On the evening of 8 April Taranto Volunteers School (SVAM) hosted a ceremony of Zonta Club, International organisation with over 100 years of history, which over time has succeeded in the difficult task of promoting the empowerment and overall improvement of the condition of women in the most diverse areas of society.
Zonta International, to encourage women to excel in every professional and social field, celebrates a female excellence every year and awards those who have distinguished themselves in the noble practice of “flight” a scholarship and the “Amelia Earhart”– dedicated to the world-famous aviator who was the first female pilot to make a trans-oceanic flight back in 1928.
This year, the prestigious award was presented to the twenty-year-old young woman Luisa Rizzo Che, who has Spinal Muscular Atrophy type 2, has started flying a drone for therapeutic purposes.
The “flight” represents something important and at the same time extraordinary for Luisa, who has always used a wheelchair and who, by piloting a drone, manages to travel at high speed, to feel free because, as she stated during the award ceremony, “lthe emotions and adrenaline you feel make you want to fly even more and continue practising this wonderful sport”.
Over the years, Luisa Rizzo has received many important awards such as the
Guinness World Record 2018: the FAI F9U Italian Championship
Drone Racing 2019, 2020 and 2021, first place in the 2020 and 2021 DRF Coppa Italia; the
Women's World Drone Cup 2022
Champion and above all the “
Myllennium Award 2021”and the title of“
Standard Bearer of the Republic”granted by President Sergio Mattarella in 2020.
The SVAM, which through the training of its trainees continually aims to foster a convinced and ethical participation in service among its non-commissioned personnel, could not fail to warmly welcome the President's request Zonta Club of Taranto – Evelyn Zappimbulso and she was pleased and enthusiastic to host an event that allowed a representation of attendees of the 22nd Regular Service Volunteer Course (VSP) during training, to experience a particularly meaningful and emotional evening.
It Colonel Claudio Castellano, Commander of the SVAM, proudly emphasised how “With her example and immense willpower, Luisa shows all of us how it is possible to make one's dreams come true even when seemingly insurmountable difficulties must be overcome. Luisa, who competes and excels under the name “Leo on Fire”, reminds me of the time I spent at the air rescue centre, the numerous rescues carried out and the numerous operational missions abroad in Bosnia, Iraq, Lebanon and Afghanistan. During all these missions I always carried with me the group's mug engraved with the motto of the “Lions” of the 85th Combat SAR Centre ’NEC IN SOMNO QUIES“ and ”Lions for a day“”. Today, with great emotion, I give it to you Luisa, so that it may accompany you on your future adventures.Furthermore, Colonel Castellano thanked all the participants and the Air Vice-Marshal (reserve) Carlo Landi for the interesting talk on the aviator Amelia Earhart and flight safety, underlining how “SVAM, which is home to a tangible representation of 80 women out of a total of 338 attendees of the VSP Course, strongly supports the activities promoted by the Zonta Club, which inspire and practically support the advancement of women in the most varied areas of society. […] The presence of women has undoubtedly enriched Defence with a new perspective, which is precious and indispensable in an organisation constantly committed to providing security for all citizens. What has been done so far represents a tangible example of the cultural progress achieved over time and of the Armed Forces” openness towards female personnel, who now constitute a consolidated reality”.
