December 2016, Year VIII, n. 12
Saveria Dandini de Sylva
For others and with others
Telos: 1936/2016. The Leonarda Vaccari Institute is celebrating the 80th anniversary of its foundation. Would you tell us more about this amazing success story involving your services to people and families?
Saveria Dandini de Sylva: The Marchioness Leonarda Mortillaro de Ciantro Soprano shared a very strong social spirit with her husband, the Crown Attorney Umberto Vaccari. When visiting the families of former detainees she discovered the bitter reality of physical disabilities in addition to their deprived social, economic and cultural surroundings. This situation prompted her to found the Institute. At the time, schools in the Kingdom of Italy were reluctant to accept pupils with disabilities or, in the words of that period, “the crippled, mutilated and paralytic”. In 1934 Dina Vaccari founded Special Schools - Nursery Schools, Primary Schools and Professional Schools - so that children with disabilities could enter the world of work. It was the first example of social integration in Italy. On 15 October 1936 a Royal Decree granted the Institute the status of Charitable Trust and approved its Statute. Its objectives are clearly described in Article 2 and can be summarised with the words “care, education and professional training”. In 1937, thanks to assistance by the Governor of Rome, the Institute moved to Viale Angelico n. 22. During that period it helped 400 disabled children ...more
Editorial
No mushy feelings, no seasonal emotional moments, no edifying Christmas tales. The fact we’re publishing this remarkable interview with Prof. Saveria Dandini de Sylva in December is merely a happy coincidence. But one we will exploit to the full. It is a beautiful story of dedication, love and commitment towards others, a story that goes back in time. Everything began with a grandmother, albeit with a grand title, but nevertheless a grandmother.
A lady, Leonarda Mortillaro de Ciantro Soprano, decided to leave the cosseted, feather-lined existence she enjoyed thanks to her status and immerse herself completely in a world of marginalisation, suffering and poverty ...more
SocialTelos