“Legality and Merit in Schools” Project - Closing ceremony for the fourth edition

Click here to see the finalist projects from the 4th Edition!

Over 20 institutions—including classical, scientific, and artistic high schools, as well as vocational-technical schools—from across Italy, along with 3 Juvenile Correctional Institutions (Catania, Florence, and Milan), engaged in discussions on legality with 133 Luiss Ambassadors and a team of doctoral students, research fellows, and tutors from the University’s 4 departments. These are the figures that marked the conclusion of the fourth edition of the “Legality and Merit in Schools” project, an initiative conceived by Luiss Vice President Paola Severino to promote a culture of anti-corruption and respect for the rules among university students and high school pupils in challenging areas of our country.

This project has always seen Luiss University at the forefront, working to raise awareness among the next generation about issues of justice and merit, starting right in school. It fosters an open dialogue among young people about a culture of legality, with a particular focus on the current crisis: from the economic and social risks of illegality during a pandemic to the power of the internet in spreading disinformation, and from undeclared work to cybercrime.

The program, which kicked off on February 18 with Education Minister Patrizio Bianchi in attendance, featured virtual meetings and remote lessons. It concluded on Monday, June 7, with an awards ceremony for the finalist projects and the renewal of the Memorandum of Understanding among the project’s sponsoring institutions.

Launched in 2017, “Legality and Merit in Schools” was developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice (MDG), the Ministry of Education (MI), the Ministry of University and Research (MUR), the Superior Council of the Judiciary (CSM), the National Anti-Mafia and Counter-Terrorism Directorate (DNA), and the National Anti-Corruption Authority (ANAC).

The closing event began with a video recap of the entire journey, followed by remarks from the authorities that signed the Protocol: Minister of Education Patrizio Bianchi, Minister of University and Research Maria Cristina Messa, National Anti-Mafia and Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor Federico Cafiero de Raho, and President of the National Anti-Corruption Authority Giuseppe Busia. Meanwhile, messages from Justice Minister Marta Cartabia and the Vice President of the Superior Council of Magistracy, David Ermini, were read. Michelangelo Suigo, Director of External Relations , Communication & Sustainability at Inwit, brought the series of speeches to a close.

As in the past, the winning projects received an award from the Ministry of Education to purchase educational materials, while Luiss provided 22 scholarships. Additionally, starting this year, the Project has also benefited from the support of Inwit – a special partner for the 2021 edition – which has allocated two additional scholarships for enrollment and attendance in a three-year program and a single-cycle master’s degree at Luiss.

This year's finalists tackled challenging topics and issues of social injustice, but also explored themes of rebirth and social redemption. On the podium: the Istituto Penale Minorile di Firenze took third place with the project “La mia verità”; the Istituto Superiore “Europa” of Pomigliano d'Arco, with the work titled “Figli dei fuochi,” came in second, tied with the IIS “Duni-Levi” of Matera, with the project “Un mondo quasi perfetto.” In first place was the “Melchiorre Delfico – Guido Montauti” Institute of Higher Education in Teramo, with their project titled: “Gambling as a Hypothesis of Self-Laundering.”

“In these challenging times, education and training are the essential pillars for our country’s recovery and the growth of an entire generation of young people—who have already been severely impacted by the crisis triggered by the pandemic,” stated Luiss Vice President Paola Severino. She added: “The ‘Legality and Merit in Schools’ project, now in its fourth edition, aims to continue our commitment to fighting corruption and upholding the rules, tackling early school leaving, and removing any barriers to educational pathways. This initiative, developed by our University with the invaluable support of Italy’s highest institutions, aims to identify the dreams and needs of young people, understand them, value them, and reward them by investing confidently in their future. ”