Milan, 31 January 2024 – The Amplifon Foundation has launched its Kindness Manifesto, aiming to foster contemplation on kindness as a fundamental value in human interactions. This initiative, unveiled on the occasion of the non-profit organization’s fourth anniversary, coincides with the release of a podcast by Mario Calabresi and Chora Media, delving into the diverse interpretations of kindness with esteemed guests such as Alessandro Barbero, Cristiana Capotondi, Paola Cortellesi, and Luca Zingaretti.
The Kindness Manifesto, an endeavor conceived and promoted by the Amplifon Group’s corporate foundation, seeks to promote social inclusion for the most vulnerable segments of society and initiate a collective dialogue on the significance of kindness.
“On our fourth anniversary, we aimed to convey a message regarding the importance of kindness in our societal fabric, shedding light on a phenomenon encountered daily through the Foundation’s endeavors in assisting vulnerable populations, particularly the elderly. It is often the elderly who impart invaluable lessons on living harmoniously with others, emphasizing simple yet profound gestures such as smiling, greeting, and expressing gratitude.”
–Susan Carol Holland, President of the Amplifon Foundation
Going beyond mere abstraction, the Kindness Manifesto materializes as a “tangible representation of the initiative’s core principles. It transcends being a mere symbol, manifesting as a physical document enriched with illustrations and text meticulously crafted to encapsulate the essence of kindness.
Maria Cristina Ferradini, Managing Director of Amplifon Foundation, emphasized, “In our pursuit of social inclusion amidst profound complexities, we have augmented our conventional initiatives with a reflection program on kindness. We perceive kindness as not just a desired aspect of our actions and relationships, but as a vital instrument of peace, attainable by all. As a testament to our commitment, the Foundation has enshrined kindness as a foundational tenet of its Code of Ethics, integrating it into the fabric of its corporate volunteerism initiatives for the elderly and social change activities.”
A pivotal component of this endeavor is Mario Calabresi’s podcast, “Sulla Gentilezza” (On Kindness), co-authored with Paolo Di Paolo and produced by Chora Media on behalf of the Amplifon Foundation. Across four compelling episodes, each approximately 20 minutes long, Mario Calabresi explores the multifaceted nature of kindness, examining its practical application in daily life, its anthropological significance, and its historical and natural manifestations.
Mario Calabresi commented, “Kindness is a theme of personal significance, and I believe it warrants collective contemplation, especially in our contemporary context. Dostoevsky posited that the world would be saved by beauty, yet the complexities of our era suggest that salvation lies in kindness and its daily embodiment.”
Featuring esteemed guests such as Alessandro Barbero, Paola Cortellesi, Cristiana Capotondi, Luca Zingaretti, poet Franco Arminio, anthropologists Elisabetta Moro and Marino Niola, zoologist Mia Canestrini, essayist and psychiatrist Vittorio Lingiardi, and scientist and popularizer Stefano Mancuso, the podcast endeavors to chart a course elucidating the role of kindness across history, nature, art, music, and the contemporary world.
The inaugural episode of the series premiered on Wednesday, January 31, on major free audio platforms including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Spreaker, and Google Podcasts. Subsequent episodes will be released weekly until February 7, offering audiences a unique opportunity to embark on a journey of discovery centered on kindness.
The Amplifon Foundation and Chora Media extend an invitation to the public to actively engage in this initiative by disseminating the Kindness Manifesto and tuning in to the podcast, thereby fostering a wave of kindness capable of permeating every facet of daily life.
Kindness Manifesto
To be kind takes courage.
Kindness may sometimes appear as a weakness, but it is instead a strength.
Kindness has always been a part of us.
It exists in children from their earliest gestures; it exists in nature and in animals, both tame and wild.
Kindness is profound, silent, free, conciliatory and brings hope.
Kindness listens and asks for nothing in return.
Kindness is to be cultivated, performed, and dispensed in the present.Kindness is nurturing relationships, making them grow, ensuring they take firm root.
Kindness is learning from plants, which support each other by intertwining their branches to grow stronger.
Kindness is a mighty virtue that is to be practiced with patient perseverance.
Kindness is necessary and urgent.
Kindness lies deep in the heart and holds the secret of invincibility.
About the Amplifon Foundation
The Amplifon Foundation, established in January 2020, has so far implemented numerous social inclusion initiatives, especially concerning the elderly. Its main project, called “Ciao!”, includes several initiatives to connect, entertain and actively involve elderly people through video-presence systems and, today, involves over 200 assisted living residences and twenty thousand people throughout Italy. The initiative, recently launched in Portugal, will soon arrive in new facilities in France and Australia. For further information: www.amplifonfoundation.com
Source: Amplifon
