Who we are

What you are about to read is, in all respects, a story very much unique to the new millennium. The Osservatorio Permanente Giovani-Editori was initially nothing but an idea, but this idea began its blossom into reality when it saw the light of day in Florence in June 2000. Around the table were three people: Cesare Romiti, then president of RCS MediaGroup; Riffeser Andrea Monti, president of Poligrafica Editoriale; and Andrea Ceccherini, the young president of a Florentine organization called “ Progetto Città .” The audience was packed ; hundreds had flocked to attend the "Youth and Newspapers: Three Days on Publishing” conference. That title in itself was indicative of what was to come.

Heavily talked about were the press and the younger Italian generation, and ultimately an uncomfortable fact was discussed: that during the last twenty years, the country had lost over a million readers and journalistic consumers. The discussions of the conference reveal a common desire among its participants: a desire to reverse this lamentable trend. It is from this premise that the Osservatorio Permanente Giovani-Editori was officially founded on June 5 of that year. The goal: to help the young people and would-be readers of today become the free citizens of tomorrow. Chaired by Andrea Ceccherini, the Osservatorio team rolled up their sleeves, and on September 18 , presented the “Quality Information in the Classroom" initiative.

This program officially introduced newspapers into Italian high schools and transformed them into tools of practical civic education. Its first and foremost partners were RCS  MediaGroup (Corriere della Sera) and Poligrafici Editoriale (Il Giorno, La Nazione, and Il Resto del Carlino).

In January 2001, the Osservatorio launched its first teacher training initiative and also began its “In Discussion with the Greats” lecture series, in which students could discuss current affairs with some famous figures of Italian journalism. 2002 was a year of strengthening and expansion. In March , the Osservatorio welcomed a new partner with the arrival of Il Sole 24 Ore. In May, its students engaged with key figures of the establishment and the world of media in what would soon become the most important event of the Osservatorio: the "Crescere tra le righe (Growing Between the Lines)" conference.

These great accomplishments did not go unnoticed: on March 30 , 2005, Andrea Ceccherini and a delegation of the Osservatorio’s associates and partners were received at the Quirinale by the former President of the Republic Carlo Azeglio Ciampi.

On December 19, 2007, on the 60th anniversary of the Italian Constitution, the former President of the Republic Giorgio Napolitano invited Andrea Ceccherini to the Quirinale for an awarding of "The Book of the Constitution" and praised the “Quality Information in the Classroom" program.

In January 2011, the first round of "5 Lessons in Search of an Author" ended, having been one of the Osservatorio’s most popular initiatives. The year progressed with another edition of the “Growing Between the Lines” convention, which once again was of truly international scope. In attendance were esteemed guests such as James Murdoch (NewsCorp International), Jeff Bewkes (Time Warner), and Marcus Brauchli (Washington Post).

Autumn of the same year saw the launch of www.ilquotidianoinclasse.it, an interactive website created to complement and augment the paper-based part of the initiative. In November, the president of the Osservatorio and his staff were invited to a private audience with Pope Benedict XVI.

2013 witnessed another unique meeting: On April 24, Andrea Ceccherini, members of the Board of Directors , and the team of the Osservatorio met Pope Francis during a general audience. The main product of this encounter was a plethora of good wishes for a future yet to be built.

March 2015 saw a second meeting with Pope Francis during another general audience. The words of the Holy Father, especially "Onwards!", gave new impetus to the activities promoted by the Osservatorio Permanente Giovani-Editori.

Young Factor, the economic-financial literacy project, is born.

2015 was marked by two other historic moments. In May, at the ninth edition of the "Growing Between the Lines" conference, four American directors went up onto the Bagnaia stage for the first time ever to discuss the future of quality journalism in the digital age. These speakers were Gerard Baker (Director of The Wall Street Journal), Dean Baquet (Director of The New York Times), Martin Baron (Director of The Washington Post), and Davan Maharaj (Director Los Angeles Times).

In November, the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, welcomed all of the Osservatorio's team and a small delegation of "Quality Information in the Classroom" participants to celebrate the fifteenth anniversary of Osservatorio Permanente Giovani-Editori’s activities.

In a room packed with high school students from all over the country (over 1000 arrived from all over Italy), Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, opens the celebrations for the 18th anniversary of the Osservatorio Permanente Giovani-Editori.

In front of over 800 students present at the Odeon Theater in Florence, Apple and Osservatorio Permanente Giovani-Editori announced an alliance to train the critical spirit of the new generations. A partnership that will launch a great international challenge for a great Technology-media literacy project also to try to reduce the damage caused by the spread of fake news. 

The Governors of the Central Banks of France, Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain signed with the President of the Osservatorio a document of understanding for an alliance to improve young Europeans' economic and financial literacy. With the document's signing, these Governors have formally joined the International Advisory Board chaired by Andrea Ceccherini, committing themselves to this challenge. In the following months, the Governors of Portugal and Germany signed the memorandum and joined the Board as well. 

On 31 March 2023, Christine Lagarde, President of the ECB, was the protagonist of a major event promoted by the Osservatorio where she answered questions from 450 European students. During the meeting, she publicly welcomed Andrea Ceccherini's proposal to establish a Eurobarometer measuring the competence and level of education of future citizens of the Union and to introduce an annual European day of economic and financial education for young people, where to illustrate the results of the Eurobarometer and reflect on the most effective strategies to overcome this challenge and make the European Union the community in this field.