Why We Are Here and
What We Want To Do
Let’s try starting with the name: Rosa Prístina.
Foundations are usually named after the founder. Sometimes the founder opts for the name of his / her father. If such a foundation is set up as an institution for providing aid, a research centre, even a university, then the founder often names it after him / herself: a foundation to “make one’s name immortal”.
But this is not our approach.
“Stat rosa prístina nomine, nomina nuda tenemus”
For 40 years I worked in an industrial sector – information technology – which has changed and continues to change the world: it has had and has an impact on every area of society, on organizations, on work and on people’s lives.
And in the field of computer science I had the good fortune of dealing with “special” areas and with extremely high-level technological requirements, very much at the avant- garde. Blessed with some extraordinary colleagues, we conceived and developed a piece of the future: «We see the world turning before it really does».
That formidable professional adventure produced some important results, also financial ones.
And I felt the need to use part of those financial resources for those who do not have access to such means. With generous traveling companions, friends of a lifetime, I have set about gathering the financial resources which I want to put at the service of those in need.
Everyone according to their abilities, to everyone according to their needs.
Our statute says «The Foundation pursues social, humanitarian and research goals, working in the areas of aid, health and education…».
Three crystal clear things: aid, health and education.
Well, the aims are defined: at least in theory we know what we want to do.
But it’s actually more difficult to say concretely what we want to do. And above all how.
Often a foundation is set up with the aim of doing one or more things.
Normally there is a well-defined project.
The starting idea is usually that something is missing and it is therefore important to build something new, something that does not already exist.
We do not have a “project” as such.
In the sense that we don’t want to do something new. Or at least not necessarily.
Let’s put it in a different way: we don’t have the presumption of thinking that something is missing in the world and that we are the ones who know what to do to fill that gap.
As I said, for 40 years I designed and developed technological projects, pushing innovation forward every day. But all that was based my educational and cultural background, and my knowledge and expertise.
Here, now, in trying to make economic and financial resources available to those in need, we are at the start of a learning curve. With humility, but with resolution and determination, we will learn.
If I look around, it doesn’t seem to me that something is missing that I wish there was.
There are those who assist the poor populations of the world, there are those who develop literacy programs, those who help in cases of disaster, those who care for the elderly, the sick, the disabled, people in need. In short, in every area, there are very high quality organizations that know how to provide humanitarian assistance.
Likewise there are research institutes and clinics in the medical and health field of the highest level that study and test solutions for wiping out illnesses, curing diseases, and improving people’s lives.
Essentially, there already are institutions of excellence in humanitarian assistance, health and education.
Let’s say that again: there are already institutions of excellence in humanitarian assistance, health care and education, which have been working in these sectors for some time and are developing extraordinary projects!
And frankly I don’t see how we could have the skills and the presumption to do any better!
What is lacking – always – for such organizations is sufficient finances.
In fact, whatever the economic means at their disposal, these means will never be adequate; they will never be enough.
So the first thing our Foundation wants to do is to identify, among many, those institutions and those projects which we feel the closest to. And help them in their work.
Human suffering is widespread in all continents; there are many populations and communities in need; the number of people in difficulty and pain is very high. In a sense, every child who suffers causes pain for all of us.
Many research and medical clinic activities need to be supported.
Many deserving young people do not have the opportunity to study and use their talents.
We do and will do our best to support the projects that best reflect our sensibilities.
And then, of course, we will have some of our own projects too.
One step at a time.
Enrico Dameri
