take part in our interactive webinars on how Here the power and transversality of inclu- fety to learn and grow, to contribute, and continuous debate. Furthermore, these vide- to recognise and oppose discriminatory beha- sion come into play, which is also able to finally to challenge the status quo, without os were shown during our training courses viours and unconscious biases. These momen- positively influence our language, making it any fear of being marginalised or excluded. on the topic of Inclusive Leadership, launched ts are opportunities for each of us to make a capable of embracing diversity and breaking Where the organisation creates a safe work in 2019, which were followed by an exchange difference in this journey of collective chan- down those unconscious biases that often environment, free from fear even in the re- with participants about their reactions and ge. Thus, we have begun travelling on a clear guide our vision of the world, our reasoning lationships between teams and colleagues, it perception of the organisation’s culture. We path that aims to defeat stereotypes, biases and what we express. Using inclusive langua- becomes a driving force of benefits in terms truly believe that this continuous stimulus for and to develop increasingly inclusive langua- ge is therefore not only a more faithful way of awareness and development of inclusive reflection leads to an ever greater awareness ge, involving our greatest wealth: people. of representing reality, but also allows us to language, which in turn foster respect, inno- of the weight of our words, by which a real As the well-known American anthropolo- positively influence it and cultivate the per- vation and growth. For this reason, and with chain reaction can be triggered: a change gist-linguist Edward Sapir said: “Language is ception of inclusion experienced and felt by the aim of bringing out and spreading know- in mindset and behaviour and a change in the the most massive and inclusive art we know, a people. Words matter. The words we choo- ledge and awareness of how our language and impact way we formulate our thoughts and words. mountainous and anonymous work of uncon- se to use have an on our ability our behaviours are often driven by uncon- It is also important to work on leadership scious generations”. to relate to others. Collaboration, dialogue scious biases, we have created the communi- in terms of inclusive language, as the more and empathy are all characteristics that inclu- cation campaign "Be Respectful, Be Inclusive", inclusive the leadership is – covering 360 de- CHRYSTELLE SIMON. sive language stimulates and makes its own. a series of impactful videos on non-inclusive grees – the more it encourages and fosters Diversity & Inclusion Leader, Deloitte Central Mediterranean Thus, language and inclusion, when developed and discriminatory behaviours, conveyed by trust and collaboration within teams. Inclusi-

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By the editorial staff THE POWER OF WORDS

hen I think of language, the way of being. In the face of Igor's words we image of Igor Šuran, Executi- were laid bare, with fragility and weaknesses. ve Director of Parks, immedia- Rome, 19 November … tely resurfaces in my mind, as Milan, 26 November ... heW stood on the stage of the Alfieri theatre, a History repeats itself. Absorbed faces, enrap- small cinema-theatre in Florence that has now tured by the speaker's words. At one point a become the symbolic starting point of Findo- colleague raises her hand and we all think she mestic's path of Diversity and Inclusion. wants to intervene in the debate. Instead, with It was 9 October 2019, in Florence … disarming simplicity, she says: ‘Can I hug you?’ The D&I week began: five days in which the And having received an affirmative answer, she BNP Paribas Group annually celebrates diversi- gets up and throws herself at Igor, deeply mo- ty in all its forms through meetings, events, ar- ved; other colleagues do the same, united in a ticles, posts on social media. For the first time, great collective embrace. phrases (‘What are you wearing?’, ‘Stop crying, ces, we move beyond them.’ A clear invitation we introduced Parks to our collaborators: Igor As Igor Šuran explains: we are all victims boys don't cry’, ‘You look like a girl’…), simple to move beyond appearances, beyond prejudi- Šuran took the stage, with his magnetic perso- of our own prejudices; we must not be afraid constructions – but they are full of cruelty, an- ces. nality, great eloquence and empathy and, alone of them but look for them within ourselves, ger, violence. A violence that affected everyone This year we have continued in the same vein, in front of 150 people, began the monologue identify them, recognize them. That is already present, men and women alike. focusing even more on how the choice of he had written: ‘Words that exclude’. a big step: do not deny bias and fears towards After these experiences, we decided to have a words can trigger reactions: Following a path that analyses common words what is different … The next step will be to discussion in the company on the use of lan- ‘We are looking for a Digital Collaboration such as ‘tolerate’, ‘accept’, ‘flaunt’ and ‘normal’, approach what seems different and frightening, guage, which involved, first, the Management System Specialist who is male, white, straight, Igor invited us to reflect in a way that came understand it, know it, observe it from another Committee and which, now, has been exten- married. Absurd, right? Here, we like to imagi- at our hearts and minds like a sharp blade. point of view. ded to three hundred managers. The meeting ne a future in it is truly inconceivable. If you Can a human being be tolerated for the mere This is precisely where the strength of inclu- invited participants to reflect on the power of think you have the necessary skills for the role, fact of having a different orientation from our sion lies: in admitting our prejudices and trying language and its dangers when it is not used but do not accept that a recruitment adverti- own? Why does someone who has a different to transform them into a great opportunity correctly: on the need to pay attention to the sement can overlook the value of being human orientation from mine ‘flaunt’ it while I for personal growth and enrichment. I learned words we use, and to reflect on the effects they and different, Findomestic is the right place for think I don't? Why am I part of a ‘normal’ fa- a great lesson from the precious teachings of have on our interlocutors. The consequences you.’ mily? Igor Šuran: I began to reflect on the power can be devastating. ‘We are looking for IT Governance Speciali- Little by little, I began to wonder about terms of words, which is a great human capacity, but Playing with words: in the social media campai- sts from the north who are able-bodied, young I have often used, unknowingly, words in the at the same time a devastating and dangerous gns that accompanied the last two editions of and from good families. We bet reading this Italian language, without realising their deva- force. the Diversity & Inclusion Week, we deliberately advertisement bothers you. It bothers us, too, stating power: simple words, correct from an As a woman it shouldn't be difficult to under- chose to use provocative language, which re- because we have always considered differences etymological and linguistic point of view, but stand how words can hurt, diminish, ridicule, fers to common stereotypes and prejudi- to be something that, instead of dividing, unites dangerous weapons if used indistinctly and not annihilate … We have been victims for centu- ces that are widespread in our daily lives. and enriches. ‘ contextualized. ries of a language that discriminates and hurts, Here is the campaign launched in the 2019 D&I The campaign generated very positive fee- Why can I call my family life normal? Just be- a language that is now a part of everyday life Week: dback, while also eliciting negative reactions, cause I'm heterosexual, have a husband and to the extent that we no longer pays atten- ‘Two fathers and a baby do not make a family. sometimes strong ones. We have achieved our children? Why don't I have to consider the tion to the ‘jokes’, whether or not they have Move on.’ goal: to invite people to reflect on the power problem of being accepted or, worse, tolera- sexist connotations. During an event organized ‘A woman’s place is in the kitchen. Move on.’ of verbal language. A mission that we will con- ted? Igor proceeded with the monologue, I ob- in collaboration with Artemisia, an anti-violen- ‘Invisible disability is an excuse. Move on.’ tinue to pursue so that language can become served the faces of those present, enraptured ce centre in Florence, a video was shown that ‘Am I homosexual? Am I not? Is it really impor- a bridge, a link between people, a bond based by the words and by the profound reflections was full of sexist comments uttered by wo- tant to know? Or is the commitment, passion on mutual respect and the desire to overcome they induced: reflections on ourselves, on our men, men, children, the young and old: a rapid and respect I put into my work more impor- the barriers that sometimes, even unwittingly, atavistic habits, on our education and on our and relentless succession of commonly used tant? At Findomestic we don't stop at prejudi- divide.

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market. On the other hand, it is – also – a matter of custo- emergency is the re-evaluation of scientific skills to protect mer focus: appreciating the uniqueness of each individual public health. It was important that those who govern us By the editorial staff allows you to get closer to them. asked for and followed advice from scientists.

What topics has the team concentrated on mostly so far, Janssen’s work is concentrated on six therapeutic are- and with what aims? as: neuroscience, infectious disease, onco-haematology, First, on finding the right way to bring the global mandate immunology, pulmonary hypertension, cardiovascular into Italian reality. For this reason, we have realised that and metabolic diseases. In recent months, many of these ALESSANDRA SINIBALDI the diversity issues that are most prominent at this histo- were the focus of our attention, in our everyday lives, rical time are the following five: gender, sexual orientation, both privately and collectively. What was J&J’s role and generational differences, disability and diversity in terms commitment during the Covid-19 emergency? Market Access Director at Janssen of cultural background. We are fortunate enough to We never stopped, not even production was subject work for a company that has chosen to use to closures, but we immediately reorgani- D&I Champion Johnson & Johnson Italy welfare like a flexible tool, to outline sed to guarantee everyone’s safety. individually tailored approaches Smart working was a tool that for employees that include was already being used by What type of child were you? What kind of an education zone, but curiosity has always been a good friend to me, and support all types of our company, to the point did you receive? When and how did you decide to study so I felt stimulated by the move to Milan and the opportu- diversity, valuing them that we extended it to Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Technologies? nity to expand my skills in regulatory affairs and later mar- (such as in the Paren- all those who could I was what you could call a serious girl, the daughter of two ket access, until I reached the position I currently hold as tal Project). In our avail themselves of teachers and with three older sisters, raised in a traditional Regulatory Affairs & HEMAR Director (Health Economics, activities with the it even before it family (which brought with it a distribution of gender ro- Market Access and Reimbursement, eds. note). D&I group we are was required by les that was not entirely egalitarian) that instilled in me an working on nu- the various de- enormous sense of duty, respect for (public) educational How have you seen the company change over the last merous projects crees that were institutions, and left little room for ‘silliness’. My passion for five years? and initiatives, issued. It wasn’t chemistry didn’t become apparent early on, as my com- The Janssen pharmaceutical company has grown very constantly colla- easy, we’re talking mitment was distributed equally among all the subjects I much, with a growing focus on ever more specialised pro- borating with the about 1260 em- studied; then, at the end of high school my attraction to the ducts and it is currently responsible for 54% of the Johnson Employee Resour- ployees, of whom world of healthcare became more apparent and concrete & Johnson group’s revenue. This is also thanks to the pro- ce Group (ERG). 650 work in pro- in the choice to study a specific discipline, which at the duction sector, which was never transferred abroad, and These projects were duction (54% are time was considered ‘not for girls’. Maybe there was also a which currently, with over 90% of exports, represents a born spontaneously women). Moreover, little bit of a desire to disprove this belief. flagship in the sector. I will also add that the number of pe- from initiatives that J&J we launched a Home ople working at the production site in Latina has doubled employees came up with, Delivery project to gua- Did you study or work abroad at any point? If so, in what compared to five years ago, just to dispel the myth that such WLI (Women Leader- rantee the distribution of way did those experiences influence you? technological innovation takes people away from producti- ship Initiative) and Open&Out. certain drugs to patients’ ho- After I graduated with a degree in Chemistry and Phar- ve work. mes for the most vulnerable who maceutical Technology (obtained with a certain amount of Which D&I project are you proudest of need it, to limit their hospital visits during performance anxiety and a significant focus on results), I di- How and when was coordinating the J&J Diversity & In- so far? this emergency period and to protect their health. dn’t gain any experiences of living or working abroad (and clusion group added to your responsibilities? If I had to choose one, it would the decision, made by And, naturally, we also supported the work of the Italian this is the subject of a certain amount of regret) because About a year ago the Director of HR for all of Johnson & the Leadership team of every business sector this year, to Red Cross financially, and donated PPE where there were Janssen immediately crossed my path. I had sent my CV to Johnson in Italy offered me this role and I accepted enthu- insert an evaluation objective that is specific to D&I for shortages. Finally, and this is extremely important, we are the company through the Il Sole 24 Ore newspaper and siastically, because the company’s emphasis on D&I was every individual. This means that Diversity & Inclusion is working to find a vaccine for Covid-19. was immediately invited for an interview. That was in 1996, not only symbolic. We have created a Council that gathers part of our standard evaluation process (which involves and in 1997 I began to work at Janssen. individuals with the most varied and diverse functions, the- evaluating one’s own manager, evaluating peers, and sel- What do you imagine Janssen will look like in five years’ refore representing everyone, also from a generational f-evaluation). Furthermore, there is a new addition to time? What objectives would you like to achieve? When did you join Janssen? In what position and, above point of view. It is a fundamental place of exchange. the Janssen world – the Fattore J project, which is an edu- Above all, our objective is to employ a Disability Manager at all, with what expectations and hopes? cational project for high schools that aims to help develop each of our sites, and I think we are making good progress My initial role at Janssen was immediately at the pro- Why, in 2020, has inclusion finally become a driver for emotional intelligence in kids and to help them develop in- towards that. Then I imagine there will be an exponential duction site in Latina (which over the years has continued business and innovation? clusive attitudes towards illness (and people with illnesses). growth in our research work, which remains indispensable. to expand and now employs 650 people) and required Our company has known this for a long time, which is also It’s very important that young people grow up without the technical, managerial pharmaceutical-chemical and quality demonstrated by the fact that we are among the founding stigma that accompanies depression and immunological il- And finally, from the transformations that Covid-19 has assurance skills. I was therefore in relatively unknown ter- partners of Valore D, and the Johnson & Johnson group lnesses, which is unfortunately still very strong. We have al- imposed on our lives, I also see change emerging – which ritory. At the end of 1998 I received a proposal to change was among the three founding companies of Parks. At this ready trained 1000 kids through webinars and remote le- has already started at Janssen – that will lead our company (both jobs and location) and I began to focus on regulatory point there are many studies and experiences that have arning, in collaboration with eight patient associations, and to be less and less a company that offers products and affairs and market access. This meant developing new and demonstrated how much diversity management is a fun- the topic that emerged most clearly from these meetings increasingly one that offers services and solutions for our different skills that combined technical and scientific skil- damental driver for business, and how the companies that (which are virtual for now) was the issue of trust. Because patients, with an important emphasis on their uniquess ls with managerial skills. This involved leaving my comfort invest in these issues are also the best-performing on the one positive factor that has emerged from the Covid-19

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Joshua Paveri

DIVERSITY DAY IS TRANSFORMED This is Digital Diversity Day 2020: a completely new, completely digital event! he fourth edition of Diversity Day is coming on we (finally!) come out on the other side of this emergency, in November 30, 2020, the career day dedicated to addition to having face-to-face appointments up and down people with disabilities and those who are in the the peninsula: going digital does mean giving up on meeting protected categories and are in search of employ- in person, but it also allows you to really reach everyone! Tment! The countdown is therefore on, for 30 November, for a Diversity Day is the result of a partnership between Job- non-stop meeting that will end on Friday 11 December; two metoo – an online recruitment platform for people with weeks full of events: disabilities and those who are in protected categories – and – From 30 November to 4 December there will be we- Value People – a company specialising in the organisation of binars and themed workshops in which companies will be events and career days. able to introduce themselves and discuss specific issues re- The goal is to create an opportunity for real meetings lated to the issue of disability, such as Diversity & Inclusion, between candidates with disabilities and companies looking while candidates will have the opportunity to meet com- for staff. Retail, large-scale distribution, luxury, banking and fi- pany representatives and talk to them to learn more about nance & insurance are just some of the sectors that have individual organisations. been represented so far at each edition of Diversity Day. – From 7 to 11 December everyone who has made an The event debuted in 2017, with stops in Milan and Rome, appointment will be able to carry out one-to-one getting- and later adding stops in Turin and Verona. to-know-you interviews with company representatives. Thanks to the support of CALD (Coordinamento Atenei Also in this edition, the Digital Diversity Day will pay parti- Lombardi per la Disabilità), all past editions of Diversity Day cular attention to accessibility: in fact, in addition to subtitles, could count on the collaboration of the main universi- Italian Sign Language interpreters will also be present who ties in Lombardy: Università Bicocca, the Politecnico, the Uni- will be able to help translate the webinars and assist candi- versità Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, the Università Bocconi of dates during various phases of the interviews. Milan; as well as the Politecnico of Turin, the Università degli So let’s all connect from 30 November! We look forward to Studi di Verona, the Università di Tor Vergata and the Univer- meeting you soon, with a handshake! sità Sapienza in Rome. This fourth edition is an important challenge for us: faced with the impossibility of organising in-person meetings, we JOSHUA PAVERI was born in 1987. He attended Scientific did not lose heart, and created the first fully Digital Diversity High School. He works in Sales & Marketing Support. Day! And we do not rule out replicating this format when

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Mara Zavagno KONECRANES

was born in Italy in 1973, in a village called Spilimber- mething that is a unique work of art." go, which is famous for the Mosaic School of Friuli. The secret is to love the differences. My family has a long history of being involved in mo- Diversity is an asset for a company that is reflected in saic art and painting, and I feel art is very much in how we act as a company, in the ability to be a great Imy blood. partner for customers, for employees and for all the I have a Bachelor's in Political Science, and I have wor- stakeholders. ked in Human Resources for 23 years. I feel fortunate It gives us an opportunity to read market challenges to do a job that is also my passion. After a long career from multiple perspectives, to have a better view of in international companies in Italy, I moved to Düsseld- the complexity ahead, and to respond to – or even orf in 2014 for an international assignment and am cur- predict – challenges with the variety of competencies, rently still living in Düsseldorf. I am the Vice President mindsets and experiences that the diverse teams pos- of HR for a business area in Konecranes, a company sess. headquartered in Finland. Most important- However, this does not come about without ly, since 2019, I have been appointed intense work and effort. Many of these are visible, but most make sure that different cultures, Observe your visual tools: do they Chief Diversity and Inclusion officer The first step is to understand the are invisible boundaries that we genders and backgrounds are in- represent a diverse environment? for the company. I feel that it is a language of difference, which is must deal with. volved: the process will take longer, The secret is to not be artificial in privilege to do a job that gives represented by verbal com- Erin Meyer, in her book The Cul- but the quality behind it will be hi- our actions, but to realise that di- me a great sense of purpo- munication, symbols, visual tural Map, reminds us that behind gher because it embraces multiple versity is not just a slogan but se, respecting and valuing Understanding images, behaviours, habits businesses there are people, who viewpoints; how we live our life and conduct people's differences and and different ways of con- have biases, expectations, and a Ask questions to make sure that our business. The messages around uniqueness; it enri- that culture shapes necting. view of life that drives decisions. you have fully understood the us must be speaking this language. ches a company. It is also How many times have Understanding that culture shapes context, and the message that is “What you can bet on and be a lever that allows the people, who shape we made mistakes in people, who shape business and conveyed; sure of winning even before doing company to be more connecting with other life interactions, is vital. Go to meetings prepared: make it, is culture, the biggest and ne- agile, innovative, and re- people, simply because Also when we use English as our checklists and engage in social ver-ending heritage. Culture will sponsive to customers business and life we didn’t interpret the business language, interpretations reflection before approaching a enrich us indefinitely and can ne- in these uncertain times. cultural difference cor- and sometimes meanings are dif- context; ver be destroyed”. Massimo Thea- There is an ongoing radi- interactions, is vital. rectly? ferent from culture to culture, be- Make it easy and visible: create ter-Palermo cal transformation in the Or have we asked ourselves cause they are conditioned by our short summary messages or slo- job market, in new genera- why a very limited range of mental maps. gans and be visual to ensure that tions' expectations, in the social diverse people respond to our But what we can do to overcome you enlarge mutual understanding: responsibility that we have as indi- job advertisements? the possible issues caused by lan- learning involves multiple senses, viduals and professionals. And how many times have we failed guage differences? so we need to reach people’s le- Following this calling, since 2019, I have been to make the most of opportunities with a Here are a few tips that may be arning maps; a Board Member of the International School of Düss- customer, not understanding his/her cultural require- useful to consider in a business Be careful to avoid stereotypes; eldorf, and I am working closely with younger genera- ments? context. Notice differences in communica- tions to help them embrace an open, global mindset Using inclusive language, either gender-neutral, or Write job advertisements with the tion and respect others; and be nurtured by innovation, intentional learning, and without the biases that come from cultural differences, contribution of multiple people Nurture an understanding of cul- agility in adapting to changes. observing and listening in depth, this requires moving with diverse backgrounds; even tural diversity through intentional My family is international – my husband is originally away from stereotypes, and challenging individual bia- better opportunities are provided learning paths: provide regular op- from Bangkok – and I believe the future is in interna- ses, to avoid word choices that may be interpreted as by AI, with programmes that help portunities for teams across fun- tionalism, and in cultural diversity savviness. biased, discriminatory or demeaning to people. to capture biases in language; ctions and geographies to gather, Diversity and Inclusion is like the job of an artist: "You This is not an easy path, it requires us to analyse the Make it easy: simplify messages collaborate and work on cultural MARA ZAVAGNO, 1973. Chief have your raw material, beautiful colours and a lot of cultural maps of other people, a culture created by that can be understandable to initiatives together; Diversity and Inclusion Officer, Vice ideas, but only when you put together these colours history, habits, social background, religions, and many multiple cultures; Facilitate discussion on culture and President Human Resources Port and ideas with love and passion, can you create so- other influences. When you work on projects, blockers to co-create solutions; Solutions KONECRANES

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are a social network but also a professional the narrative of 'solid jobs’ that we do not one, a chain of skills: from this assumption remember but which are crucial to making Luca Montani we should re-establish our industriousness things work, especially in times of crisis. to offer interpretations of conflicts, expla- 12. Stop information witchcraft. Let us start nations of processes, public engagement. with facts and data. The interpretation - to 4. No more standard products. We can no be such – must declare its intent immedia- longer go back to standard-issue communi- tely, in a unique, organized, loyal way. Above cation, like for talk shows. If the message is all, no preventive oratory investiture when COMMUNICATION meant for persons, we need to reconsider obvious and clumsy omissions multiply. tone of voice, words, attitudes, images, si- 13. Time hangs in the balance. What we tuation by situation, ear by ear, eye by eye. have for years been calling 'free time' is an AND INFORMATION 5. An era with a molecular gaze is begin- inconsistent relic. What happened should ning. The virus has gotten us accustomed make us reflect on the fact that all our to detailed images, fragments of the situa- available time is not free at all but must IN A POST-COVID ERA tion: I would like to get used to a proximal be managed with a project and a purpose. here is an unstoppable desire to ships together, providing explanations and and not a distal or maximalist approach to There is no going back. resume ‘normal’ life, to emerge finding the grace to be unambiguous, clear, things. 14. Festive civilization no longer stands up from a long torpor. So be it! unadorned, honest, unmediated. 6. Reformulate the genetic makeup of the to comparison with reality. Cities are so- But are we sure about starting over Communication professionals have the op- communicator. We need CRISPR: a molecu- mething else and the thousands of submer- Tas things were before? I would like to pose portunity to reformulate their role and lar scissors capable of modifying the DNA ged jobs that make our communities work the question to my world, that of commu- pre-eminent social dimension: that of hel- of communications to conceive messages in make up and determine a civilization that nication/information: media, agencies, stra- ping to understand (and interpret) reality. relation to the real needs or abilities of has little to do with the ephemeral expe- tegic consultants, even PR. We have been Do I appear to be empty and illusory? I people. Create for specific goals and not rience of just partying. A party without talking about it for weeks among colleagues would say no, given the role that our world for all seasons. guests and without a specific invitation sim- and the concern that emerges is that there has played in getting us out of illiteracy and 7. No more blind peer-to-peer communi- ply does not exist. is a lack of a narrative of the future that in giving us the necessary keys to access cation. Avoid the disclosure of content to 15. Sacral use of silence. Speak up about goes beyond the logic of the emergency, forms of autonomy – employment, even, equivalent or equal nodes that have not it, with knowledge of the facts, distancing there is a lack of social imagination, deco- and therefore economic autonomy – and been verified in terms of sources, copyright yourself from the art of propaganda that ding, interpretation, accompaniment. democratic participation. and clients, especially for the latter. has often characterized the scattered scre- I have spoken extensively here and there It would take too long to illustrate the good 8. We need new metabolic energy, with sen- ams of the pro tempore directors. online about this worry of mine, in dozens results and consequent good effects of en- tient roots (like those that plants have). It I repeat: these are some ideas to be explo- of phone calls and seminars. A debate and tire generations of communicators, publici- means starting from the academies and uni- red but, in the daily distress of a middle-a- a 'Manifesto of new communication' was sts and creatives. Compared to those gene- versities, where research often nestles, the ged communicator, these are the precau- born, which I created with some colleagues rations, ours risks falling behind if we fail outpost, the nursery of intelligence. New tions that I feel I can adopt in order not (Daniele Chieffi, Piero Pelizzaro, Andra Pil- to take possession of agendas, vocabularies, generations are much more ready for sha- to run the risk of returning to everyday lon, Luca Poma, Stefano Rolando, Gian Luca the strategic plans of clients. red research and experimentation. people with the same miasma as always. Spitella). I come back to myself, to my impatience, 9. Data is the other environment in which The premise? to try to focus on a certain operativeness we live. Our identity as a person is the We communicators, in view of the next with 15 self-imposed rules. I also submit result of the accuracy we put into the ma- phase, should ask ourselves some funda- them to you, for a direct and frank compa- nagement of our data. We need to increase mental questions regarding perspective rison: our awareness of the intangible worlds we because, lately, our profession has become 1. Stop the yearning. This phase must focus frequent and reduce the muscular strength a big market research industry, as William on restarting, on the available energies and of our online performances, less shouted Davies defined it in Nervous States. on the creativity already present: passing and more selected. We have mobilized (and not always enno- from a phase of 'Melancovid' (as it was cal- 10. Augmented Intelligence. True augmen- bled) the masses with emotions, current led by Liberation in March) to a proactive ted intelligence is the professional human frameworks, opinion polls on perception. phase, based on the desire to start over capital that surrounds us. The best cultural All tamed by algorithms. from where we stopped. projects, the most compelling narratives, We have been forcefully placed in the cul- 2. Build antibodies to the amnesia to come. the most profitable campaigns, are the re- ture of outrage, in the endless arenas that In this period, we have come to terms with sult of assiduous and continuous interdisci- make a spectacle of debate, in the butcher’s ourselves, with our limitations and virtues. plinary exchange. Even between different shop of 'likes'. During the period of maximum possible so- agencies. It would be useful to stop with the subor- cial distance, we have discovered unequivo- 11. No to superhumans who save the wor- dination of some central roles – such as cal gestures of solidarity, a useful medicine ld. No Captain Marvel, no Avenger. Every- ours – and to reiterate that the communi- for the defeatist pessimism that often grips day life has its heroes that we often do not cation professional is not a mere executor us. know but who remain human in all their LUCA MONTANI was born in 1968. He is the Director of but has the purpose of keeping relation- 3. Make use of collective intelligence. We circumstances. The new phase starts with communications and institutional relations at MM.

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in the agricultural and food sector, we can describe And who does the Mutti Corporate Narrative the work as sowing seeds, caring, paying attention By the editorial staff Book project involve? and listening, which, in the long run, as in our case, It is a project that concerns all Mutti people, be- always pays off. Of course, then in the meantime cause it serves to tell, to record in black and white, other things must and will happen, but the result what Mutti is and, therefore, to record who we are that I hope most to see is the immense value of as we bring a piece of ourselves to work every day. the heritage of this company emerge in a clear and It also concerns all employees because it is a com- powerful way for the benefit of all its stakeholders. MUTTI CORPORATE munication project and communication without Much has already been done from this point of collaboration makes no sense. view in these 120 years of the company’s history, If the messages we identify are not used first by but there are still several opportunities to be sei- NARRATIVE BOOK us – every time we deal with our interlocutors – zed, and that is exactly what we want to do. whether they are customers, suppliers, journalists or contributors, it does make any sense to have What are your wishes for the near future? Today we meet Michele Laterza, identified them in the first place. My desire is to continue to have fun doing my job, The goal is to outline, in an increasingly strong just as I have been so far, and to be able to find Corporate Communications & PR manager and distinctive way, our group’s identity, which new ways to include, through the use of words, and grows and changes at the speed of light, so as to therefore through communication, more and more With regard to language, the subject of corpora- to integrate social and environmental concerns at obtain (first of all for our own understanding!) a people, making them aware of the history of te communication is very important. What do we all stages of the process, organising messages, chan- clear vision of who we are and what we want to quality and commitment behind every single bottle mean when we talk about ‘corporate communi- nels and narratives in a coherent way and finding its become, in order to be able to effectively transmit of Mutti tomato sauce or can of tomato pulp that cations’? own tone of voice that differentiates it from others. it externally. they choose to bring into their homes. Communi- What is meant is a fundamental strategic lever for But it is not only this. Crisis communication, com- cation can be a very strong tool for inclusion when creating, maintaining and strengthening the trust pany results, values, significant events such as ac- What results are you expecting? it is based on concrete and coherent actions and that is established between companies and their quisitions, demergers and integrations all fall within I expect important but gradual results, which grow when you manage to find this correspondence, you target audiences, both within and outside of the the issues addressed. Basically all the actions that as the company itself evolves, because the goal cannot wish for better. organisation. the company carries out and which have a signifi- of this work is to create a culture of corporate It goes without saying that the effects it aims to cant impact on one or more of its target audiences. communication, as a strategic lever to enhance and produce have different facets depending on the make everyone’s work more effective. Since we are target: pride, a sense of belonging, commitment to How is corporate communications articulated in and participation in achieving a common goal (if we Mutti? What are its ‘core’ elements? are thinking of an internal audience); knowledge, In everything I have told you about so far, with one consideration and preference, for example, if we characteristic that is particularly evident: our com- go outside. munication is factual, linked to results and evidence, In any case, corporate communications aim to pro- easily verifiable by the recipients of our narrative. tect and enhance the image and, above all, the re- In these first 9 months that I have been working on putation of the company over time. this, we have shared concrete messages that were in profound and authentic harmony with reality. I In what way? am thinking of the donation made to the Ospe- Through the dissemination of information to key dale Maggiore in Parma when the Covid-19 emer- stakeholders, developing messages that refer to the gency broke out, as well as the latest innovation by company’s strategic plan, of which they are the de- Mutti, the ‘Sul Campo’ sauce project, the first to be clination. produced directly at the tomato harvesting site. Adopting a corporate communication approach, Our communication is based on certain pillars: qua- therefore, means communicating that the company lity, respect for people and the environment, care, is a unitary entity, enhancing its unique personality attention, continuous improvement. Our organisa- and distinctive identity, managing the coherence of tion’s work on corporate communications, which, the narratives that revolve around it, passing throu- together with other corporate functions, such as gh different channels and touching multiple inter- Human Resources and Marketing, aims to identify locutors: colleagues, authorities, institutions, consu- the key messages of the organisation in order to mers, suppliers, competitors, investors, media and work in an integrated manner on Mutti’s purpose local communities. and to help the group's unique and distinctive he- Given the breadth of the range of action, the issues ritage emerge and be known. These messages will covered by corporate communications are also the make up our Corporate Narrative Book, which will most varied and transversal. An example above all also be accompanied by the company's corporate is that of communication on the theme ‘sustainabi- guidelines, always with a view to total coherence lity’, which aims to enhance the company's efforts between actions and messages.

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or are not able to do. which causes learning dif- trainers, professionals and A handicap, on the other ficulties, or relationship or representatives of institu- Elena Belloni hand, is when a process of work integration is- tions, we should do much social disadvantage is crea- sues so as to determine a more to counter this lin- ted, experienced by a per- process of social disadvan- guistic habit, which easily son following a disability tage or marginalisation.’ transforms into a cultural or impairment that limits The mistake one most fre- and social barrier; it would or prevents the fulfilment quently runs into is that be desirable to spread of a normal role for a gi- the disability rather than more respectful and cor- THE WORDS OF INCLUSION ven individual according to the person is highlighted: rect culture and language, their age, sex and cultu- a disabled individual is not which will function as a ral and social factors. The their wheelchair or cane. model for each citizen. ever more so than in this is- Impairment: from a medical point of view, handicap concerns the va- To identify a person with In the same way, mass me- sue has DiverCity’s claim – that it is defined as any loss or abnormality of a lue attributed to an indivi- the tool they use instead dia can and must play an words matter – become an indi- physiological, anatomical or psychological dual situation or experien- of their name or character important role in consoli- spensable imperative. structure or function. In the case of loss ce when it deviates from is disrespectful. In Italian, dating the culture of disa- NWords matter, they have value, using them of a psychological capacity, however, we the norm. putting the negation ‘non’ bility, but how? By offering can have consequences. And when we talk tend to speak of a ‘disorder’. For example, To summarise, in the event in front of a capacity is less ‘TV of pain’ and fewer about disability, the risk of running into the lack of a limb from birth or due to an that there is a disabili- also incorrect. The deaf disabled people exhibited the wrong terminology is much more fre- accident is an impairment, but the tempo- ty, the disability is innate, community, for example, as caricatures. Not neces- quent than we can imagine. rary loss of a linguistic, visual or hearing while when it comes to declares itself to be ‘deaf’ sarily describing them as It is necessary to clarify which terms it is ability is also an impairment. a handicap, the disability rather than ‘non-hearing’ ‘unhappy’ or ‘heroic’. best to use when talking about disabili- The terms disability and handicap should is related to surrounding (non-udente), just as the It would be nice, then, for ty because words are important and using not be considered synonymous: barriers and to the pos- blind define themselves as the word uniqueness to be them correctly contributes to building Disability, in fact, is the limitation or loss sibility of participating in ‘blind’ rather than ‘non-se- used much more frequent- a more inclusive society. of the ability to carry out an activity in the the social dimension. In eing’ (non-vedente). The ly and perhaps instead of In 1980, the World Health Organization way or within the limits considered normal itself, therefore, a disabi- ‘non’ implies concern with expressions such as ‘dif- released the ICIDH – the International for a human being. It therefore represents lity is not a handicap: it a compassionate flavour. ferent’ or ‘special’, to em- Classification of Impairment, Disabilities the practical consequence of the impair- becomes one when it en- It is equally wrong to defi- phasise the importance of and Handicap – with the aim of clarifying ment and, therefore, indicates the perso- counters obstacles and ne a person as ‘normal’ be- each person as a unique, terminology and analysing the consequen- nal disadvantage that the disabled person barriers that prevent cause it implies that others original and unrepea- ces of impairments. experiences with regard to what they are a person from manifesting are not; or ‘able-bodied’ table individual. their full potential. because it implies that And we must always re- In 1997, after 17 years, the others are less or more member that ‘Mr. Normal’ WHO updated these clas- ‘able’; or, again, ‘able’ im- does not exist. sifications with the ICI- plying that others are DH-2, to imbue the terms unable. impairment, disability and Below is a table publi- handicap with positive me- shed some time ago on aning and to highlight the the Italian webacessibile. strong influence exerted org portal. Using the cor- by environmental and per- rect terminology, without sonal factors on a given fuelling sanctimoniousness disease. In the ICIDH-2, or wanting to appear poli- the terms impairment, di- tically correct, contributes sability and handicap were to behaving more naturally replaced by: functions and towards people with disa- structures of the body, bilities. activity and participation. In short, it would be enou- A big step towards inclu- gh to simply call things by sion since, even in the text their name without using of Italian Law 104, we still excessively emotional or read: ‘A handicapped per- sensationalist language​​ son is someone who has (typical of journalism, for ELENA BELLONI was born in 1975, a physical, psychic or sen- example, to capture atten- she has a degree in Psychology and she is a Specialist working in the Diversity sory impairment, that is tion and move readers). Talent Division at OPENJOB METIS stabilised or progressive, To conclude: as educators,

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Do you only touch on issues relating to the world of which in all likelihood will be reached by the end of the year. work or also society and the personal sphere? In Italy, to support a process of cultural change based on By the editorial staff We try to convey the idea that the value of diversity can differences and respect, with the belief that a more inclusi- be appreciated in every sphere – work, the family, social ve society is not only ethically correct, but also strategical- life. Precisely for this reason our guests talk to each other ly more effective for the development of innovative and generously, also sharing parts of their private and not strictly successful ideas, we have entered into partnerships with professional life, to show and demonstrate the power associations such as Parks - Liberi e Uguali and ValoreD, and positive impact of inclusive practices. committed to promoting the key themes of inclusion and PHILIPS TALKS diversity. What do you say to those who think that inclusion is We believe in inclusive leadership, which through different simply a fashionable issue, or just about appearances? characteristics in terms of age, gender and experience can Interview with Simona Comandè, How much does it impact a company's business? guarantee greater capacity in our organisation. For this re- Fashions are different, they pass without leaving a real mark. ason, together with ValoreD, we have activated mentoring General Manager Philips IIG I am sure that this path, like others taken by virtuous com- courses for female middle managers to create self-aware- panies and organisations, will leave a mark. And they will ness in organisational contexts, develop the entrepreneurial his issue of DiverCity deals with language, and ract with the panel? translate into listening, paying attention, valuing everyone's spirit to promote a career and create a network of talen- with how communication is fundamental to faci- Absolutely, yes. Since the interviews take place live, anyone contributions, opening up, the ability to consider points of ted young people. Confirming our commitment, we are litating and conveying the inclusion of every kind who is connected can, via chat, send questions, ask for clari- view and perspectives that we might previously have igno- ambassadors of the manifesto for women's employment of diversity. Today we meet Simona Comandè, fication or share personal experiences. red. I don't expect five talks alone to make a difference in promoted by Valore D, of which I have the honour of being TGeneral Manager for Philips Italy, Israel and Greece. absolute terms, but they are undoubtedly a fundamental part of the Board of Directors. Furthermore, participation Who are the guests you have had so far and how were part of a much broader project of enhancing diversity and in the ‘Talent has no age’ research promoted by ValoreD How did the idea of the​​ talks come about? they ‘selected’? inclusion that Philips has been supporting for some time. in collaboration with the Catholic University on the topic I believe that it is, above all, a matter of ethical and social re- To date we have met: Rose Cartolari - International Lea- And the value that is generated is value for people and of Active Ageing, has given us excellent ideas on how to sponsibility: a company like Philips has such wide exposure dership Consultant, and Cesare De Michelis - Data Scien- for the business, because a community capable of making better manage the presence of different populations with that it cannot fail to put itself at the service of issues that are tist in the talk on multiculturalism; Paola Mascaro - Presi- differences a strength can create the kinds of concrete in- different skills in the company. In fact, we want our working relevant to the community in which we operate. Inclusion dent Valore D and Odile Robotti - Founder of Learning novations that Philips has been for over 100 years. environment to be stimulating for both the junior and and diversity are a measurable commitment and a strategic Edge and author and blogger, as well as me, in the talk on senior population through the creation of working groups goal that guides the way we do business. With these talks, gender; Igor Suran - Executive Director of Parks - Liberi e So what is Philips' approach to I&D issues? where the youngest work with the oldest and exchange we provide space for the need to speak to our people and Uguali and Mariangela Fierro - Senior Security Manager at Philips aims to improve the lives of 2 billion people a year skills: older employees share technical skills and acquire di- to customers and consumers who follow us, telling them Accenture in the talk on LGBT+ issues and, during the first by 2025 and, to do this, we must start within. At Philips, gital skills. about the value of diversity and the duty that each of us has appointment of 2021, we will meet Elena Travaini - pro- everyone can direct their career through training, mento- And it is precisely this continuous virtuous exchange that is towards inclusion. It is a question of raising awareness, of fessional dancer, and Irbin Vicco - Paralympic athlete, in the ring and networking programmes. In the wake of the Inclu- for us the undisputed engine of innovation and creativity, for offering ideas for dialogue and reflection and of building a talk on disabilities. This will be followed by the appointment sion & Diversity programmes, Philips has set a global target which we will continue to invest in and support projects of common and inclusive vocabulary on these issues. dedicated to Generations, which I don’t want to share any of 30% gender diversity in senior leadership positions by inclusion and diversity, at all levels and in all possible forms. spoilers on yet. Each speaker who accompanies us in this the end of 2025, to go beyond the 25% target set for 2020, How are the talks structured? experience has been chosen and invited to tell their story, The diversity talks are five monthly appointments that last personal and professional, since the two are always inevi- an hour each, in which we address the pillars of diversity tably intertwined, because they are strongly characterised with our guests: Culture, Gender, LGBT+, Disability, Gene- by the ‘diversity’ that is being discussed. They are also peo- rations. They are conversation prompts that build stories of ple of different ages, nationalities, genders and abilities and diversity, made up of personal and professional experiences all have the desire to make their experiences available to and the ability to welcome questions from the public to others. encourage transparent and unfiltered interaction. Why is it important to raise awareness among people in Who are they aimed at? the company? The talks are aimed primarily at our employees, who can We want to reach everyone with this initiative because it follow the interviews as they are streamed live, or access is important to understand that no company, whether it’s the recording later. They were designed primarily for our a multinational or not, is exempt from diversity in all its people, to raise awareness, interest and involve them in a forms and all companies are called to be at the forefront path of inclusion which, in this case, passes through lives and in valuing each individual’s diversity (from the people who stories that inspire. But there is more: we have chosen to are a part of the company, to customers, stakeholders, etc.) extend the opportunity to anyone outside of the company and promote inclusion paths at all levels. And as a company who is interested in listening, understanding in depth and leader, I want to reiterate how much this is not only an issue growing with us. That’s why our talks are open to everyone; of social responsibility, but has effectively become a only judgement and prejudice have to stay outside. business driver that cannot be ignored, so I urge everyone not to ignore it. Are the talks interactive and can viewers/spectators inte-

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Michele Lanci THE EVOLUTION OF THE LANGUAGE OF TELEVISION Television that is more sensitive to reality

A new kind of television trinsic to it historically, but QVC during the pandemic elevision has chan- is now conditioned by the With the Covid-19 pande- ged profoundly over tastes and feelings of those mic, television found itself an the last few deca- who watch, in a relationship uncomfortable and impossi- des, as well as its that has become fully bilate- ble to ignore guest and had Tlanguage and structure, but ral. to put itself at the service of vid-19 emergency that were shop, but also to take a break complicated, easily under- even more importantly, the- It follows that television no reality to tell viewers what being carried out by dedica- from suffering and worrying. stood by everyone without re has been a reversal of the longer determines reality, was happening, trying to in- ted laboratories in some being impoverished. very role that the medium of but is more often found to form and reassure. Television Italian universities. Kind storytelling Listening to reality means television has in relation to describe reality by absorbing has therefore recovered a We also rethought the pro- Paying attention to reality not placing oneself in a po- its users. its language and trends. The centrality that had been han- gramming of our social chan- is the basis of our language, sition of superiority, but ra- In the past, television dicta- language of television ging in the balance. nels and added content, which wants to be kind. To ther speaking at the level of ted the trends of the mo- has therefore become that of Information and entertain- suggestions and discussions, achieve this, we have worked our interlocutors while ment, anticipated changes people's daily lives, someti- ment programmes have un- bringing the language to an on a number of specific prin- maintaining a ‘courteous di- and significantly influenced mes characterised by violent derstandably devoted them- entertainment level and tying ciples that we are happy to stance’; being present and reality in a predominantly and unpleasant words, and at selves to the story of the it less to products. share: close to customers without one-sided relationship with other times conditioned by pandemic and its dramatic Obviously programming for - Listening: we listen actively being aggressive or intrusive. viewers. the possibility of everyone consequences. our channel has continued; to our audience; What is important, and in The advent of new technolo- being able to express their We at QVC could not rein- we have adapted what pro- - Offering solutions: we keeping with this new form gies and social networks has opinion, thus having to be vent ourselves so substan- ducts we offer, focusing always respond and do it by of watching television, is that made this relational one-si- more attentive and sensitive tially, but we wanted to stop mainly on categories such offering solutions; everyone feels at ease and dedness anachronistic. and, at least in part, more in- and reflect on what could as food, cooking, fitness and - Being reactive: we re- that the language used does Those who watch televi- clusive. be the right way to continue personal care because they spond as soon as possible by not exclude anyone. sion no longer do it passi- At QVC, a multi-platform doing our work while re- are more suited to the con- showing we are present; Qvc.it vely, adapting to the li- shopping channel that has specting our viewers’ sensi- text, not only for obvious - Engaging in continuous near schedule they find by combined TV, digital, mobi- tivities and the drama of this business reasons, but also dialogue: we converse with zapping, but can, thanks to le and social networks sin- particular historical moment. as a sign of listening to our everyone with the same pas- new digital platforms, decide ce its inception, we have by This is how the #NoiCi- users – who are prevalently sion, because everyone is what to see, and when, whe- our very nature always had a Siamo multi-platform female – and their needs. important to us; re and how to do it. Further- more direct relationship with campaign was born, which We have reinvented how we - Keeping our promises. more, viewers can comment our viewers than other tele- was developed through an use language by making it Based on the understanding instantly and freely on what vision channels. The motiva- interactive digital initiative more sensitive and attentive that the way that television they are watching using so- tion is intuitive: the needs of and which made it possible and avoiding using unsuitable communicates is now the re- cial media, for example, thus those who watch us and buy to put those who needed language, focusing mainly on sult of a relationship between influencing the development the products directly affect help in contact with those dialogue and in-depth stu- speaker and listener, QVC's of the story told on televi- our business, and therefore who could provide it, throu- dies rather than on the in- intention is to establish va- sion. listening is necessary to inte- gh a schedule of special con- centive to buy. luable relationships, so our In fact, therefore, television grate their needs and desires tent on social channels and We listened to reality and language is based on genui- MICHELE LANCI was born in 1971, no longer has the disruptive into our identity. with a fundraiser to support our shows became, therefo- neness and understanding; it He has a degree in Communication persuasive force that was in- activities to contain the Co- re, not only opportunities to is carefully curated but not Science. External Relations Manager.

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By the editorial staff SMART LIFE A Journey of Change and Inclusion

hree months. Three months that changed pment needed to work from home while maintaining the world, our lives, our equilibrium. In po- high levels of attention to the safety, wellbeing and sitive and negative ways. Those who, during personal-professional balance of its employees. Six the lockdown, were hoping for a new nor- hundred employees working at Sanofi will be able to Tmal devoted to sustainability and universal harmony avail themselves, even after the pandemic, of IT equi- may have been disappointed, but the fact is that – be- pment, ergonomic workstations and a fast internet cause of the pandemic – something has changed in connection at their own homes, thanks also the speci- profound and radical ways. fic contributions that the company has made available. We are living through an economic crisis of global ‘We harvested a lot of what he had sown in terms proportions, but at the same time we have experien- of managing people and the work culture,’ continues ced a sudden acceleration in the world of work, Laura Bruno, ‘since we already had six years of smart in the ways we manage our time and use technology working experience. To offer additional support, at to face a global threat and preserve our work and this difficult time, together with a psychologist and the future, it is likely that a ‘hybrid’ model will have tegrates services, applications and editorial content our very lives. a coach, we provided a series of training meetings to be adopted, in which in-person and virtual contact on health and wellbeing for citizens, a video consulta- We put into practice the oldest and most valuable online on resilience and managing family balance, a will alternate and be balanced, in order to ‘personali- tion service – in collaboration with Pazienti.it – was human resource: we adapted to change. series of virtual meetings on work-life balance and se’ the approach as much as possible and make sure made available for free for a month. At Sanofi, we have been working for some time time management that will continue over the next that information is diversified as much as possible ba- This was further concrete support for people who towards a new culture capable of drawing energy few months, as well as an online campus for employe- sed on the interlocutors’ needs.’ needed a quick consultation while having to stay at from diversity, to value the strength of inclusion, to es’ children and an online exercise course. Far away, and yet close home. grow through the richness that only a diverse com- A business tsunami. All of Sanofi’s business fun- During the pandemic there were countless opportu- The Sanofi initiatives dedicated to health, information munity can guarantee, in order to develop innovative ctions were strongly impacted by the pandemic, be- nities to challenge the capacity for change and adap- and prevention for patients and citizens did not stop and successful ideas. cause the lockdown suddenly prevented people from tability of the people and systems at Sanofi, to invent either. This is how the Ricomincio da te live broadca- And at the same time we have been promoting, for maintaining their professional face-to-face relation- new ways of being close to patients and healthcare sts were born, an online forum for sharing the stories several years now, a new way of managing the balan- ships with doctors, specialists and stakeholders, as workers. of people who have diabetes to share and exchange ce between personal and professional lives, work and well as pharmacists and points of contact in healthca- While, on the one hand, most communication with information thanks to the authoritative support of a family commitments, through smart working and the re and institutions. doctors and pharmacists was from a distance until the diabetologist and a psychologist. opportunity to have more flexible and human lives. However, corrective measures were immediately ta- end of the lockdown, on the other hand, teams and In addition, there were also live broadcasts of Life, People, technology and resilience ken to guarantee, where possible, that all activities systems were restructured in a matter of days, such as a project that came from Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccine ‘At the very beginning of the pandemic, at Sanofi we would continue, thanks to digital tools. for example the pharmacy customer service, which in division of the group, in collaboration with Startupita- set up a crisis committee,’ remembers Laura Bruno, ‘In three months, we saw activity that would normally the middle of the pandemic was forced to respond to lia to talk about healthcare to come. HR Director at Sanofi Italia. ‘Our priorities were to happen over ten years,’ commented Gianluca Ferri, a number of requests that rose from 500 (a month) And we mustn’t forget about the numerous initiati- guarantee our employees’ safety and to ensure thera- Country Head of Business Operations & Support at to 1000 (a day). ves in our specialist area, such as the Connessi e vici- peutic continuity to patients through the production Sanofi. The Consumer Healthcare division developed a trai- no event, which was dedicated to managing multiple of our drugs. That we were able to do both is than- ‘The traditional relationship between scientific infor- ning programme for managing sales to help pharma- sclerosis during this difficult time, OmWork, an online ks to the great spirit of collaboration, professionalism mants and doctors, which until a year earlier had ac- cists who during the pandemic found themselves on yoga course, and SHOPE, which uses of an e-com- and integrity of everyone involved, but also to the counted for 90% of interactions, fell to 4% in May of the front lines, without clear information on how to merce platform that symbolically sells the stories of digital support and technological equipment we were 2020. We had to adapt quickly to a new reality, first by guarantee their customers’ and employees’ safety. healthcare workers, who were the first to deal with able to rely on.’ availing ourselves of technology, replacing visits with Their main needs were identified in order to be able the pandemic in Italy, in order to raise funds for local At Sanofi, smart working has been an option since phone calls, virtual meetings and newsletters. And to provide, through digital tools, the materials which associations. 2014 but today, thanks to a trade union agreement, then by taking advantage of digital resources that until they needed most. Sanofi has extended smart working to five daysa a month earlier had still been in the design stage and Furthermore, on the Uwell digital platform, which in- week and has supplied each employee with the equi- which had suddenly become essential and urgent. In

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that may offend others, in their per- and inclusive methodology for the courage the study of science, techno- sonal or professional lives. selection process and guaranteeing logy, engineering and mathematics in Marta Luca The five ideas contained within the equal opportunities at every stage the female population, also through manifesto cover all aspects of the lan- of the process. The company’s per- scholarships. guage used to address all of the pe- formance in terms of gender equality This is accompanied by the nume- ople who are a part of Snam: word is measured and linked to the long- rous initiatives aimed at creating a choice, respect for the others’ time, term incentive plan, with objectives work-life balance and reconciling the value of listening. We have delibe- linked to the presence of women in work with family life, from smart SNAM’S INCLUSIVE rately chosen not to number them, management. Women currently re- working to welfare services in sup- so as not to create a ‘top of the list’ present 33% of new hires, not only port of parenting, such as the “Be effect, preserving the importance that in staff roles, but also in Operations Parents” initiative, an online path LANGUAGE MANIFESTO all points have as a whole: to shorten activities, an area that is traditionally developed on the MAAM platform, distances; to think about who listens male-dominated in the energy sec- with the goal of transferring back to to you; to get involved; to give space tor. There are now four women in work the many skills that can be le- Valuing everyone, even through words to others; to recognise the value of Snam’s leadership team, who report arned by raising a child. As part of its silence. It was presented internally in directly to the CEO. D&I policy, Snam is also committed November, with the aim of becoming Another area of intervention​​ is to promoting an annual training and anguage allows for effective behaviour, while and have aimed to transform them into opportunities. Last a point of reference in everyday life, training: in this regard, Snam regularly education day for the children of em- actions make their most impactful difference March we involved the 35 team members in the project and was well received by colleagues. collaborates with Valore D, the first ployees, with particular reference to when accompanied by the right words. How #Snam4Diversity inclusive energy. We immediately shared it on our association between companies that the fight against all forms of racial and many times have the words of others hurt us, The team members, who were as representative as pos- external communication channels so promotes female talent and leader- sexual discrimination. Lwithout them even realising? How many times have we sible of the company’s many diversities, offered to commit that the bridge of inclusion also invi- ship, and is also a partner of Inspirin- Each of these combined initiatives joked, unaware that we were offending someone, either at themselves to promoting and spreading the culture of ted other companies to create simi- Girls, the international campaign that earned Snam its admission to work or in other circumstances? When we reflect on these diversity and equal opportunities throughout the company, lar guidance for their employees. aims to help girls become aware of Bloomberg’s global Gender Equality things, we may be tempted to think “It’s never happened to creating a work environment that values everyone.​​ Snam’s “cultural” effort is part of a their talent by removing gender ste- Index in 2020, recognition that was me” or “That doesn’t happen in my company”. However, Creating an Inclusion team gave everyone the opportu- broader commitment to its ESG fac- reotypes. Since 2020 we have also added to that already received from unconscious biases may always be hiding beneath the surfa- nity to relive some professional experiences, leading us to tors (Environment, Social and Gover- been supporting members of “Par- Thomson Reuters and Equileap with ce and can have an even greater impact on organisations. ask which words or expressions had offended us or which, nance) which places equal opportu- ks, free and equal”, an association of the inclusion in similar indices linked Language is one of the issues that Snam has considered of used by ourselves, had offended a colleague. The result was nities and gender equality at top of companies united by the goal of pro- to its commitment to Diversity & In- the utmost importance in addressing issues related to di- a joint reflection that led to the idea of ​​Snam’s “Inclusive the agenda. The latter is a criterion moting the inclusion of all individuals, clusion. versity and inclusion. In 2020, Snam’s People Managers had Language Manifesto”. This was a point of reference and that today guides the company, with regardless of sexual orientation. a dedicated training session on the importance of adop- starting point for creating professional relationships based reference to both the composition Furthermore, as part of the Snam- ting inclusive language. Additionally, the members of our on mutual respect, also through language, while including of its corporate bodies and to its 4STEM initiative, the company provi- MARTA LUCA. 1974. Degree in Inclusion team, which was created with the aim of raising each individual. This is accomplished by choosing words that HR policies. In this context, Snam has des the opportunity to several fema- Communication Science. Head of awareness on this issue throughout the company, immedia- respect identities, conditions, orientations and cultures. The Human Capital Development and developed a Diversity Recruiting Po- le students to participate in training Diversity & Inclusion tely recognised the risks associated with unconscious bias, goal is to avoid stereotypes, clichés, allusions and anything licy aimed at creating a standardised days in the company, helping to en-

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The main issues were a lack of social interaction for Networking to re-think organisation 44% of interviewees, difficulties collaborating (34%), After the health of our people, the health of our Nadia Bertaggia difficulties concentrating (32%), less identification organisation is equally fundamental and, if necessary, with the company (32%), a sense of isolation (30%), it will have to evolve and transform and continue to an inadequate workstation (20%) and a less well-ba- grow. Networking, communicating, relying on others lanced diet (17%). and asking for help where individual energies are not Faced with these critical issues, my advice is not to enough, is essential. underestimate the power of in-person interaction In fact, I believe that the ‘new normal’ must be based WE ARE NOT THE SAME (we are still human beings!) And to promote it by ta- on an intense and profound collaboration between king all necessary precautions, for the benefit of the different environments in order to foster resilience, team's ability to work, their emotional well-being innovation and long-term security. IT IS TIME TO PROVE IT and individuals’ sense of involvement. This idea is also the basis for our project for a new normal – ‘Rise with Sodexo’, a methodology desi- Normalising change starting Communication is essential gned to enable us to rise back up together out of The fear of contagion and the anxiety that derives this moment and look forward with a systemic ap- with communication and human relationships from the economic, professional and health impli- proach, in which we activate the right solutions to cations of the current situation must be managed, combine safety and well-being with efficiency and e are again faced with an uncertain the expression ‘smart working’ has become part of both individually and collectively, as it is likely that productivity. and critical situation, with the return the language of politics, the media and public opi- we will have to live with this virus for a long time The pandemic is re-configuring the way we work, of feelings such as fear, alarm and nion. However, I think it is a misused term. Smart to come, and because the mental well-being of in- think and describe work itself, but in addition to the panic, which had already – unfor- working is, in fact, a ‘managerial philosophy’ that is dividuals should be a priority for any business. Fear challenges it presents us with, there are also some tunatelyW – characterised the first half of 2020. We based on a corporate culture where, before there subsides with proper communication and through opportunities to be seized. Fear, safety, socialisation will not go into the details of the pandemic, but it is can be a smart worker, there must be a smart the use of adequate language: without communica- and isolation will be fundamental concepts of our certain that a further effort to act responsibly will manager, who educates and helps people to grow tion, even the application of the most rigid protocols professional and private lives. Each company will be required of citizens and businesses to contain the professionally, as well as an organisation based on loses value. Words, if used appropriately, nourish, have to put into play its open-mindedness and rise in infections. autonomy and the empowerment of collaborators. reassure and calm. The Harris Interactive research desire to communicate with its collaborators and The Prime Minister has declared that ‘Italy is not It is a process, a way of organising work that stems shows how communicating about the actions taken stakeholders, to shape the future scenario in which the same as it was in March’. From my privileged from a corporate culture based on trust and respect was key to building a sense of security. In fact, 59% it will move. view point, as the HR Manager of a company with for the individual, and which can be inscribed into of interviewees were concerned about their health over ten thousand employees, who is in contact with a specific welfare plan, in coordination with mana- and safety in the workplace, but felt reassured by NADIA BERTAGGIA has a degree in Work Psychology and Spe- customers from different sectors, I am seizing this gers, human resource managers and collaborators. actions such as greater checking of procedures and cialisation from the Imperial College London and is HR Director at change and I believe that this moment of rupture, With smart working understood this way, we work better communication of guidelines. Sodexo Italy and Mediterranean Region. which is unexpected and linked to great uncertainty, towards objectives, with flexible hours and in ways must be transformed into a positive opportunity. that can also include the use of a coworking spa- Faced with the general lockdown in March and April, ce or away from home, without the constraints of Italian companies had to deal with important chan- time and place. In return, the worker is committed ges in business management: consulting and services to being responsible, present and proactive. In addi- reviewed how they organised themselves by activa- tion to the appropriate corporate culture, suitable ting smart working, made possible by the potential of business sectors and work activities are required technology. The production sites and other entities that marry these principles. We realise, then, that on the front lines in the fight against the virus con- what we called smart working in an emergency was tinued with on-site work, and were faced each day nothing more than teleworking, or remote working. with the feelings associated with the new structure Starting with this confusion regarding terminology, and with the evolution of safety regulations. the risk is that we improvise without considering the We need to assess what has been done in recent possible effects on both the individual worker and months to understand how to prepare for the mon- the company. Closing physical offices may seem like ths to follow. If it is true that we are not the same the simplest immediate solution, but it can be har- country as in March, we must demonstrate this by mful in the long term if not accompanied by an ade- formulating strategies not only for reacting to a pro- quate welfare strategy and moments of face-to-face blem, but to prevent and innovate on a large scale interaction. and for the long term. I particularly want to em- As highlighted by the research presented in ‘Work phasise the importance of paying attention to the life after lockdown’ – conducted for Sodexo by the human component, to the needs and expectations Harris Interactive Institute through 4,824 online of people. interviews with a sample of employees from eight countries, selected according to gender, age, profes- Smart working cannot be improvised. sional category and region of origin – several pro- Since the beginning of the healthcare emergency, blematic issues regarding remote working emerged.

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Miriam Frigerio NOMINA SUNT CONSEQUENTIA RERUM What is different, normal, not normal?

ords tell stories: stories about us, in words, but in numbers: because most of those our worlds, our thoughts. who live around this person have those characteri- But words also tell us about them- stics. To Swedes, as to all of us, what seems normal selves. And, with their stories, their is what we are most used to, which falls within the sometimesW alternating fortunes, their successes and ‘Gaussian curve’ of distribution of a given attribute their daily existence… once more they come to in a certain population. our aid, not only as our first choice for expression, I don't intend to get into statistical and mathema- but also for understanding reality. tical concepts, I prefer to go back to words: often Like any story, even the story of words starts with what we define as ‘normal’ is nothing more than their birth, their etymology. Diversity is no excep- what seems to us more frequent. But something so tion and its root tells us many things. frequent, so common, so widespread is not at all Diversity derives from diverso (different), which is the most correct or the most important thing. And evolution the direct of the Latin divèrsus, the again: what is frequent in one place may be rare In Italy there is a National Association for the Blind: adherence to a reality that previously seemed dif- past participle of divertěre: it therefore refers to elsewhere, as in the case of black or blond hair. those who cannot see would never think of defining ferent, in the end, cancels all fear and any concern someone who is turning, turned, turned away - in The concept of diversity, therefore, is not only defi- themselves starting from something they cannot about finding the right words. Words that do not short, someone who moves away from something ned by contrast, but is also relative, as well as abso- do. So why talk about visually impaired (non-seeing, offend anyone, that are respectful, that are appro- that, in some way, represents an element of com- lutely independent of a principle of value. or non-vedenti in Italian) people? priate. And then you find yourself talking to Bebe parison. So, in everyday life, what words – adjectives, nouns, Of course, the alternative between the brutal in- Vio, you come out with the Italian expression ‘mi Any reflection on diversity can only start from pronouns – do we use to describe this diversity? sult and impractical circumlocution is sometimes cadono le braccia’ (I don’t know what to do any- here, from a concept that is defined by difference Never more so than in this case, nomina sunt con- unclear: given that in 2020 no one dreams of saying more, literally, ‘my arms are falling off’), and she is with respect to something stable, certain, absolute sequentia rerum: words are consequences of facts, ‘Mongoloid’ anymore, is it better – for the individual the first to laugh: you understand that you are – ‘normal’. but even more so than how we represent them in and for society – to define Matteo as ‘a Down’, ‘a dealing with a character, an icon, a force of nature, The history of the word ‘normal’ also tells an in- our minds. Hence the multiplication of periphrases, person with Down syndrome’ or perhaps ‘a carrier who is at ease in her physical reality – which many teresting story, with the Latin origin (norma) indi- euphemisms, circumlocutions and low-grade and of trisomy 21’? would not accept – to the point of not asking her- cating the set square, hence the adjective norma- somewhat ridiculous ironies that fill speeches and I don't know, I believe that the weight of words self or others to use words that do not reflect that lis, whose first meaning is that of perpendicular or thoughts: hearing impaired and visually impaired, depends a lot on the intentions of those who use reality. And, perhaps, this is one of the reasons why ‘straight’ (in the geometric sense, which later would differently abled and disabled, trans and fluid, non- them, and their worldview. Words represent the we have chosen her to endorse Sorgenia. also become figurative with the use of the term EU, coloured and so on. world and reality; sometimes altering words is a Words tell stories of reality as everyone experien- righteousness to indicate accuracy and regularity). Defining something – or, even more so, someone negation way to try to escape from a reality that is scary or ces and feels it: beautiful, ugly, normal or different. Today, defining someone or something as ‘different’ – starting with a means to exclude uncomfortable. Offence or respect lie above all in This is why I don’t really believe in codified ru- or ‘normal’ means to classify them in a rigid way, as them from our world, from our eyes, from our at- the intention of the speaker, just as diversity lies in les for defining people, cases and experiences; I though we were tracing a clear line of separation, tention. The term non-EU originated in the juridi- the eyes of the beholder. strongly believe, instead, in the fact that language determining what is right and what is not. Fortuna- cal-bureaucratic sphere – also, I imagine, to avoid I think that the correct way to express what is dif- can only become inclusive if our thoughts become tely, the use of the term normal is increasingly rare geographical generalisations or potentially racist ferent can only arise from knowledge. Only by inclusive, capable of giving equal weight and value in everyday language. Perhaps the time has come definitions. But in common speech, non- excludes, expanding the boundaries of our normality, and to the infinite identities of people. to abandon the use of different (diverso). sanctions distance – just as impaired or differently therefore our Gaussian curve, will we become How, after all, do we establish what is normal and deny instead of affirming. comfortable with everything that we aren’t and we what is different? In Greece, a blond person is diffe- We are all who we are and what we know how to will know – without even having to ask ourselves – rent; in Sweden, a person with dark eyes is different. do, not what we lack. I cannot be called a non-blon- what words to use. MIRIAM FRIGERIO, Head of Brand & Communication Sorgenia But why does a Swedish person consider it normal de non-man simply because I am a brunette wo- If encountering reality is the way to represent it, full to be tall, blond and blue-eyed? The answer lies not man.

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reflect on how we relate to each other famous passage from Civil Speaking (Par- and why some words carry different wei- lare civile): Words can be walls or brid- By the editorial staff ght based on how we use them. ges. They can create distance or help un- Furthermore, I believe that there is no derstand problems. The same words used precise vocabulary, because in some ca- in different contexts can be appropriate, ses it is not even necessary for words to confusing or even offensive. When com- be spoken; equally, communication can be municating, therefore, we need precision discriminatory. and awareness of the meaning, of the sen- However, here are some of the most com- se, of words. [...] It is not easy, but it is IT IS IMPOSSIBLE mon words that are misused: 'disabled', necessary for ‘civil speaking’. (Redattore 'invalid', 'handicapped', 'paraplegic', 'dy- sociale, 2013, p. VII and VIII). slexic', 'autistic'. These definitions asso- As Diversity Manager and Psychotherapist NOT TO COMMUNICATE ciate the person solely with the lack that at Synergie Italia, I plan, for our clients, characterises them. courses to educate employees about in- Elsewhere, I have talked about the ICF clusion. In fact, I like to talk about edu- The importance of communication in the inclusion of disabilities (International Classification of Functio- cation and culture as well as raising awa- ning, Disability and Health) which intro- reness. uman communication has always Every choice we make communicates so- duces the Biopsychosocial model and whi- Prejudice arises precisely out of ignoran- fascinated me, and when I de- mething to ourselves and others. ch enables a new view of disability and ce, understood as ‘non-knowledge’ of the cided to become a relational The axiom that is most closely connected health. subject, and it is up to us insiders to offer psychotherapist, the relevance to the use and significance that words can This model ‘retires’ the old definition companies the tools to take this evolutio- Hwas immediate. have is certainly the second one: whether of disability, according to which it is cha- nary step. Before addressing the topic of ‘inclusive we say the same thing with a raised voice racterised by the pathology/diagnosis of The way we are experiencing the pande- language’, it is necessary to look at or with a smile completely changes the the individual, replacing it with a holistic mic has slowed down our rhythms and al- communication itself. meaning of the exchange. view of the person. lowed us to pause and examine the impor- What are the characteristics of human In my work I have often come had con- The emphasis is on the overall value of tance of including diversity. In fact, there communication? versations with people with di- the human being, where the ‘diagnosis’ is has been an increase in opportunities Many interesting reflections sabilities who were able to only a part of the person. for companies to reflect on and exchange on this issue can be found laugh at their own condi- We often hear the expression ‘differently views on best practices. We have a long in the work of the tion and get a smile out able’. The ICF has shown that disability is road ahead of us, but my motto is, ‘In the psychologist Watzlawi- The ICF of their interlocutors, created by an individual’s interactions and realm of ideas everything depends on en- ck, who in 1971 pu- thereby overcoming the level of their participation with their thusiasm ... in the real world everything is blished Pragmatics has shown that the risk of misunder- environment. So we are all disabled, as based on perseverance’ (Goethe). of Human Commu- disability is created standings arising or anyone can find themselves experiencing nication. After many by an individual’s offence being taken. a situation that requires different ways of years of study, Wa- interactions We also know that performing a task. tzlawick formulated and the level of their when we interact We must make a ‘switch’. First we could five essential assu- with each other, it is start addressing people by their first and mptions (or axioms) participation easy to yield to the last names. on which human com- with their influence of our sym- Inclusive language talks about persons munication is based. environment. bolic, conventional and with a disability, workers with a disability He also argued that all signalling systems ac- or students with learning difficulties. communication presuppo- cording to our culture of The term ‘person’ was used by the UN ses a commitment, and this reference (L. M. Anolli). Convention on the Rights of Persons with is what defines a relationship. This brings us to the four- Disabilities, which has become the inter- Three of these axioms are particu- th axiom: many of us are aware national standard. larly interesting, let's take a look at them. that we have both verbal and non-ver- This term is neutral, has neither positi- 1. One cannot not communicate; bal language. But what do we mean by ve nor negative characteristics and has a 2. In every type of communcation there non-verbal? universal meaning for all human beings. are two levels: content and relationship; Usually the non-verbal is associated with Despite long-standing commitments to 4. Human beings communicate with both posture, but it is an understatement to the creation of inclusive contexts, even digital (verbal) and analog (non-verbal) limit ourselves to this. The position of the today there is a tendency to use obsolete modalities. body, gestures, but also facial expressions, and, at times, offensive language. This in- The first axiom underlines that it is not vocal inflection, as well as the sequence, cludes language used by public figures and possible to not communicate: all our beha- rhythm and cadence of words are also im- this, unfortunately, feeds into creating an ANTONIA DEL VECCHIO was born in 1981. Psychologist and viours are ways of communicating, even if portant. even more distorted view. Psychoterapist. Disability Manager. we do not literally ‘say’ anything. Based on these assumptions, we can This aspect is defined very clearly in a

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C. Cannarile, R. Putignano, L. De Carlo DEAF PEOPLE INCLUDED PROJECT How a small community has managed to make a great con- tribution to corporate culture... and go the ‘extra mile’ together

n a large company like TIM, there are many ways that allows you to: to talk about and accomplish inclusion. Make and receive phone calls with and from any One approach we really like emerged over the colleague and external user, using text-to-speech te- course of our 10 years’ worth of experience with chnology and vice versa; Iour deaf colleagues. They are not a very large group Access an online Italian Sign Language interpreting – never more than 70 out of a total of over 40,000 service, both for one-to-one business meetings and people in Italy – that has managed to find its place in for participation in training activities, videoconferen- inclusion management policies in concrete and deci- ces, staff meetings and online events. sive ways: not merely as beneficiaries, but as bearers Communicating effectively is essential, but it is of solutions. not enough to have the appropriate hardware or bers outside the hospital, through terminals supplied that TIM implements at 360 degrees, with initiatives We started 10 years ago, with the basics, of course: software: the really enabling factor is a shared cultu- to the hospitals with free interpreting services in aimed at all kinds of diversity. providing all deaf employees with IT equipment op- re, bringing the different approaches and skills to all Italian Sign Language and communication with tech- We have built our culture of inclusion with training, timised for their needs. Smartphones, portable PCs employees. nologies that enable text-to-speech and speech-to of course, but also in the field: only concrete work with high-definition webcams (to lipread, but above This was the real challenge, which we took up with text communication in real time. experiences allow everyone – hearing, deaf, short-si- all to see colleagues who express themselves in Ita- dissemination, internal communication and co-plan- This same group is now collaborating with ghted, dyslexic – to get to know each other and lian Sign Language) and, as technology evolved, dedi- ning initiatives in recent years: hearing and deaf pe- TIMVISION to verify that the sign language in the find common ground on which to build, produce, cated applications to support deaf-hearing commu- ople have been working together to find solutions cartoons that will be available on the platform for move beyond where we find ourselves now. Our nication, both in person and through video. aimed at including employees with different abilities. Christmas is correct; currently an educational car- work continues on many different fronts and our In parallel, our experience in the field has highlighted This path culminated with a training session, open toon produced by the San Raffaele University that permanent laboratory – the TIM4Inclusion com- which sectors best enabled the development of va- on the TIM Academy to the entire company; 4 brief explains Coronavirus to children in a fun way is alre- munity, which includes all employees interested in rious deaf colleagues’ skills. Often, due to the ab- videos featuring, among others, TIM employees, whi- ady available in the ‘Leo & Giulia’ catalogue. contributing to enhancing diversity – allows us to sence of distractions due to noise, they are better ch show the daily difficulties that deaf colleagues A deaf employee participated enthusiastically and continuously and freely consider topics and inclusion able than others to concentrate on activities and to face with regard to communication and work, and proactively in the first project aimed at promoting initiatives that are important to us. carry them out with accuracy and speed, even in how some tools and services enable them to be the inclusion of employees with Specific Learning It goes without saying that many deaf employees are noisy/open-plan offices. This is an added value that better integrated into work activities. Disorders: contributing, with her vision and a lot of a proud part of this community; they offer the has produced very visible results in the management Where are we today? Inclusion in our company empathy, to correctly identifying other, very different same passion and original vision as everyone else and remediation of Network Data Banks and in the also includes the opportunity to participate in the communication needs. and are an example of how, even there is only a logistics sector. group's numerous social responsibility initiatives. Deaf and hearing colleagues working side by side small number of us, we can be heard by many. Our work methodology is also important: having to And, in fact, at a particularly dark and difficult mo- was enriching for all involved: because everyone was facilitate collaboration between 7 deaf employees ment for everyone, the deaf community, aware of ‘forced’ to review their way of communicating and located in 7 different cities, we were ahead of the being able to make an important contribution of its to question things they do on autopilot and uncon- times – well before there was much talk of smart own, activated itself. scious stereotypes that they have (exaggerating with working – by integrating effective tools for video- Since the beginning of the pandemic, a group of deaf facial expressions does not help a deaf person to conferences, web collaboration and desk sharing. employees have made themselves available to col- lipread better, in fact it distorts the lips...), and to COSIMO CANNARILE and ROBERTO PUTIGNANO Today, also by virtue of the partnership between TIM laborate on a TIM project with the Italian National listen better. and Pedius (an accelerated start-up within the TIM Deaf Organisation. The goal is to facilitate communi- (Specialised activities on the TIM Access Network Data This project is called ‘Deaf People Included’ and it is WCAP programme and which TIM currently has a cation between deaf patients hospitalised with CO- Banks) ‘only’ a small parcel of the fertile ground of inclusion LAURA DE CARLO share in), every deaf colleague has the Pedius app VID-19 both and health workers and family mem- , Intercompany & Cross Activities

132 | DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 |133 "Being yourself is not about ideology. It’s your identity" Ursula von der Leyen RICE AND SILK | Column by Alessia Mosca Column by Igor Šuran | BEYOND THE MIRROR IDENTITY WORDS THAT EXCLUDE

eeing is believing and if terms in Italian: the managing di- ger generations new parameters ords, care about, people we ply as a woman whose you have examples you rector (l’amministratrice delega- to inspire them is an easily met words, would never wish to sexual orientation is can dream bigger. ta) the minister (la ministra), the need. Offering them a greater words. hurt. They turn into ho- homosexual. A woman Looking at non-stere- rector (la rettrice)... Today we variety of role models whose stile words. who loves women. otypical leaders or role models are going a step further, getting achievements are perceived as S Those magical combi- Some people do this on Today we aren’t talking effectively reinforces change in at the substance of the matter reachable requires the courage W nations of letters that purpose. There are tho- about words that are the culture of equality: if we use and this is also thanks to images, to put one's face to it. However, become a reflection of se who are aware of the blatantly offensive. The more and more (new) words which bounce around at unima- inspiring them with a different our thoughts. Of our- manipulative power words we’re discus- in the debate on gender issues, ginable speed, such as the photo mindset is an almost natural selves. Because we are of words that turn into sing today are actually we can benefit from the stories of the Nobel laureates in Che- phenomenon that can be instil- our thoughts. And we weapons. among the most beauti- of women who, through their mistry, Emmanuelle Charpentier led in the family: having a mother are our words. But we – those of us ful in our language and example, inspire new opportuni- and Jennifer Doudna, the first who works outside of the home And, often, the only reading these lines – in every language in the ties for empowerment. woman at the helm of Citi Bank, pushes back against the stere- way for others to get to don’t do it on purpo- world. And even when More and more often we read Jane Fraser, or the unusual space otypical thought of ‘think of a know us is through the se. Sometimes it just they aren’t among the about leadership positions fe- that president-elect Biden made manager, think of a man’ and, in words we speak. Not happens because we noblest words, they are aturing one or more women for his Vice President, Kamala the long run, makes women less everyone has the privi- are not aware of how words we use every day, as protagonists. This is a trend Harris, in his first speech after his reluctant to imagine themselves lege of being privy to much the meaning of a thousand times a day. that, in this year that challenged victory was confirmed. We walk as leaders. our thoughts, of seeing the words we say can And they can make the all known parameters, as well on the shoulders of those who Today, despite clear examples us at difficult times in mutate while they are people who hear them as expanding a new vocabulary, preceded us, said Harris herself, of the trend, the path to gender our lives, of understan- ‘flying’ towards our li- feel excluded. cemented our sensitivity and these are the examples we equality remains arduous and the ding that we are good stener. Because nobody But how can a normal towards the way the stories of build a fair society on. goal very (very) far away. Pro- people. has ever told us. Nobo- word make someone female leaders who are transfor- Cultural revolutions are en- gress is being jeopardised by the They evaluate us based dy has made us see. Or feel excluded?’ they med into role models are told. couraged by the emulation of pandemic and the resulting crisis. on what they hear. Our they have talked to us ask me. Exactly, that’s Years ago the debate on em- those who tried to change the Many women remain threatened words. And, for them, about it, but we didn’t it. Normal. I’m already powerment was often mediated status quo before us. But focu- by a wide pay gap, by all the dan- our words are our listen. We didn’t realise starting to feel exclu- through claims about preferred sing only on women who have gers associated with being eco- thoughts. For them, our how important it was. ded. made it to the halls of power, nomically dependent, by policies words are who we are. Faggot, poof, ugly tran- who have won an Oscar or cre- that are not suited to retraining Often, very often, the- svestite … ated million-euro businesses, can women and by a culture that is re is perfect harmony No, those aren’t the be counterproductive if, as often too full of stereotypes that push between meaning and words I’m talking about happens, they are perceived as women into clearly defined, mar- how the words that lea- today. Of course they’re role models who are too remote ginal roles. Not to mention that ve our mouths and enter terribly offensive, a to be emulated. In fact, diversity women found themselves fur- the ears of others are ‘declaration of war’, is achieved through all possible ther weighed down by careta- understood. Words be- used to annihilate … nuances. If internationally acclai- king responsibilities. come what we intended but they’re so obvious, med people affirm the possibility To change the culture it is the- for them to be: they are so transparent in their of reaching the top, we also need refore necessary to rethink the peaceful and unequivo- intent to harm that it models that are closer to us: work of women, but also the mo- cal. Friendly words. doesn’t take a team of the teacher who inspires critical dels that are proposed, starting Other times, however, enlightened minds to thinking, the local entrepreneur with women’s university educa- this harmony do- determine how much who manages a company with tions. While it is true that Mathe- esn’t exist. And our danger they pose. tenacity, the older student who is matics, Science, Finance and digi- words, while flying from When you think about successfully completing a course tal knowledge are languages that our mouths to others’ it, the word lesbian is ALESSIA MOSCA was born in that is not considered ‘typically enable a​​ new kind of inclusion, to ears, transform, turning often interpreted as 1975 and has a Ph.D.; she is a pro- female’. date half of the population is still IGOR ŠURAN was born in 1966. moter of the Golfo-Mosca law, Se- into projectiles, atomic an insult. Even though With the immediacy of access behind in this regard, mainly due He has a degree in Economics and cretary General Italia-ASEAN, and bombs. And they hurt every dictionary in the Commerce., Executive Director of Parks - to information that is guarante- to mental habits and preconcep- the Vice President of Fuori Quota … They hurt people we world defines it sim- Liberi e Uguali. ed by technology, offering youn- tions that die hard.

134 | DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 |135 “Everything moves in cycles. So twice a century, the ocean lets us know how small we really are” “Mister Albans, Auggie cannot change the way he looks. from the movie Point Break But maybe we can change the way we see". from the movie Wonder POINT BREAK | Column by Valeria Colombo Column by Paolo Beretta | WONDER

“DO NOT ASK US” INCLUSION IN THE WORKPLACE AND SATISFACTION hen I started economic, social and political mate change, sustainable thinking about debates and the discussion use and protection of water the theme of has often focused precisely and marine resources, transi- language, the on the difficulty of defining tion to the circular economy, ‘I am a graduate student and I be- protagonists, and to write that Nations Convention on the Rights firstW thing that came to mind it in an exhaustive and at the pollution prevention and con- long to the “protected categories”, chapter where we talk about the of Persons with Disabilities – pre- is a poem by Eugenio Montale same time intelligible way. trol, protection of biodiversi- as defined by art.1., as a disabled beginning of a professional path vent ‘full and effective participation titled ‘Do not ask us for the The market for ‘sustainable’ ty and the health of eco-sy- person. My life changed following filled with valuesand ​​ value. in society on an equal basis with word that gives shape from consumer or financial pro- stems. a road accident: I suffered very At the centre are people, and that others’. Those barriers, in Italy, are all angles’, one of the most ducts has expanded great- The taxonomy will allow inve- serious injuries. After many initial galaxy of organisations that have still high. A number that shows beautiful pieces of Italian po- ly, and in the absence of a stors to identify the most su- difficulties, I decided to adapt to chosen to be protagonists along how high those barriers are is the etry, which is a part of the shared definition, the risk of stainable companies towards this new life “on wheels” and de- the path of inclusion and active ISTAT (Italian National Institute masterpiece Ossi di seppia confusion, if not ‘deception’, which to direct investments. veloped a great interest in issues participation: universities, third of Statistics) figure for 2019, whi- (Cuttlefish Bones), from 1925. which in this sector is called It is indeed important that such as innovation, sustainability sector organisations and com- ch notes that the satisfaction I invite you to reread it; like greenwashing, is increasing. capital is channelled to com- and inclusion.’ This is the story of panies. Companies such as A2A, expressed by Italians with their li- many of Montale's poems, the To protect savers and consu- panies that contribute to the one of the hundreds of people Accenture, Air Liquide, Akka Ita- ves is at 44.5%. For people with communicative and emotio- mers, the European Union is transition to a low-carbon who, through the Inclusion Job lia, Allos, Almaviva, Amazon, Arval, disabilities, the figure is 19.2%. Less nal power expressed in a few working to define a common economy, in compliance with Day, wanted to write a different Barbieri, Capgemini Italia, Cerved, than half. Significantly, it rises to simple words is astonishing. language that clarifies what social priorities. chapter. Enel Group, Essity, EY, Fater, Ferro- 30.5% for graduates and 38.2% for Leaving aside the deeper me- characteristics a product must The EU’s work is impressive A chapter that talks about how vie dello Stato Italiane, FINECO- those in employment. Cold num- aning of the verses for a mo- have in order to be conside- and has not been free from resilience, the ability to overcome BANK SpA, Generali, Gi Group, bers that suggest a path forward. ment, I would like to focus on red sustainable. criticism, but it is current- serious obstacles, has not preven- Job Service Spa, Lavorando.com, Fifty-four per cent of the over the surface message: finding With regard to sustainable fi- ly the most advanced step ted you from completing your LIDL, Mapei, Micron Semicon- 1000 people with disabilities from a word, a common language nance, the tool that is being towards a shared definition of studies successfully and from pre- ductor Italia, Neopharmed Gen- all over Italy who have participa- that clearly defines a concept, adopted is the Green Taxo- sustainability; the EU is also senting yourself to the job market tili, NTT Data, Omron Electronics ted in the Inclusion Job Days in is a complicated undertaking. nomy, which classifies which working with other countries with different abilities, made spe- SpA, Peroni, Procter & Gamble, the last 6 months are graduates. And this is also true when we activities can be considered within the International Pla- cial by experience, from a point of SuperJob, TeamSystem, Total Italia Degrees in engineering, economi- talk about sustainability. sustainable from an environ- tform on Sustainable Finance view and from a language capable Servizi, Umana SpA, which, even in cs, law, computer science: degrees In recent years, sustainability mental and social point of (IPFS) to compare existing of reinventing common experien- a complicated year like 2020, joi- that suggest the presence of diffe- has gained a lot of space in view. The EU has opted for a taxonomies and identify com- ces. A narrative that would like to ned Cesop HR Consulting Com- rent skills and special motivations. positive classification (what monalities and differences in close with ‘Today, I work and grow pany and INTERACTION FARM is sustainable) and, given the approach, criteria, and results with/in a company that has focu- to add energy to the Inclusion Job complexity of the issue, has obtained. sed on my skills, my commitment Day programme. By making their established three criteria for To ‘look at sustainability from and the ability to make a valuable proactive presence felt and par- categorisation. To be defined all angles’ it is therefore ne- contribution.’ A chapter with a ticipating in virtual events on as ‘green’ an activity must cessary to consider several happy ending, not thanks to the www.inclusionjobday.com, which contribute positively to one dimensions, evaluate the po- term ‘protected categories’ but allowed them to meet hundreds of the environmental and sitive and negative impact, as thanks to those ‘different skills’ that of candidates with disabilities and climate objectives, be carried well as the intentional and make the difference. A leap in lan- especially with different abilities. out in compliance with mini- collateral impact, share poin- guage, a reversal of your point of Also in 2021, starting from Mar- mum social guarantees, and ts of view and good practices view based on stereotype, stigma ch 25 and May 6, we aim to bring at the same time not dama- and, above all, to not forget and prejudice. many stories to a happy ending, ge any other objective. The that environment and people Wonder: this column (the title of which is also a beginning: that of a environmental and climate are part of a whole that must which comes from Stephen Ch- professional and personal path of VALERIA COLOMBO was born in objectives identified by the be protected and allowed to bosky’s beautiful film from 2017) affirmation, autonomy and sociali- PAOLO BERETTA. 1977. Degree in 1978 and has a degree in Political taxonomy are: climate change grow. was born with the aim of telling ty to climb those barriers which – Economics and Commerce. Partner & co- Science. mitigation, adaptation to cli- stories through the eyes of their to directly quote the 2006 United creator Inclusion Job Day.

136 | DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 DIVERCITY | NUMERO 9 – DICEMBRE 2020 | 137 At Omnicom Media Group we deal with numbers, analysis, data. But we never forget that before anything else, we are People. Thanks to spontaneous initiatives around the theme of diversity, we have a host of projects on inclusion and welfare.

It’s a matter of taking a stand: diversity understood as moving away from a middle ground is as unlikely as it is meaningless. Being different is an exaltation of individual identity, which becomes a strength when it is enriched by sensitivity, cultures, ethnicities, a range of genders and sexual, political, social and religious orientations. When something new arises from being confronted with each other. Something diverse.

138 139 DiverCity HAVE COLLABORATED ON THIS ISSUE Quarterly magazine VI December 2020 issue DiverCity DIVERCITY Registration Court of Bergamo n ° 04, 9 April 2018 Rosy Russo, Paola Caselli, Elvira Di Bella, Stefano Ciccone, Terence Parris, Magazine di inclusione e innovazione DIVERCITY Magazine di inclusione e innovazione Magazine di inclusione e innovazione Managing Director Valentina Dolciotti Mariacristina Brembilla, Marzia Camarda, Rose Cartolari, Vincenzo Miri, Silvia Registered office via IV novembre 36, 24128 BG Camisasca, Maria Cristina Origlia, Nicole Riva, Stefania Cavagnoli, Mara Ta- nelli, Sara Del Bello, Luciano Costantino, Chiara Bersano, Elisa Gaggero, Silvia Publisher and press Martella, Enrico Falck, Alexa Pantanella, Chiara Zaccariotto, Claudio Guffanti, Sestanteinc srl edizioni Giorgio Siracusa, Luciano Canfora, Davide Sapienza, Silvia Rota Sperti, Angela Bianchi, Elena Luciano, Paola Suardi, Paola Ugolini, Mauro Danesi, Alessia Mo- Graphic layout sca, Igor Šuran, Valeria Colombo, Paolo Beretta. Margherita Animelli

Web version: divercitymag.it PHOTOGRAPHIC CREDITS LINKS Info - [email protected] Autorizzazione Tribunale di Bergamo n° 04 del 13 Aprile 2018 - Anno I - Numero 2 Gennaio 2019 - Direttrice Responsabile Valentina Dolciotti - Stampa: Sestanteinc - Bergamo Dolciotti - Stampa: Valentina Anno I - Numero 2 Gennaio 2019 Direttrice Responsabile Aprile 2018 - di Bergamo n° 04 del 13 Tribunale Autorizzazione Autorizzazione Tribunale di Bergamo n° 04 del 13 Aprile 2018 - Anno I - Numero 1 Aprile 2018 - Direttrice Responsabile Valentina Dolciotti - Stampa: Sestanteinc - Bergamo Dolciotti - Stampa: Valentina Aprile 2018 - Direttrice Responsabile Anno I - Numero 1 Aprile 2018 - di Bergamo n° 04 del 13 Tribunale Autorizzazione

Autorizzazione Tribunale di Bergamo n° 04 del 13 Aprile 2018 - Anno II - Numero 3 Maggio 2019 - Direttrice Responsabile Valentina Dolciotti - Stampa: Sestanteinc - Bergamo Dolciotti - Stampa: Valentina Anno II - Numero 3 Maggio 2019 Direttrice Responsabile Aprile 2018 - di Bergamo n° 04 del 13 Tribunale Autorizzazione Editorial board Valentina Dolciotti, Editorial Director

COVER STORY, CLAUDIA PARZANI Tiziano Colombi, Vice Director, Marketing Director COVER STORY, ROSE CARTOLARI cover story, IGor Šuran Valentina Dolciotti Valentina Dolciotti Valentina Dolciotti Francesca Gianola, Editorial Secretary

IL NETWORK BAMBINI INCLUSIVE NEVE SHALOM L’INCLUSIONE MATTONI ROSSI INTERVISTA A COOKING IS AN ART Margherita Animelli, Social Media Specialist Intercultura Generale DIetro JoIntly InclusIone IN IBM SENZA SBARRE MINDSET WAHAT AS-SALAM È UNA SCELTA SBARRE AZZURRE SIMONA COMANDÈ Olimpia Zagnoli e GlobalIzzazIone la collIna Il Welfare conDIvIso In enel Doriana De Benedictis Floriana Battevi Marco Buemi Rosita Poloni Avio Aero Patrizia De Grazia Philips per Barilla Lucilla Rizzini Lucio Guarinoni Fabio Galluccio approfondimento Rose Cartolari, Advisory Board Member Kerstin Mierke, Editing & Translations

DIVERCITY DIVERCITY Magazine europeo di inclusione e innovazione Magazine europeo di inclusione e innovazione because words matter Autorizzazione Tribunale di Bergamo n° 04 del 13 Aprile 2018 – Anno II – Numero 4 – Settembre 2019 – Direttrice Responsabile Valentina Dolciotti – Stampa: Sestanteinc – Bergamo Dolciotti – Stampa: Valentina Anno II – Numero 4 Settembre 2019 Direttrice Responsabile Aprile 2018 – di Bergamo n° 04 del 13 Tribunale Autorizzazione Autorizzazione Tribunale di Bergamo n° 04 del 9 Aprile 2018 – Periodico trimestrale – Anno II – Numero 5 – Dicembre 2019 – Direttrice Responsabile Valentina Dolciotti – Stampa: Sestanteinc – Bergamo Dolciotti – Stampa: Valentina Anno II – Numero 5 Dicembre 2019 Direttrice Responsabile Aprile 2018 – Periodico trimestrale di Bergamo n° 04 del 9 Tribunale Autorizzazione

COVER STO RY, DANIEL DANSO COVER STORY, DARYL BEETON Sestanteinc – Bergamo Dolciotti – Stampa: Valentina Anno III – Numero 6 Marzo 2020 Direttrice Responsabile Aprile 2018 – Periodico trimestrale di Bergamo n° 04 del 9 Tribunale Autorizzazione Valentina Dolciotti Valentina Dolciotti

IL SUCCESSO DI UNA REALTÀ LE DIVERSITÀ? PER NOI L’INCLUSIONE È ENERGIA SEMPRE DIVERSITY TRA ETICA E GLOBALE E COMPLESSA SONO UNA RICCHEZZA UN GIOCO DI SQUADRA PER TUTTI 25 NOVEMBRE COMPETITIVITÀ AZIENDALE State Street Gruppo Hera Sanofi Italia Baker Hughes Sorgenia MSD Italia

L’INCLUSIONE AL CENTRO LA MAPPA OLTRE IL TABÙ, VERSO LA OASI DI TERAPIA INNOVARE LA COMPAGNIA DELL’EMPLOYEE JOURNEY DELLA DIVERSITÀ CULTURA DELLA DISABILITÀ RICREATIVA PER INCLUDERE TEATRALE COVER STORY, ALESSIA MOSCA Deloitte Allianz Partners Openjobmetis Dynamo Camp Cristina Tajani Nina’s Drag Queens Valentina Dolciotti

DIVERCITY because words matter

AGENZIA PER IL LAVORO Autorizzazione Tribunale di Bergamo n° 04 del 9 Aprile 2018 – Periodico trimestrale – Anno III – Numero 7 – Giugno 2020 – Direttrice Responsabile Valentina Dolciotti – Stampa: Sestanteinc – Bergamo Dolciotti – Stampa: Valentina Anno III – Numero 7 Giugno 2020 Direttrice Responsabile Aprile 2018 – Periodico trimestrale di Bergamo n° 04 del 9 Tribunale Autorizzazione

COVER STORY, TELMO PIEVANI Valentina Dolciotti

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