July 9 - "Between the Western world and the Middle East there are more similarities than you think, especially in terms of solidarity in favor of underprivileged children," affirms the founder of the non-profit organization Angels, Benedetta Paravia, at the end of a solidarity ceremony in the UAE, during which she was officially appointed ambassador to the International Educational Center 'Al Noor.' The Center, based in Dubai, is dedicated to children with disabilities and was established by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Sheikh of Dubai, interceding for his wife, Princess Haya of Jordan. The Centre hosts local and international children (until the age of 18), who are cared for every day and who are taught a particular job, with the aim of facilitating their integration into the labor market. The Gala took place at the Atlantis hotel on the artificial island The Palm to the presence of many Italian and international personalities, including Italian Consul Giovanni Favilli, the cultural attaché of the Embassy of Italy in Abu Dhabi, Alessandra Priante, the Grand Officer Vittorio Paravia, and lawyer Carlo Maccallini. "Initiatives such as these strengthen international links and are able to increase the number actions carried out in the name of solidarity, regardless of country and religion of origin," concluded Paravia. The event was sponsored by Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, new Minister of Culture of the United Arab Emirates.

BENEDETTA PARAVIA - A PROFILE

Benedetta Paravia graduated in Law in 2002 at the University of Rome La Sapienza. From 2004 to 2006 she was Managing Partner of Al Wasata Marketing Consulting FZ - LLC, a consulting firm based in Dubai for investment and business start-ups in the United Arab Emirates. In the same period, she worked sporadically as a publicist with several newspapers and magazines, such as Europe Economy, Sicurezza, La città di Salerno, AGL Espresso, l’Espresso, and Jumeirah Beach Magazine Dubai. In 2005, she was mandated by the Ministry of Economy of the United Arab Emirates to organize and present the "UAE - Italy Economic Partnership Forum" at the Fiera Milano Congressi. In 2005, she becomes Promoter Agent for the Middle East area at the IME Foundation, the Mediterranean Institute of Hematology for the international project against thalassemia. Since 2005, she is also Project Manager of "The Intercultural Project," an international education project for Persian Gulf students at the SDOA-School of Management and Organization of the Antonio Genovesi Salerno Foundation, of which she is also a founding member. Since 2006, she is director of "The U.A.E. Student's Conference for Media," the only conference that allows Emirati students to directly contact the media to reveal their experiences and thoughts on the national education system. Since 2006, she is also Marketing Director and author of the musical project Princess Bee Music, which allocates 50% of its revenues to Angels. Since 2008, she is co-founder, vice president and spokesman for the Angels charity, Associazione Nazionale Giovani Energie Latrici (di) Solidarietà, that provides for the care of sick children in Italy who come from worldwide underprivileged or war-stricken areas.