(ANS – Vatican) – Eight stages, eight multimedia content packages, and eight parts of the body to help us understand that information concerns us as human beings and therefore cannot be entirely delegated to Artificial Intelligence. This is the starting point for the project “Ci Sto! Human by Choice in the Age of AI,” which beginning Thursday, May 14, 2026, will see a training course take shape week by week, designed for young people and those who support them: teachers, parents, educators, and community leaders.
The initiative was designed and implemented by the Salesian University Institute of Venice (IUSVE), affiliated with the Salesian Pontifical University, in collaboration with the daily newspaper Avvenire y Gigio Rancilio, a journalist specializing in digital media. It also benefits from the collaboration of the CEI Office for Social Communications and the support of Generali.
Inspired by the teachings of Pope Leo XIV, and in particular by the message for the 60th World Day of Social Communications, to be celebrated on Sunday, May 17, the project was presented in St. Peter’s Square at the conclusion of the audience on Wednesday, May 13. Beginning the following day, multimedia content created for the occasion by IUSVE faculty members, journalists, and communications professionals will be made available free of charge. Every Thursday, in a dedicated section of the website of Avvenire, a text, video, podcast, and infographic will be published to ensure the widest possible accessibility.
Each stage connects a specific theme related to the creation or consumption of news with a part of the human body:
- Head (Marco Girardo, editor-in-chief of Avvenire): thinking about and understanding information with people at the center;
- Eyes (Anna Zuccaro, lecturer at IUSVE): how to protect ourselves from fake content we see;
- Ears (Mariagrazia Villa, lecturer at IUSVE): who controls the news that reaches us;
- Mouth/Voice (Nicolò Cappelletti, lecturer at IUSVE): social media only show you what you want to hear;
- Heart (Giovanni Fasoli, lecturer at IUSVE): understanding the world without oversimplifying it;
- Feet/Legs (Lucia Capuzzi, special correspondent for Avvenire): going out and reporting; journalists in the field;
- Whole Body (Matteo Adamoli, lecturer at IUSVE): school and family working together to learn about digital technology;
- Bonus Track – The Toolbox: which digital tools to use to remain human.
“We live in a digital ecosystem that does more than just connect us: it guides us,” commented Marco Girardo, Editor-in-Chief of Avvenire. “That is why today, true competence is not just about using the tools, but learning to engage with them with awareness, critical thinking, and humanity.”
This is precisely the goal of the project, “a media literacy initiative,” emphasized Fr. Nicola Giacopini, Director of IUSVE, “tailored for those who every day find themselves dealing with smartphones, social media, AI, and digital platforms without always having the right tools to fully understand their logic and consequences.”
“It is a project that I am convinced will be very useful to students, young people, teachers, educators, and parents both within and outside the Catholic world,” noted Gigio Rancilio.
“Faced with technological evolution and the challenges of AI,” observed Vincenzo Corrado, Director of the Office for Social Communications of the Italian Episcopal Conference, “we are called to a greater sense of responsibility — above all, as Leo XIV invites us to do — to safeguard human voices and faces. Education thus becomes fundamental.”
“The quality of information and people’s awareness of the risks and opportunities offered by AI are essential requirements for an open, future-oriented society,” warned Simone Bemporad, Group Chief Communications and Public Affairs Officer at Generali. “This is why we decided to support this project, which we believe can tangibly promote awareness among citizens, particularly the younger generation, and encourage participation in the life of the communities to which they feel they belong.”
The Promoters
IUSVE
The Salesian University Institute of Venice (IUSVE), an institution affiliated with the Faculty of Educational Sciences of the Pontifical Salesian University in Roma, educates more than 2,300 students each year across three academic areas: Communication and Education, Psychology, and Pedagogy.
The academic program includes five undergraduate degree programs, five master’s degree programs, and various postgraduate opportunities, all aimed at developing advanced professional and personal skills. The campuses in Venice Mestre y Verona host the student community, along with an additional 135 students enrolled in advanced training courses.
Luigi “Gigio” Rancilio
Luigi “Gigio” Rancilio, journalist and media educator, served as social media manager for the daily newspaper Avvenire for 11 years. For eight years, he edited the newspaper’s “Vite digitali” (“Digital Lives”) column, which has recently been published as a book by Vita e Pensiero.
Avvenire
Avvenire is a Catholic-inspired national daily newspaper distributed throughout Italy. With a strong focus on social change, current events, and economic and international affairs, it stands out for its in-depth reporting, thanks to its editorials, comprehensive sections, and regular supplements.
Today, Avvenire is at the center of a broad media ecosystem that includes, in addition to the newspaper, a website, themed weekly newsletters, social media channels, podcasts, a WhatsApp channel, an app, monthly publications, cultural supplements, and sections specifically dedicated to young people.