The “With You, to Shape the Future” project focused on teaching innovation, launched by ABF during phase 2 of the COVID-19 emergency, has gotten underway.
The initiative is supported by Lenovo, the project’s technological partner.
Muccia, September 10 – Today the ABF TeachBus, a real digital library designed to enhance distance learning, created by the Andrea Bocelli Foundation (ABF) with the support of Chopard and Lenovo, the project’s technological partner, was donated to the “E. De Amicis” School Complex in Muccia, the Marche town harshly hit by the 2016 earthquake. The first digital library was handed over by Veronica Berti Bocelli, Andrea Bocelli Foundation (ABF) Vice-Chair, as well as ABF President, Laura Biancalani, and the town’s Mayor, Mario Baroni.
This represents an event of double significance for the 55 students as the school’s reopening – after the interruption of face-to-face schooling caused by the pandemic – coincides with the start of the implementation of the new innovative teaching technologies. In fact, this school digitalization project, which sees Lenovo stepping in as the technological partner, aims to create and maintain the conditions that make the devices – 30 tablets and 20 laptops – real tools of support, integration and enhancement for learning processes.
In 2019, thanks to Chopard’s support, ABF gave back the new “E. De Amicis” pre-school and elementary school to the community of Muccia in 150 days and today, just 4 months after the launch of the fundraising campaign that was launched during the second phase of the COVID-19 emergency, the Foundation is once again demonstrating its desire to help break down the barriers, be they physical or virtual, that can hinder the well-being of individuals and the community in which they live with the “With You, to Shape the Future” project.
“ABF TeachBus”, created in Muccia thanks to the support of Chopard, is a library of devices capable of, first and foremost, guaranteeing that students are able to maintain their relationships with their schoolmates, teachers and atelieristas. The project also includes the development of an online platform for ABF Labs, which will offer access to a vast selection of educational content, and the training and incorporation of the role of the digital atelierista within the teaching staff of the school. This sort of 4.0 librarian specializing in the use of new educational technologies, in collaboration with the ABF working group, will promote new and transversal perspectives on the use of technological tools for students, thereby supporting teachers and families in how to best use these devices.
Indeed, the digital library already has all the devices required for the number of students attending the school. Furthermore, every tablet and laptop will be given to the students with all the content and apps installed, which have been carefully chosen on the basis of their age group also, and will go back to the digital library ready to be reassigned to another student – once their program of study has finished.
Access to education has always been the cornerstone of ABF’s work, both within Italy and abroad, and the embodiment of its mission of “empowering people and communities”.
During the historic period of the global health emergency regarding COVID-19, approximately 91% of students worldwide found themselves forced to continue their education through distance learning and, according to recent data released by the Italian National Institute of Statistics, in Italy 57% of under-17s must share their computer or tablet with their family, while 12.3% do not have one at all.
As a community leader, ABF has chosen to offer tangible support to students, their families and their teachers with an initiative focused on enhancing distance learning and which sees it, once again, standing with communities that find themselves in difficult situations. The objective is to make available the tools required to develop individuals’ talent and help them start again within their own communities.
“Whether they be brick walls or social or digital barriers – says Veronica Berti, ABF Vice-Chair – the Andrea Bocelli Foundation is committed to investing in the future of the younger generations, both within Italy and abroad, by providing them with the tools required to achieve their potential. Our aim is to align our educational projects with the UN’s Global Goal 4: “Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all”.
“We are pleased to support ABF once again this year and to continue to improve the excellence of the Muccia school, which was built in record time and with all the eco-sustainable principles that are so near and dear to Maison Chopard,” says Simona Zito, Chopard Italia General Manager. “Never before have we realized how much school is the foundation on which our society is built and how it is the cornerstone of culture and socialization. Helping children and their families to “shape” a better future is a wonderful commitment and is part of an ethical journey that has always seen the Chopard brand playing a role as an active supporter of educational projects”.
Special thanks go to our technological partner Lenovo which has helped in supplying and setting up the devices that will make up the digital library of the schools involved in the Foundation’s pilot project. It includes 30 Lenovo Tab M10 tablets with Wi-Fi and LTE connections and 20 Lenovo V15 laptops.
“We are overjoyed to support this initiative of the Andrea Bocelli Foundation in ensuring that the students of the De Amicis school complex in Muccia will have access to suitable educational tools”, commented Natasha Perfetti, Lenovo Country Marketing Manager for Italy. “At difficult times, school represents for children a fundamental point of reference, both for educational continuity and social contact, as well as support for their social and emotional development. Being able to access the most up-to-date technologies is more important than ever and that is why at Lenovo we are proud to support the “With You, to Shape the Future” initiative.
The many generous donations from the fundraising campaign begun by the Foundation last April have been crucial to launching and developing the project. The campaign is active and you can make a donation to help further develop the “With You, to Shape the Future” project by donating at https://donate.andreabocellifoundation.org/ . You can donate from abroad via bank transfer using the following details: IBAN IT53K0523271030000010016699
Reference: With You, to Shape the Future or by sending an email to development@andreabocellifoundation.org.