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Documentary Series

Becoming a citizen

According to the recent COP26 and Global Youth Development Index, young people are deeply concerned about the world they will inherited and want to be more engaged in meeting the development needs of their communities.
15-year-old Michelle is one of the youngest Mayors in Italy and a newly elected Italian first Regional Councilors.
In 1997 a Parliament law allowed for the participation of children in political bodies through Children’s Municipal Councils which are organized in the same way as any senior Council. Young councilors have unique perspectives on local issues and they can be an inexhaustible source of energy for social change.
Michelle was elected as Deputy Mayor at the age of 10 and as Mayor in 2019 in Castel San PietroTerme BO. On 2021, Michelle became member of the Regional Youth Assembly from Emilia-Romagna, the first in Italy.Local young change makers are a new generation of innovative young citizens who champion democratic values for a more peaceful world

Isabella Franceschini

Isabella Franceschini is an Italian freelance documentary photographer and a Lowepro Ambassador. After a degree in Economics from Bologna University, she pursued a master’s in photojournalism in Rome. Focusing on long-term projects, Isabella's work explores the complexities of contemporary society, addressing themes such as youth civic education, marginalized communities, women's inclusion, human rights, public health, and climate change. Her work has received numerous international awards, including the Marilyn Stafford FotoReportage Award 2024, ZEKE Award 2024, ISPA Award 2023, the 21st Julia Margaret Cameron Award, and the World Report Award 2022. Her images have been featured in The Washington Post, Der Spiegel, L’Espresso, La Repubblica, Marie Claire, Vanity Fair. She has exhibited her projects at Photoville Festival NY, the Festival of Ethical Photography in Lodi and more