Cdo and the Meeting: where are we now?
The latest significant initiative carried out in collaboration with the Meeting was the Manifesto of Work, the result of two years of meetings between Cdo and the Meeting on the topic of work. This collaboration arose from the need to better understand relationships within companies, among collaborators, and with the people we share our work with, responding to an urgency: to reclaim the deeper meaning of work itself. Today, sacrificing one's entire life for work is no longer a given, which means work must take on a direction of meaning. This journey led us to create a document that we presented publicly—not to definitively settle the issue, but to broaden the conversation even further, involving other stakeholders as well.

What is the collaboration model between Cdo and the Meeting of Rimini?
It is a model that I find very interesting. Cdo addresses throughout the year issues that emerge from associative life, businesses, social initiatives, and schools, while the Meeting represents the culmination of this cultural reflection and sometimes even an opportunity to engage with new topics. The example of work demonstrates well how a profound synergy can exist between Cdo and the Meeting: the themes developed during the year find expression and amplification at the Meeting.

What were the highlights of the Cdo area at the Meeting of Rimini?
The Cdo area at the 2024 Meeting was undoubtedly a novelty. We brought together the entire world connected to Cdo into one single area, creating coherent forms of expression. This allowed us to highlight the individual richness of businesses and social initiatives, placing them in a shared space where they could enhance and enrich one another. We also wanted to revisit the roots of Cdo with a video and an exhibition dedicated to the origins of our work, featuring testimonies from figures like Sebastiano Benenati from Alcamo, Giorgio Vittadini, and Giancarlo Cesana. This wasn’t about nostalgia but rather a reflection to understand if the reasons that gave birth to our organization still challenge us in our daily work, tackling the present with the same original spirit.

Have you carried out other significant initiatives?
During the Meeting, we organized a gathering with Davide Prosperi, president of the Fraternity of CL, where we shared the work Cdo has carried out both centrally and locally. This helped us better focus on the reason for our presence. It also allowed us to reflect on another crucial topic: local chapters. We asked ourselves if what gave us life 40 years ago still holds value today in the many local contexts where we are present. The week of the Meeting was essential for understanding the work we are pursuing and for assessing whether it aligns with our founding principles.

What’s next?
We would like to continue along this path next year, deepening the contribution we are developing on the theme of work. Our goal is to understand how this can find an expressive form at the Meeting, perhaps through an exhibition or other initiatives. The Meeting represents a unique opportunity to review the points from which we start and to manifest the ideal that guides the efforts each of us makes in our work.