"With Law No. 159 of July 31, 2005," recalls Gennaro Capodanno, president of the Valori Colliri Committee, "October 2nd was established as National Grandparents' Day, with the aim of highlighting, in families and in society as a whole, the fundamental value and positive role of older people in the education of younger generations."
"But in Naples," Capodanno emphasizes, "where the role of the 'civic grandfather' has disappeared after being established some time ago, it could also represent an opportunity to undertake a series of initiatives aimed at valorizing the contribution that the elderly can make to solving some problems deeply felt by parents and students, such as safety outside school buildings, which cannot always be guaranteed by the police."
"Unfortunately, Capodanno points out, the Neapolitan municipal administration no longer included funds in the budget to pay the 595 civic grandparents who worked until the 2006/2007 school year, receiving praise from families, and who, according to the tender issued by the Municipality of Naples in September 2003, took home just 6 euros a day for 25 days a month, for a total of 150 euros per month, as reimbursement of expenses."
"In the past," Capodanno concludes, "I also made an appeal to the President of the Republic, hoping that the "civic grandparents," whom many children had nicknamed "angel grandparents," could resume their social service in front of Naples' schools. But unfortunately, this appeal also failed to produce any results."
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