The story of Good World Citizen
In the first four years since its establishment, the story of Good World Citizen narrates its commitment to global citizenship, intercultural cooperation and social inclusion. Since its foundation in 2021, the organisation has built a network of projects, events partnerships and collaborations that have transformed Florence into an active centre for dialogue between cultures.
Historical outline
Good World Citizen was founded in Florence in April 2021 as an organisation for social promotion with a clear vision: to build a world where people of all cultures, languages and backgrounds can meet, dialogue and collaborate as global citizens. From the outset, the organisation has launched an intensive programme of intercultural events, educational projects and international collaborations, involving institutions, universities and local communities.
Among its first projects were GROW, focusing on work and social inclusion, and LEARN project, dedicated to language education and the promotion of cultural diversity in schools, in collaboration with the University of Florence and Qatar Foundation International.
In the following years, Good World Citizen consolidated its network of partners with organisations such as AVO Firenze, CESVOT, the Anna Lindh Foundation, the Municipality of Florence, the Giorgio La Pira International Student Centre and many others, expanding its impact through courses, exhibitions, workshops and conferences on topics such as interreligious dialogue, global citizenship and international cooperation.
Today, GWC is a point of reference for the promotion of interculturalism and solidarity in Florence, a place where diversity becomes an opportunity for shared growth. Every project, every event, every person involved contributes to realising a shared dream: that of a better world, built one good idea at a time.
The most significant activities of Good World Citizen's first four years
GWC’s line of action is consolidated
February 2025 → Arabic language course for adults in collaboration with the Regional Intercultural Centre “Gli Anelli Mancanti”.
April 2025 → Progetto Giovani Sguardi Storie Centenarie (Young Perspectives, Centennial Stories) project, in collaboration with GMI –section and funded by the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze. This project involves an intercultural journey to explore cultural and artistic exchange in the Florence area.
November 2025 → GWC co-organises in collaboration with the Ernesto Balducci Foundation the national conference “Stranieri a chi? Stranieri fino a quando?” (Foreigners to whom? Foreigners until when?) on the theme of citizenship and young Italians of the second generation. Numerous experts and prominent speakers participated in the discussion regarding prospects for the future.
February 2024 → GWC, together with the Ernesto Ragionieri Library in Sesto Fiorentino, promotes a series of meetings for children who tell stories from around the world on International Mother Language Day.
June 2024 → GWC co-organises a sports tournament as part of the sixth edition of “Diamo un Calcio al Pregiudizio” (Let’s Kick Prejudice) in collaboration with the Italian Sports Centre (CSI) of Tuscany as part of the EduCARE Sport project.
September 2024 → The first of two seminars on Marco Polo and Ibn Battuta is held, organised with the FORLILPSI Department of the University of Florence. The second meeting will be held in January 2025.
Targeted projects and events
January 2023 → The Fianco a Fianco project is launched, a training course for volunteers with the aim of creating an information and a support desk in the field of healthcare, prevention and well-being.
February 2023 → The JET+ project (an EU Erasmus plus project) for Advanced Training in Social Media and Digital Marketing between Florence, Rome and Turkey. In collaboration with ItaliaHello, Amal for Education, Amal Humanitarian Relief.
March 2023 → A series of workshops is organised in collaboration with CESVOT: an inaugural exhibition and concert, creative sewing workshops, a music concert, and storytelling of traditional Florentine folk tales.
June 2023 → On the occasion of International Russian Language Day, and with the patronage of the Municipality of Florence, GWC and the Russian Language Culture Centre organised a conference and concert to promote the beauty of the Russian language through readings by the poet Aleksandr Sergeevič Puškin.
October 2023 → As part of the Sesto Mondo event, an exhibition and a series of meetings and workshops dedicated to the art of Arabic and Chinese calligraphy are organised in collaboration with the YanHuang Cultural Research Association and the Ernesto Ragionieri Sesto Fiorentino Library.
Collaborations and partnerships with local and international organisations
February 2022 → GWC is hosted for the first time in the Sala Firenze Capitale of Palazzo Vecchio for an event on Ibn Khaldun and Machiavelli. The event was held under the patronage of the Municipality of Florence and was conceived in the context of the international meeting “Mediterraneo frontiera di civiltà” (Mediterranean frontier of civilisation) (24-27 February 2022).
July 2022 → On the occasion of the Islamic festival of Eid Al-Adha, GWC, together with the Islamic community of Florence, the Florence branch of G.M.I., the Islamic Association of Florence in Sorgane and Masjid Al Rahma in Isolotto, organises a day dedicated to celebration, games, activities for adults and children and much more.
September 2022 → On the occasion of International Equal Pay Day, GWC organised a conference on issues related to gender equality in the workplace. The event was attended by the then president of the Commission for Equal Opportunities, Peace, Human Rights, International Relations and Immigration of the Municipality of Florence.
October 2022 → The LEARN project, the mother tongue and the other languages, is launched. The Arabic language teaching project takes place in primary school classes in the municipalities of Florence and Sesto Fiorentino. Qualified Arabic teachers with several years of experience and trained by the FORLILPSI department of the University of Florence, offer primary school students the opportunity to learn about the Arabic language and culture, with a focus on the value of inclusion. The LEARN project has been contiued for the academic years 2023/2024 and 2024/2025.
November 2022 → GWC organised an international music event on the occasion of Mediterranean Day, promoted by the Union for the Mediterranean and the Anna Lindh Foundation. This event is repeated in 2023.
The foundation and the first events
April 2021 → The organisation for social promotion Good World Citizen (GWC) is established.
September 2021 → Nagib Mahfuz and Vasco Pratolini, Cairo and Florence, Arabic and Italian literature come together in the first event organised by GWC.
28 September 2021 → The NGO New Humanity presents our organisation on “United World Project” with an interview with president Haifa Alsakkaf.
October 2021 → With the event “Interculturalism: good practices for a new society”, the organisation and the fundamental concept on which it is based, interculturalism, are officially presented.
October 2021 → The GROW initiative is launched, GWC’s first training programme, consisting of a series of in-depth workshops with experts on the theme of work and aimed at young immigrants with a focus on law, health and job search.
December 2021 → The first of many guided tours of the Russian Orthodox Church in Florence is held, which will continue in the following years.