Elio beyond the smile with a reflection on the role of work

For 15 years there has been talk of 600,000 people (1% of GDP), but it is probably many more. The musician, father of an autistic son, has publicly recounted his personal journey, coming into contact with associations, projects and realities committed to the work and social inclusion of autistic people.

One of the most significant Italian experiences on the subject is PizzAut, the project founded by Nico Acampora, which has opened pizza restaurants in Monza and Cassina de' Pecchi, permanently employing dozens of autistic children and transforming catering into a concrete laboratory of inclusion.

Another emblematic example is Il Tortellante, a workshop in which autistic children produce fresh handmade pasta, also supported by chef Massimo Bottura. The project combines training, work and the enhancement of individual skills, showing how production quality and inclusion can coexist.

Other experiences are Rurabilandia in Abruzzo, which combines agriculture, catering and training; the 'SbrisolAut' project in Mantua, dedicated to the production of the traditional sbrisolona and Luna Blu in La Spezia, engaged in paths of autonomy and job placement.

Many of these initiatives will be present again this year at the Concertozzo that Elio will hold in Biella on 26 June.

Here the participating organisations will directly manage the food & beverage activities, transforming the work not only into an economic opportunity, but also into visibility and public participation. "For the fifth edition," Elio explained, "last year in Bassano we had more than 10,000 spectators, allowing these associations, which live only thanks to the food they sell, to raise a lot of funds.

On this point, however, the artist criticised the role of the State with regard to such a sensitive issue that involves an ever-increasing number of people. On autism, the State is absent," he said, "Every now and then some economic contribution arrives, but it is entrusted to people who do not have the skills to use it in the right way. The objective is to give these children autonomy and independence. We have to make them work. Work is a magic weapon, it puts a lot of things right. Even in the face of serious cases, never give in to diagnoses but always try'.

More sensitivity comes instead from the world of business. 'Companies have been more responsive than the State,' he emphasised, 'In many cases they lend their collaboration and concretely help these young people. In this sense PizzAut was and is a very powerful engine that has allowed many companies to realise the opportunities and exceptional potential of these people'.

The FuoriFestival meeting was therefore more than just an interview-show. Through music, irony and personal testimonies, the event proposed a broader reflection on inclusion and the role that work can play in building autonomy and dignity, overcoming the logic of welfare.

 Elio will start his summer tour around Italia entitled 'Tour à la carte' from 3 July from Bergamo. A series of concerts allowing the public to vote from 40 songs (which can be found on the group's official website) for their favourites, thus creating a me