…joining the Naples Industrial Union and National Geographic for a day of volcanic discovery bringing children of two schools to discover the Mav of Herculaneum with the volcanologist Arianna Soldati, new role model Barbie
Barbie, who turned 60 in 2019, does not lose sight of her commitment to enhancing the dreams of every child through the celebration of women who break the mold becoming a source of inspiration for the next generation of girls. In recent years, in fact, several researches have identified that from the age of 5, girls are less likely than boys to consider themselves brilliant and successful and begin to lose confidence in their abilities. In order to combat this phenomenon, called Dream Gap, Barbie commissioned Bicocca University to carry out research to monitor the Italian situation with respect to the desires and ambitions of children, with the aim of identifying measures and actions that can combat stereotypes and expand the possibilities that girls and boys perceive as accessible for their future.
On October 11, on the occasion of the International Day of Girls and Young Ladies, the Dream Gap Project will once again be the protagonist of a very special event. Barbie will celebrate a new Italian role model: Arianna Soldati, volcanologist chosen in 2015 as National Geographic Young Explorer. To make this celebration even more special, Barbie will join forces with Unione Industriali Napoli and National Geographic giving the opportunity to one hundred children from two primary schools in Naples (one in Naples and the other in Castellammare di Stabia) to discover the beauty and charm of a field, volcanology, within which the female figures that stand out are still few.
In the auditorium of the University of San Giovanni Teduccio in Naples on 11 October at 11.30 am, elementary school students will be welcomed by Anna Del Sorbo, vice president of the Industrial Union of Naples, who will introduce the small participants to the day. After this initial moment, Andrea Ziella, Head of Marketing and Digital of Mattel Italy, who will illustrate the Dream Gap Project to the children, will speak.
The heart of the morning will be the intervention of Arianna Soldati, volcanologist and National Geographic Young Explorer 2015. Arianna, a graduate in Geology with honors, holds a PhD from the University of Missouri. Her most significant work includes Science on Wheels, a program that focuses on promoting a positive perception of science in rural communities in the state of Missouri. She recently moved to Germany to work as a researcher at LMU University. Ariadne, during her career, has been particularly interested in the interaction between the physical properties of lava, which can only be measured in the laboratory, and the morphological aspect, which is what you see in the field and has been able to pursue her studies as a National Geographic Young Explorer in 2015.
Dr. Soldati will thus have the pleasure of passing on her passion for the world of volcanoes to the children present by giving a short lesson in volcanology, so that the young students are prepared for the special trip that awaits them in the afternoon. This will be followed by a speech by Annamaria Schena, an entrepreneur from the Unione Industriali Napoli, who will testify to the importance and commitment of women in entrepreneurship.
After lunch together, at 2.30 p.m., the guided tour will begin inside the Mav of Ercolano, the virtual museum opened in 2003 and dedicated to the villages that stood at the foot of Vesuvius. Children will be able to discover the history of these settlements before the eruption of the volcano in 79 AD. Thanks to the precious knowledge of Dr. Soldati, the students will be able to live a 360° cultural experience, supported by the commitment of Mattel and Barbie.
