Anti-Bullying Event Held at Renda Institute in Polistena

On October 22, 2026, students and faculty gathered at the “G. Renda” Institute in Polistena for an anti-bullying educational forum. The assembly marked a return to school-year training sessions centered on youth safety, featuring student performances, expert presentations, and personal testimony regarding the mechanics of peer coercion and recovery.

Flash-Mob Demonstration and Institutional Stance

Students performed a flash-mob built around core slogans including Spezza il silenzio, Costruisci il rispetto, and Contro l’esclusione lavora per l’inclusione. Following the performance, Dirigente Scolastica Emanuela Cannistrà addressed the assembly. She emphasized the importance of resisting peer pressure when a group demands compliance, urging students to cultivate the strength to choose mutual respect. Professor Maria De Moro noted that students at this developmental stage frequently encounter bullying dynamics, encouraging participants to engage directly with the visiting experts during the debate.

Legal and Pedagogical Risk Analysis

Raffaella Mascaro and Gabriella Vigoroso outlined the specific mechanisms that draw adolescents into participating in harassment against peers. The specialists advised students to immediately approach parents and teachers if they witness or experience abusive behavior. While initiatives like the Il Nodo Blu contro il Bullismo campaign—launched alongside the European Safer Internet Day—utilize social media badges and blue knot symbols to foster community-wide awareness, the Polistena session focused directly on local interpersonal intervention and open communication channels.

Testimony from Former Aggressor Turned Recovery Resident

The assembly heard from Domenico Campana, who shared his personal history of leading a squad of bullies that used coercion and violence against peers. Campana described how his role shifted from aggressor to victim, leading to severe depression, drug dependence, and the eventual loss of his family. Da bullo sono diventato vittima e da lì la mia vita è stata in salita, attraverso la depressione, l’uso di droghe, la dipendenza che mi ha portato a perdere anche la mia famiglia, Campana stated. He added that he currently resides in a recovery community while dealing with the constant fear of relapsing into past behaviors. The meeting concluded with an exercise termed l’abbraccio che manca.