Dusmet Award: between ethics and social impact

‘Innovation is an act of love’ is not just a slogan, but the heart and soul of the Dusmet Award – Life Science Social Innovation, to whose first edition the John Paul II Foundation for Youth was invited on 29 October 2025, represented by its President, Daniele Bruno, and Member of the Board Marco Russo.

During the award ceremony, held in San Martino delle Scale in Sicily, there were many guests on stage during the talks, which explored cross-cutting topics that find common ground when they focus on human beings: ethics, social impact, information and technology. The various speeches highlighted the importance of a connected and proactive innovation ecosystem.

President Bruno told those present about the experience of innovation and technological inclusiveness experienced during World Youth Day in Lisbon in 2023.

On that occasion, the Foundation organised the fourth International Conference on the Care of Creation, on the theme ‘The commitment of young people to integral ecology. Lifestyles for a new humanity’. Among the various topics addressed, young people were able to experience a real immersion in the metaverse - for the first time at a WYD - ‘as an inclusive environment that allowed people who, for various reasons, such as disability, were unable to be in Lisbon at that time to participate in the meeting,’ said Bruno, but also to allow those who were present at the meeting that day to enjoy a different experience and enter a digital environment through special visors in order to explore the topics addressed in greater depth.

We must always bear in mind that ‘technology is a tool at the service of human fraternity,’ concluded the President, and every technological innovation, such as artificial intelligence, must be used - as Pope Leo XIV said - ‘for the common good, building bridges of dialogue and promoting brotherhood, and ensuring that it serves the interests of humanity as a whole.’

The prize for this first edition went to LOGICAA – Advanced and Accessible Inclusive Logistics, promoted by the social cooperative ZeroPerCento (Milan).