Livorno to Swallow, “My life has changed, now I know what I want to do”
Mirko Saviossi, an 18-year-old student from Livorno, has had the opportunity to spend a year at “Rondine”, a peace community in Arezzo. He was attracted to the program because of the chance to visit countries in conflict or post-conflict and form relationships with individuals there. During his time at Rondine, Mirko shared a room with three other boys and they bonded through sharing personal stories. The daily schedule at Rondine consisted of normal school hours in the morning, followed by training sessions focused on personal development and political issues related to conflict resolution. Mirko and his fellow students studied various conflicts, including the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Mirko found it difficult to return home after his time at Rondine, as he had changed and some of his friendships felt superficial. However, he remains in touch with his friends from Rondine and they try to meet up during holidays or attend events at the community. Through his experiences at Rondine, Mirko has become more aware of global issues and no longer lets others’ opinions influence him. He has also decided to pursue a career in political science to work in NGOs or in conflict zones.
Da Livorno a Rondine, “La mia vita è cambiata, ora so che cosa voglio fare”
Livorno Livorno to Swallow, "My life has changed, now I know what I want to do" GN