Working with Sophia: Giulia Pongiglione talks about the "SciC" project

Collaboration between Sophia and Polo Bonfanti

 

Can economic actors work together for a greater good, the common good of cities, communities, and countries? "A great distrust prevails towards the economy today. It is seen as a machine that crushes the masses, benefiting only a handful. However, social, civic and communitarian economics allow us to have some hope."

 

Prof. Benedetto Gui, economist, and professor of Political Economy at Sophia is optimistic. On March 13, 2016, he explained the motivation and the content of the Multimedia Exhibition of a social, civic and communitarian economy. Polo Bonfanti welcomed the idea and the project was started off in collaboration with the Department of Economics at IUS. Prof. Gui says, "The acronym, ‘SciC’ puts together the Social Economy with the cooperative tradition and the ferment of new initiatives, such as 'Civil Economy’, which also sees companies as partners in building the public interest, and the Economy of Communion, born to respond to poverty and to put the person in the center."

 

Among the prime movers of the exhibition is Giulia Pongiglione from Genoa who together with others decided not to exhibit art pieces but show economic paths. She recently graduated from Sophia in Economics and Management. She explained, "Part of my course at Sophia was a 300-hour internship that I was able to carry out at the Polo Bonfanti, precisely working on the designing and development of the expo. The expo takes the form of a journey. Although young people were the main target group they are not the only ones. Anyone who enters is drawn into stories, projects, and places and lives an experience of connecting with an economy that puts the person in the centre. In short, through images, words, faces and video contributions, one could touch a side of the economy, still unknown to many but alive and present in our territories." 

 

Giulia adds: "Of course it is never easy to talk about the economy, even if it deals with a 'good', positive, and a human value. None of us collaborators knew where to begin. I had to face the challenge of having to renew my commitment many times. I want my life to be useful; I want to do good. This is why I studied economics. Then, with my studies, I felt the need to understand if my vision was compatible with the economic categories. I started to explore the world of social economy. Coming to Loppiano and studying at Sophia gave me a chance to know the Economy of Communion (EdC). Now, my collaboration with the Polo Bonfanti continues with the design and development of the Multimedia Exhibition."