Milano, 15 May. (askanews) – Vecchioni Foundation, founded in memory of Arrigo, son of Daria Colombo and Roberto Vecchioni, launches The Coach, his first video campaign to fight the stigma of mental illness and contribute to changing the culture of this country.
The video, directed by Giorgia Di Pasquale, was created thanks to participation of Alfa, Ema Stokholma, J-Ax, Nicole Rossi and Roberto Vecchioniwho through their own face and personal experience have contributed to strengthening the Foundation’s message.
The Coach, the commercial of the Vecchioni Foundation, created in memory of Arrigo
The commercial will be officially presented today, 15 May, in Milan on the occasion of Radio Italia Live – Il Concerto in Piazza Duomo, during the preshow, thanks to the collaboration between Fondazione Vecchioni, Radio Italia Solomusicaitaliana and the Municipality of Milan. The partnership with the radio station also includes the diffusion of the campaign through all the network’s channels.
Mental disorders on the rise
In the European Union more than 11 million people suffer from mental disorders and 13% are young people, girls and boys. Even before 2021, there was an increase in minors with neuropsychiatric disorders: anxiety, depression, mood disorders, self-harming behavior, eating and sleeping disorders, alcohol and substance abuse and social withdrawal. After Covid there was a 147% increase in suicidal intent. In Lombardy there was a peak of 15.25% of neuropsychiatric disorders, all fragilities linked to the rarefaction of social ties, the increase in the use of social media and incorrect lifestyles, constituting a real social alarm.
The memory of Daria Colombo, mother of Arrigo Vecchioni
“My son Arrigo, a boy in love with life, died by suicide after years of fighting the disease. As a family, we suffered from an inadequate system that made us feel alone and without tools. Today one boy in seven in the world lives with mental illness (WHO sources). The Vecchioni Foundation was created to transform pain into shared commitment”, declares Daria Colombo – President of the Vecchioni Foundation.
Arrigo Vecchioni took his own life in 2023 at the age of 36, after struggling for many years with bipolar disorder
Against the stigma of mental illness
The Foundation is based on the belief that every person has the right to build a life project in line with their desires and potential; however, too often, those who experience mental health problems face stigma, loneliness and inadequate services. In this context, The Coach campaign is a cultural act even before a communicative one: the project talks about mental health in an authentic, respectful and human way, avoiding any form of rhetoric or pietism.
At the Radio Italia concert
“We thank Radio Italia which offers us such a popular stage to shout that mental illness is an illness like any other and that no one should be ashamed of it. We are convinced that this will be a highly effective operation in the fight against stigma” – Roberto Vecchioni. The Coach will also be present in strategic places in Milan, thanks to the support of Acone Associati which has made the LED walls available with 967 passages per day and will be promoted by a massive social campaign starting in May. The campaign is accompanied by the release of a Toolkit developed under the supervision of the Scientific Committee of the Foundation: a concrete tool for recognizing the first signs of mental distress and orienting oneself in the initial steps, both for those who experience it firsthand and for family members.
The creation of this campaign was made possible thanks to the synergy between institutions and realities of the private and social sector, united by the common objective of breaking down the wall of stigma linked to mental health. The Vecchioni Foundation, with the support of Intesa Sanpaolo as a supporting partner, shares a common vision of values and mission, promoting a joint commitment on a social level in the fight against the stigma of mental illness, and thanks the Municipality of Milan – Milano 4Mental Health for the precious institutional support and patronage. Special thanks go to the BPM Foundation for their fundamental contribution to supporting the project.
For the technical and creative support in the creation of the campaign, special thanks go to the Diversity Foundation, which guaranteed an inclusive approach that was attentive to everyone’s sensitivities.
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