Made on the occasion of December 3, International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Our Family has chosen to tell the story of the will to live of a boy suffering from a brain tumor, who arrived from Calabria to the acquired brain injury department in Bosisio Parini. Matteo is fifteen years old, is passionate about football and geography, frequents the tourist scene and has a prodigious memory for flags and capitals. He is a nice smiling boy, with a positive outlook on life and his illness. He is the protagonist of The first flagthe story created by Nikolai Prestia, who in the audio version has the voice of the actress Stefania Rocca, and in the book of the same name has illustrations by Alessandra Cimatoribus.
The first flag recounts with freshness and authenticity Matteo’s meeting with the receptionist from Bosisio, a woman who observes the life, hope and strength that comes out of the boys and girls she meets every day: «Matteo sees very little, with only one eye. Since it happened it has never been a problem for him. “I can see a little.” he answers if you ask him how he recognizes the flags, and he says it with a disarming smile: there is all the grace of life and of the immense future in that expression.”
«We were amazed at how Nikolai Prestia was able to grasp the talent for the life of the children who cross the doors of our offices every day» he comments the president of the La Nostra Famiglia Association, Luisa Minoli: «in that “I can see a little” there is the other side of the moon, that little miracle that makes us change our perspective and love life, we just need to make ourselves small to see its beauty. And in that disarming smile there is all the wonder with which girls and boys with disabilities face life, as well as all girls and boys in the world.”
«Our gratitude goes to Nikolai Prestia, Alessandra Cimatoribus and Stefania Roccaand, for being with us on the children’s side, for sharing their talent, for getting involved in our mission and being able to translate it into poetry” thanks President Minoli.
Who are the protagonists
Our Family
Since 1946, Our Family has been on the side of children with care and research activities. In six regions of Italy specialists, rehabilitators and doctors take care of children with disabilities and take on the efforts and hopes of their parents. Every year more than 25,000 families turn to the Association’s 28 Centres, where the best rehabilitation paths are guaranteed, with the support of the activity of the Eugenio Medea Scientific Institute.
Nikolai Prestia – Born in 1990 in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia. At the age of eight, together with his sister, he was adopted by an Italian couple living in Sicily. In 2021 he published his debut novel, Dasvidania, with which he won the 2022 Massarosa literary prize. It is now in bookstores with The consciousness of plants, Marsilio Editori.
Stefania Rocca She is an actress and director in cinema, TV and theatre.
Alessandra Cimatoribus she is an Italian illustrator. He has published around fifty books with international publishers. He has also illustrated games, theatrical costumes, packaging, posters, CD covers, magazine articles and murals.
