Nicolò Passaro, Italy: I live a life based on two seemingly contrasting role models, Leonardo Da Vinci and Antonio Casanova!

 

1. Hi Nicolò, how are you? I would kindly ask you to introduce yourself to the Bellspiration readers.

It's always hard for me to describe myself in a few words. I am a writer, a journalist, a researcher, and actually an Intern for FAOU University and finally an activist for Peace and Justice. I am a Climate Change Specialist also, official recognized by Erasmus. I am an eclectic person with a strong passion for Science, Art, Education, Culture, and if dedicated to the SDGs as well.

2. You have participated in different summits, conferences, symposia, and training sessions on a wide variety of topics. How can you summarize your experiences? 

I notice a strong desire on the part of young people to want to get involved, to want to change things, and to want to be useful to a difficult world. That's a great thing. On the other hand, what I notice is a general work in progress, as there are different visions and interpretations among young people of how they should act and this obviously can trigger debates and misunderstandings. This is perfectly normal, but for some proposals, time is running out and I would like to see more cohesion and conciliation.

3. You mentioned that you specifically consider yourself a Peace activist. Do you think that Peace is the most important goal we should achieve?

Absolutely. I don't agree with those who say that "everything is equally important". Peace is not a goal in itself, it is a "conditio sine qua non" nothing else can be built. Any kind of proposal or project is inapplicable if we live in an environment where physical or ideological wars, social tensions, and dissatisfaction proliferate. We live in a world where we want to impose our ideas at all costs at the expense of listening. Peace means Listening, Calm, and Cooperation. Without this, it is useless to talk about anything else.

4. I know you are a writer. When did you start with it? Can you tell us more about it?

I wrote my first poems very early,  I  was 16, inspired by Greek and Latin literature; I also had strong influences from French, German, Russian, and English literature. Since I was a teenager, I have always loved writing by hand, strictly with pen and paper, a habit I still have today. I have completed a collection of poems that I hope to publish in the near future. I am currently writing, in addition to newspaper articles, several essays on contemporary issues and the great dilemmas of human nature, as well as working on my first novel and also a couple of film scripts (Cinema is one of my deepest loves, I have seen over 500 films in my life) one of which will be about our generation, the Millennials. There are many other ideas but it takes a long time to describe them here. In summary, yes, although not professionally, I write a lot using many genres on many topics.

5. What motivates you in life? What inspires you the most?

I live a life based on two seemingly contrasting role models, Leonardo Da Vinci and Antonio Casanova. They are the ones who best represent who I am, with the pros and cons that come with it. They are two personal geniuses, curious, charismatic, and fascinating for different reasons, who love life doing what they like. Most people try to make their lives thrilling and exciting by taking refuge behind dreams and ideals or even ideologies, in other words, they try to achieve the impossible. I live by the hard facts, by what is in front of me, trying to make the best of it to satisfy myself and those around me. I believe it is observing every day the details of our existence and knowing how to love them as they are that gives us the ability to get up every day in the morning and want to live.

6. Do you have an inspiring message for all young people around the world?

I haven't lived long enough to leave philosophical aphorisms for others. I can, however, give two pieces of advice that have helped me in life. The first is this: never let yourself be guided by instincts and feelings because they mislead and often lead to hasty conclusions. Be more rational, cynical, and pragmatic and you will see those good feelings will come anyway. The second is the following: know how to laugh at yourself, at your faults and your misfortunes, because he who cannot laugh at himself is capable of any atrocity. This is something I learned from Jewish Humor.

7. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for this Bellspiration interview! Good luck and see you soon.