Palermo, October 11, 2024 – The first edition of the event organized by the Tommaso Dragotto Foundation on the occasion of World Mental Health Day concluded yesterday.
The initiative immediately generated extraordinary interest and received an exceptional response from the attending public. All sessions, which were free to attend, highlighted the great public concern surrounding the issue and confirmed the growing importance that mental health holds in modern society.
Aware of the many challenges related to mental illness, the Dragotto Foundation sought to offer a tangible sign of support to those who deal with mental health disorders on a daily basis. The first edition of the event awarded a €20,000 contribution to Fondazione Progetto Itaca, a national organization active for 25 years. The award was accepted on stage at Palermo’s Teatro Politeama by Ughetta Radice Fossati, Secretary General of Progetto Itaca, who emphasized the toll that mental illness takes on families affected by a condition that is still difficult for society to fully accept.
Chairman Tommaso Dragotto, invited to the stage by TV host Veronica Maya, read the official motivation to the audience: “The Tommaso Dragotto Foundation has decided to honor the Progetto Itaca Association as a rightful recognition of its 25 years of commitment to supporting individuals with mental health disorders and their families, pioneering the affirmation of human dignity and the importance of social reintegration.”
“We are proud to receive this important award, which recognizes Progetto Itaca’s commitment to fighting the stigma that still afflicts people suffering from mental illness,” said Ughetta Radice Fossati, Secretary General of Progetto Itaca Foundation. “This is a fight we share with the Tommaso Dragotto Foundation, and their support strengthens our resolve, reminding us we are not alone in this mission. Progetto Itaca responds to the immense need for awareness and practical support for those affected and their families, offering an innovative message of HOPE to counter the myth of incurability. Today, recovering a good quality of life is possible—everyone deserves to realize their dreams in a society that is more welcoming, inclusive, and attentive to its most vulnerable. This is a shared responsibility—professionals, private citizens, and businesses must come together, ‘for the mind, with heart.’”
Seven different sessions focused on mental health: educational, theatrical, caregiving, and cinematic.
Numerous notable figures joined the initiative, including Professor Gabriele Sani, Director of Clinical Psychiatry at Policlinico Gemelli in Rome; journalist Livia Azzariti; investigative journalist and filmmaker Domenico Iannacone; chef and Azioni Gastronomiche founder Fabio Campoli; international étoiles Anbeta Toromani and Alessandro Macario; actors Sebastiano Somma and Morgana Forcella; director and founder of Rome’s Teatro Patologico Dario D’Ambrosi; actor Patrizio Rispo; soprano Renata Campanella; and tenor Alessandro Moccia, among others.
The event also welcomed the support of key regional and municipal institutions, including Renato Schifani, President of the Sicilian Region; Roberto Lagalla, Mayor of Palermo; Massimo Midiri, Rector of the University of Palermo; and City Council Members Rosalia Pennino (Social Policies) and Fabrizio Ferrandelli (Health).
The success of this first edition confirms Palermo’s recognition as the national capital of World Mental Health Day and affirms the organizers' intent to repeat the event every year on October 10.