Awards were presented at the Campidoglio to the finalist of the 5
th edition of the
Global Junior Challenge, the international competition organised by the
Fondazione Mondo Digitale to promote the innovative use of new technology for training, education, solidarity and international cooperation.
Giovanni Biondi, Programming Department Manager, participated on behalf of the Italian Ministry of Education. Tullio De Mauro, the President of the Fondazione Mondo Digitale read out the motivations provided by the international jury and proclaimed the winners.
Laura Marsilio, Rome City Councillor for Schools, Family and Infancy presented the statuette of the Etruscan she-wolf with Romulus and Remus to the winning projects in each category:
- Bla Bla Bla e-democracy and minors (Vicenza, Italy) for the “Up to 10 years old” category
- Schoolvision 2009! (UK) for the “Up to 15 years old” category
- The Pizza Business Across Europe (Cosenza, Italy) for the “Up to 18 years old” category
- Ict4d Research and Resource Centre in the Rural Rwenzori Region (Uganda) for the “Up to 29 years old” category
- Takoradi Educational Resource Centre (Ghana) for the “Work” category
- EE-Net Game (Bari, Italy) for the “Creativity and Social Innovation” category
The President of the City Council, Marco Pomarici, presented The Special Prize of the President of the Republic, three silver medals to the most innovative Italian school projects:
- I’m at Home, but at School: a webcam to participate, Rome
- On-line Didactics for a Sustainable Planet, Terni
- New Technologies, Ancient Values: Radio K2, Verbania
The international jury also extended a special mention to two teachers for the quality and quantity of the projects presented: Marsha Goren (Ein Ganim Elementary School, Israel) and Marina Marino (Liceo scientifico Francesco Cecioni, Livorno).
The Small Fund Award, a small fund reserved for projects from the poorer areas of the world, went to:
- Ict4d Research and Resource Centre in the Rural Rwenzori Region (Uganda)
- Takoradi Educational Resource Centre (Ghana)
- Education in the prevention in Aids/Sti in the Andean Region and Caribbean, Peru
Alfonso Molina, Scientific Director of the Fondazione Mondo Digitale, presented the Small Fund Awards.