APCOM

"There's a direct correlation between democracy, respect for the environment and respect for human rights: when there is freedom, there is the will to protect the world we live in and to guarantee everybody's fundamental rights." The statement belongs to Kerry Kennedy, Robert Kennedy's daughter. She made it during a meeting on the issues of sustainability and human rights that took place two days ago in Milano at the Assolombarda headquarters, the association of manufacturing companies and tertiary in the Milanese area. Milano's mayor Letizia Moratti, Assolombarda's president Diana Bracco and Assolombarda's councillor for Europe Alessandro Spada were present as well.

The connection with the 2015 Expo's main themes is very deep, starting from the need to assure a healthy, safe and sufficient nutrition to the whole planet. According to mayor Moratti, there is a strong desire on behalf of the city to act as an 'active partner' of Kerry Kennedy, who is at the head of the 'Robert F. Kennedy Foundation'. The latter is an international organisation focusing on the fight for the defence of human rights.

"The nexus between sustainability and human rights has very deep roots," claimed Kennedy. "In ancient times the safeguard of natural resources matched the common interest, while unfortunately we have forgotten that we must protect the environment for the sake of ourselves and of our children. However," she added when addressing the many entrepreneurs who attended the meeting, "all of you can make the difference: you are able to give an example of sustainable business through your companies. That of sustainability is a challenge that both the US and Europe must face."

Kennedy was very resolute towards her country as well. As for the Kyoto protocol, which hasn't been ratified by the United States yet, she pointed out that "the impact of this wrong choice is very bad at a world level." The situation on human rights has also completely changed in a negative way. "Over two centuries ago," she complained, "our nation was looked at as a model in this field. Today it is no more like this, while I praise Italy for its campaign at the UN for world-wide ban on death penalty."

"The real challenge of the civil world is to guarantee everybody those fundamental rights that even today are denied to a huge part of humanity," underlined Diana Bracco. "This is my belief, of Assolombarda and of all the entrepreneurs: there is no entrepreneurial culture without social responsibility. The responsibility is both towards the social, economical and territorial context in which a company acts and towards future generations."

"We must prove that social responsibility can become more and more personal," pointed out Letizia Moratti when talking of big global issues like those concerning human rights. "We can't just delegate, we have to be more active and face these problems: we must join our forces and above all encourage young people to do the same." The projects promoted by the Robert F. Kennedy Foundation, claimed Milano's mayor, "involve all the Expo's themes, which are directly linked with the new millennium topics."

Youth between 15 and 19 years of age are the protagonists of the educational program 'Speak truth to power', which was conceived by the Kennedy's organisation in collaboration with the ministry of Education and set up by five Italian regions, including Lombardia. High school students will be introduced to human rights' subjects through a manual, a photo exhibition and a theatre show. In Milano the latter will be staged in May 2009 at the Piccolo theatre.