Padua, 9 November 2022 – Stories of commitment and perseverance which are the results of a year- long work “with” Africa, future challenges, hidden and distant tragedies that are unknown yet caused by the serious global crisis we are all in. These will be the core topics at the Annual Meeting of Doctors with Africa Cuamm, which this year will be opened with the special audience with Pope Francis.
The event, open to everyone upon registration, will take place Saturday 19th November at 9h in the Paul VI Hall, Vatican City (Rome).
Life in Africa is an obstacle course, a bumpy climb where toils are added to toils and weights to weights, with the ultimate risk of being squashed, with the risk that it is always the poorest, and the weakest, mothers and children who pay. But ‘Africa is not just a misfortune that befell close to us’, as Don Dante Carraro, director of the Padua-based NGO, often emphasises. It is much more, it is a great sense of life, despite everything. By going beyond the problems and looking at the good that is being built every day, we can learn a lot from this continent.
Climate change, droughts, Covid-19 and also the war in Ukraine. These are problems that impact our daily lives and that have devastating effects in Africa, effects that no one talks about and on which Doctors with Africa Cuamm wants to draw everyone’s attention and wants to recount them and ‘offer them’ to the Holy Father, who with his words and his example can be a guide and point of reference to continue on this path of caring and support to the poorest and most fragile.
Numerous topics will be discussed over the Meeting: from the first results of the programme ‘Mothers and children first. People and competencies’, which focuses on the training of competent and motivated health workers; to fragile countries such as South Sudan and the Central African Republic; from the commitment to the vaccination campaign in Africa to telling “What goes unseen”, the great tragedies and the dramatic effects of this global crisis on Africa. The skyrocketing prices of basic goods and material for the ordinary activities in hospitals; the number of malnourished children; the almost fourfold increase in the cost of petrol, with very heavy consequences on the referral system; diabetes drugs costing three times as much. “What goes unseen” from where we stand is a lot and will be told at the Cuamm Annual Meeting, together with the silent yet constant commitment of Doctors with Africa Cuamm, which has been working in the field over 70 years, alongside the last, “with” Africa always, despite everything.
Neri Marcorè, Sveva Sagramola and Niccolò Fabi are the three special friends who will give a voice and face to this heartfelt appeal that Cuamm will be launching before Pope Francis. They are witnesses who in different ways share the commitment ‘with Africa’ and with their involvement can help mobilise as many people as possible.
A special mention to “I Polli(ci)ni” Orchestra from Padua that will enrich the event with some pieces from its repertoire.
PROGRAMME
9h Paul VI Hall – Vatican City – Rome
Host Sveva Sagramola
First part:
Pope Francis’s entrance
Greetings from Monsignor Claudio Cipolla, Bishop of Padua
Audience by Pope Francis
Second part:
Spot from Sierra Leone
“The effects of the global crisis”
Don Dante Carraro, Director of Doctors with Africa Cuamm
Spot from Uganda
“Results from the first year of the project Mothers and children first. People and competencies.”
Fabio Manenti, Head of Projects at Doctors with Africa Cuamm
Musical interlude – “Pollicini” Orchestra
Spot from Central African Republic
“People and competencies”
Giovanni Putoto, Head of Programme at Cuamm
Pietro Invernizzi, Director of the School of Medicine and Surgery at Bicocca University, Milan
Valentina Iacobelli and Francesco Tagliente, residents at Matany, Uganda
Musical interlude – “Pollicini” Orchestra
“High-quality collaborations”
Andrea Atzori, head of International Relations and Emergency department at Cuamm
Spot from the vaccination campaign
“Evaluation of the vaccination campaign in Africa”
Francesca Tognon, Operational research at Doctors with Africa Cuamm
Alberto Mantovani, Scientific Director at Humanitas Research Hospital, Milan
“What goes unseen”
Niccolò Fabi, songwriter
Don Dante Carraro, Director of Doctors with Africa Cuamm
ACCREDITATION PROCEDURES
Journalists and media operators who wish to participate must send a request, within 24 hours of the event, through the Holy See Press Office’s online Accreditation System at: press.vatican.va/accreditations
The ANNUAL MEETING enjoys the patronage of FNOPO, is realised with the special support of Gilead Sciences S.r.l. and with the contribution of Banca Etica. Technical Sponsor: Freccia Rossa – official train
Media Partner: Vatican news, Vatican Radio, Tv2000, In Blu, Avvenire, Rai Radio 1, Corriere Buone Notizie, Africa Rivista.
MOTHERS AND CHILDREN FIRST is a programme in collaboration with Fondazione Cariparo, Fondazione Cariverona, Fondazione Cariplo, Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo, Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Lucca.
