Rotary Professional Excellence Award: a recognition of craftsmanship

On Saturday, June 20, we received a special recognition from the Metropolitan Milan District of Rotary International and the Virgilio Program – Association of Rotarian Volunteers for Mentoring in Support of New Entrepreneurship. The award celebrates professionalism, craftsmanship, and passion…

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In memory of a great craftsman…

Handwork, precision, passion, and Made in Italy: the Metropolitan Milan District of Rotary International selected two young artisans under the age of 40 who had started their businesses within the previous three years, from among 18 applications received.

The award was established by the Caraceni sisters in memory of their father, Mario Caraceni, a Milanese tailor and craftsman. Together with District Governor Riccardo Di Bari and Francesco Camagni, Chair of the Professional Action Committee, they presented the award to the winning organizations during the 13th District Congress.

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Circular economy and social impact as shared values…

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We first heard about the opportunity to take part in the award from Natale Mangano, whom we met at an event last September with Soroptimist Club Milano alla Scala at our Ascanio Sforza location.

“The meeting and collaboration between Spazio 3R and the Metropolitan Milan District of Rotary International highlight a deep convergence of values,” says Dr. Mangano. “Service above all personal interest and social solidarity; inclusion, women’s empowerment, and dignity through work; environmental sustainability and responsibility toward the future; and the appreciation of local communities and Milanese craftsmanship.”

The circular economy and working alongside the community are two key aspects of Spazio 3R, a “social enterprise that brings together environmental sustainability, social inclusion, and high-quality craftsmanship.” These were among the elements that played a decisive role in the selection of the winners of the Professional Excellence Award.

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Today’s challenges, between tailoring and digital innovation…

“We are talking about professionalism, and here at Spazio 3R, we are training the tailors and pattern makers of tomorrow,” said Chiara Ceretti, President of Spazio 3R, as she accepted the award. “There will be a shortage of 46,400 professionals in Lombardy alone, and as a social enterprise, we want to promote craftsmanship and create opportunities for women in vulnerable situations.”

At a time when digital tools have become such a central part of our lives, the Rotary award recognizes the value of working with our hands, precision, and craftsmanship. These skills are unfortunately at risk of being lost, and one of today’s greatest challenges is finding a way to bring craftsmanship and digital innovation together.

“This award is an act of foresight and an absolute necessity for the future,” says Mangano. “At a time when algorithms and artificial intelligence can reproduce text, images, and code in a matter of seconds, craftsmanship represents something that cannot be replicated. Recognizing craftsmanship today does not mean rejecting progress. Rather, it means setting a compass: remembering that technology must remain a tool in service of human talent and care, never the other way around.”

This is exactly what we are doing here at Spazio 3R too: keeping up with the times while developing hybrid skills that allow us to work with tools such as digital embroidery machines and laser cutting plotters.

What we do is bring together social impact, new opportunities, and craftsmanship.

“We believe that, thanks to this award, we will be able to expand our impact and share the beauty of craftsmanship with even more people,” concludes Chiara.

A special thank you to the Metropolitan Milan District of Rotary International, to the Caraceni sisters for promoting the award, to District Governor Riccardo Di Bari, Francesco Camagni, and Natale Mangano for believing in our project.