During the present school year, STEFANO D’AMICO ,a students of our school“ F.S. Cabrini”, has been elected as Member of the “Apulia Parliament of Young people” a project started in Puglia in 2005 and carried out in order to establish a direct connection  among the Regional Council of Puglia and the students of the Upper Secondary Schools in the Region.

 

         

 

Its main aim is to contribute to the promotion and  enhancement of  ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP in School Education through participation and dialogue between these parts.

The Young Members of this  Parliament are given the possibility to take an active role  in the real democratic life at Regional level.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Periodical meetings are held in the Regional Council Hall

At the end of the School year, the Young Members of the Parliament bring some Bills about issues and  subject matters concerning young people in front of the President of the Regional Council.

In order to learn more about Stefano’s unique experience, the students involved in the project “ Young People, Active Citizens of Europe” asked him some questions during a meeting about democratic organization in Puglia held in the school conference room on March 2008

 

 

INTERVIEW TO STEFANO D’AMICO

 

 

1.    How did you get information about the project?

 

Answer: Well, first the circular letter was read to the students of the upper classes, then  the  Head of School and a member of his staff called some students of the school who were interested in the project and informed us about the possibility to be a candidate for the “Parliament of Young people of Puglia”.

 We were also given a brochure with all the  necessary information about the project . You know, the elections took place in each school and I was elected

 

 

 

 

 

2.    What is the Parliament made up of? How many students are there ?

 

Answer: 26 students from different schools of Puglia and also some university students but there are also a Government Official of the Regional  Council of Puglia, an Officer of the Regional Education Department, a referee for each administrative department  and a tutor who guides, co-operates with and supports us in all the operative phases. Her name is…. and her help is essential.

3.    Where and when do you meet?

Answer: Periodical meetings, nearly every month, are held in the Regional Council Hall in Bari

 

4.    How is the Students’ Parliament organized?

Answer: There are  5 Committees which are competent to deal with  subject matters such as ENVIRONMENT and  QUALITY OF LIFE; WORK, ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP;  ART and CULTURE;  SPORT and FREE TIME

 

 

5.    What Committee are you in ?

Answer: I’m in the Sport and free time Committee. We are working to a new project called “ A Sport for everyone”, specially designed for children, disabled people and middle age people

 

 

 

 

6.    Have you got your own regulation?

Of course we have our own regulation which includes 30 articles that state the Composition, functions, organization and tasks of the regional Parliament of Young people.

 You can read it on the website: www.parlamentogiovanipuglia.org 

It’s a virtual room where we can discuss and exchange ideas about issues of main interest among young people and you can get information about the activities carried out at the moment by  the student’s Parliament.

               

 

 

 

7.     Are you satisfied with this experience?

 

Answer: What shall I say? Of course I am. I think that young people like me should be aware of their active role in building a democratic society . WE ARE THE HEARTH OF DEMOCRACY.

 

Stefano D’Amico class 4^A EAT- “F.S. Cabrini”

 

Prof. Luisa Cusumano

Comenius 1.1  Coordinator