Music Becomes a Weapon Against Violence in San Giovanni a Teduccio
Naples – In the heart of San Giovanni a Teduccio, an eastern suburb of Naples often associated with degradation, crime, and youth fragility, music is becoming an instrument of redemption and prevention. Thanks to the “Talent Foundation Sustainability” project, funded by PNRR funds, the Famiglia di Maria Foundation has launched artistic and educational workshops to combat educational poverty among minors and promote social inclusion.
A Fragile Neighborhood: Between Deviance and Hope for Redevelopment
San Giovanni a Teduccio remains a highly critical area: youth deviance, school dropout rates, and widespread violence are daily problems. “Our children are fragile and often exposed to violence, to knives or other things,” denounces Teresa Sasso, headteacher of the Vittorino da Feltre – Sarria Monti Comprehensive Institute, which will accommodate approximately 1,650 students after the merger of two historic buildings from September 2024.
The school represents “a fundamental educational outpost,” but it is not enough on its own. “Inter-institutional synergy is indispensable to initiate a path of human, moral, and cultural redevelopment,” adds the headteacher. “We should focus on this instead of only thinking about forms of violence containment that are now rampant in the area.”
The Famiglia di Maria Foundation: From 20 to 150 Minors Supported
The Famiglia di Maria Foundation, a historical third-sector organization active for over a century in the neighborhood, now supports about 150 children and adolescents, compared to only 20 a few years ago. “A lot of work was needed to get to this point,” explains President Anna Riccardi.
The project, supported by the European Union through Next Generation EU, focuses on workshops in music, artificial intelligence, and environmental care to offer concrete opportunities to children and families.
Music as Therapy and an Antidote to Deviance
Gaetano De Luca, a musician and digital music teacher at the Foundation, describes the workshop approach: children choose musical bases, invent choreographies, sing, and dance in groups. “They learn to recognize rhythm, to coordinate it with body movements, they interact, they express themselves until a shared final work.”
Among the young protagonists is Antonia, 8 years old, who is learning the violin: “It’s a bit heavy, sometimes the strings hurt my fingertips, but I prefer to play rather than stay at home.”
At the inauguration of the project, the municipal councilor for Tourism and Productive Activities, Teresa Armato, powerfully summarized the message: “No longer suburbs, but other centers.” And again: “An instrument can be an object that takes away a weapon. An educator can provide more security than a police officer.”
Educators Instead of Metal Detectors
The Foundation’s operators emphasize the importance of listening: “These children are bright, you have to win them over and enter their world. Sometimes they open up and talk about family hardships and problems.”
In a context where security is often sought with repressive tools, here the focus is on education and creativity. Music is not just recreation: it becomes therapy, aggregation, expression, and, above all, a real alternative to the streets.
A small but significant sign of hope in a neighborhood trying to redeem itself, one step at a time, even through notes.
Source: Cronache della Campania
