The memorandum of understanding between the San Carlo Theater Foundation and the Giuseppe Salvia Prison in Naples-Poggioreale has been renewed with a new series of workshops and educational activities dedicated to inmates.
After the first tranche of courses, which involved 13 inmates from October to December 2022, a new course dedicated to entertainment professions is starting again, involving new inmates who will have the opportunity to leave prison to learn a trade in the splendid setting of the Neapolitan Massimo.
The thirteen inmates who completed the training course were awarded diplomas by the mayor of Naples, Gaetano Manfredi, who underlined the importance for all the public cultural institutions of the city of "to carry out its mission by working on inclusion, recovery and taking into account the social impact of its actions."
This is an important initiative, therefore, which concretely embodies the constitutional provision that envisions prison not as a punishment but as a re-educational process aimed at social reintegration. Four inmates will be able to sign a four-month collaboration contract with the Teatro San Carlo.
Superintendent Stèphane Lissner is satisfied, according to whom "Culture can play a fundamental role in the rehabilitation of prisoners, allowing them to develop new professional skills that will help them build a different future."
The thirteen inmates, supervised by qualified staff from the Naples Opera House, have attended specialized training courses as electricians, stagehands, prop makers, and tailors. Emanuela Spedaliere, general director of the San Carlo, is also convinced of the importance of this partnership, according to her: "It is essential to offer recovery opportunities through the learning of professional skills related to the world of live entertainment."
"These courses, in addition to providing a job prospect - points out - They allow you to develop new passions and interests that help you look to the future with greater confidence."
An initiative that, according to the prison director, Carlo Berdini, should be expanded to allow a greater number of inmates to build new hope.
"We don't hide behind a finger - Berdini clarified - We know the numbers are small considering the vast number of people in Poggioreale. That's why we'd like to increase the number of beneficiaries, especially since there's no shortage of requests..
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