Biography
I am an Italian environmentalist and a human rights activist.
I have a specialized in Valorization and Management of Natural Resources and a Master Degree in Human Rights and Conflict Management at the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa. For several years I have been dealing with violations of human rights and health damages related to the extractive industries, especially in Latin America.
My studies on the impact of extractive industries on environment and health have led to changes in the mining law in Honduras, the adoption of precautionary measures by the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights in Guatemala, the declaration of health emergency in the city of Cerro de Pasco in Peru and 50 millions dollars in compensation for an indigenous community in Mexico among others. I have been candidate environmentalist of the year by the magazine The New Ecology in 2008 received the social worker prize from the San Carlos University of Guatemala in 2006. Ashoka fellow since 2012.
In 2012 I founded Source International, a non-profit organization that supports and builds the capacity of local communities and civil society in collecting evidence concerning the impact of extractive companies on communities wellbeing, including analysis of environmental pollution and bio-accumulation of toxins; guides governments and companies in taking responsibilities to prevent and address human rights violations related to the mining industry. Source International has been considered one of the 30 most innovative ideas of 2012 by the ABC Continuity Forum in Miami, it was awarded with the Tech Award in 2014, the Global Human Rights Award in 2015 and the Impact Tech Award in 2016, for the use of technology in benefit of humanity.
In my spare time I love reading, writing (I published three books), hiking and ride my bike.