The song against bullying and cyberbullying

The presentation conference of the socio-educational project on bullying and cyberbullying “A Good Opportunity” will take place on Tuesday, November 22, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. at the Campidoglio, in the Sala Laudato Si. The event is sponsored in schools by the municipalities II and X of Roma Capitale.

The project, promoted by the Honorable Giovanni Zannola, councilor of the Capitoline Assembly and born from an idea of ​​Professor Aldo Grauso, has as its soundtrack Una Buona Occasione, an unpublished song written and performed by Roberta Marchetti and Davide De Marinis for Keep Hold . The work talks about bullying and cyberbullying through music, which, like sport, is inclusive and universal.

A good opportunity: the Roman schools clash

The Una Buona Occasione initiative, lasting one school year, foresees the activation of a scientific and cultural intervention in lower secondary schools located in two socially, culturally and economically very different areas: Ostia and Parioli. Demonstrate how the phenomenon of bullying and cyberbullying knows no territorial or class boundaries. The first two schools to join are IC Via Mare dei Caribbean (Ostia) and IC Via Micheli (Parioli).

Comment by Professor Aldo Grauso, project coordinator:

“In view of a marked deterioration in the psychological health of our children (latest Istat and OECD data), as an expert in the sector, which for years has been at the forefront professionally and institutionally in favor of the youngest, I thought it was time to activate a pilot and experimental project within schools.Very often, some violent music is associated and correlated with the phenomenon of juvenile deviance and delinquency, so I involved my friend Roberta Marchetti, sensitive to the problem and the singer-songwriter Davide De Marinis, asking them to write a text that goes in the opposite direction. These are the words that move the world, even better if they are accompanied by good music. My goal is to raise the maximum awareness of the identified target and the teachers, who often find themselves alone in dealing with such complex phenomena.”

A good opportunity, simple and direct words

The engaging rhythm offers the opportunity to reflect on the importance of knowing how to listen to the things that are not said, of having the courage to speak out and ask for help, to “deflate” the arrogance of the bully : “I am a mother and I have always had juvenile heart problems; speaking with Aldo, I felt the need to do something concrete. This project – adds Roberta Marchetti – is really born of friendship and sharing, a concrete way of taking the field to create A Good Opportunity for Dialogue which always remains the best weapon to resize those who make arrogance their strength” .

Comment from Davide De Marinis:

“I was thrilled to have Roberta invite me to write and voice this important project which deals with an issue that I know personally. In primary schools, when the problem had no name yet, I could see how heavy it is to suffer peer abuse. A Good Occasion is aimed not only at children, but above all at families, so that they do not underestimate the problem and find the strength and humility to be able to ask for help. In the video, we’ll sit with Roberta between the desks, trying to understand their point of view, putting ourselves on the same level, to dialogue through the music.”

The speakers of the conference as experts will be Aldo Grauso, professor of psychology of deviance Unicusano, CTU Court of Rome and scientific coordinator of the project and Roberta Bruzzone, psychologist and criminologist of the main cases of Italian criminal news. Event moderator Valerio Cassetta, journalist. The project is completely free for the municipal administration and the Keep Hold that produced Una Buona Occasiona will guarantee, from the point of view of social responsibility, concrete help to I colori di Matteo, a non-profit third sector body, who has been dealing for years in Rome with social inclusion and autism projects for families in difficulty.