Could you first introduce yourself to the reader?
Hi! I am Fabio Boniolo, I am 27 and I come from Italy. I have been lucky enough to live in different countries and to meet people from a multitude of cultures and backgrounds and these experiences made me quite open and passionate about diversity and human relationships.
Tell us a little about your background?
I am a Biomedical Engineer by training and I am now doing a PhD in computational cancer biology in Munich, Germany. I love doing science and I really enjoy working at the intersection of different disciplines such as biology and statistics. On the side of my everyday job, I enjoy engaging with people in science divulgation events.
What inspired you to become a delegate for the G7/Y7?
I can identify two main reasons behind my choice of becoming a Y7 delegate. Firstly, I am convinced it is extremely important for young people to be socially active. Our voice can and must be heard at the highest levels of policymaking. Secondly, I love my country and representing it at the international level has been a huge opportunity, I couldn’t have missed it.
Why is the Y7 important to you?
Great ideas often start from great people coming together to discuss, debate and exchange opinions. The Y7 is an amazing opportunity to meet like-minded people that are extremely talented and motivated to bring real change to our Society. I do believe this event has the potential to bring real change and to impact decision-making processes across the G7 countries.
What does a typical day as a delegate look like?
Life as a delegate goes hand in hand with my everyday job. I speak to my fellow delegates on a daily basis and often (virtually) meet with them to discuss specific points of our policy proposals or to prepare for various meetings and presentations. Being a delegate requires a lot of studying and reading to stay updated with what is happening around the world. It is quite an intense activity but, at the end of the day, it is all worth it!
Are there any particular developments you hope to see? If so, what are they?
In general, I do hope to see our work officially recognised. The Y7 Comuniquè is going to be the result of more than 60 people working collectively for over 3 months to represent young people from all over the world, and I am convinced it can have a real impact. From my track perspective (I am part of the Digital & Technology track), I really hope our call to the G7 countries to act against the growing problem of the Digital Divide is going to be taken into consideration.
How can young people become more involved with social change?
Everyone should have the possibility to be involved, no matter what background or region he/she comes from. The most important things at the beginning are enthusiasm and motivation, which are necessary to overcome any obstacle young people might find on their path.
Do you have any advice for young people interested in sharing their youth voice?
My advice is to find a topic you are interested in and to read and study anything related to it. Knowledge is going to be the key factor if you want your opinion to be listened to (and not just heard).
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