2 October 2020 – A 60-second video dedicated to all the grandparents of our country on their special day, which is celebrated on 2 October in Italy.  The idea was developed during lockdown by a group of three companies: Medtronic, a leader in medical technology, Methodos, a change management consulting firm, and Connexia, an independent communication and marketing agency.

This is a tribute to make everyone aware of the role that elderly citizens have played and still play today in their civic community: a celebration of their extraordinary dedication to restoring Italy in recent decades. Their contribution is all the more significant at a historic moment like the present one, which has seen the elderly population particularly affected by Covid-19.

The concept of the video, donated by the three companies to the President of the Council of Ministers, celebrates the role and contribution that today’s elders have offered over the years, and their importance within Italian society.    With this in mind, Medtronic, Methodos and Connexia have combined their individual skills within their own fields to create a project dedicated “to all the young men and women of yesteryear who are still helping to make our country great”.

The result is an institutional campaign, scheduled until October 2nd on RAI networks and on Palazzo Chigi’s Facebook profile. The video will also be published and promoted on the websites of the three promoting companies (www.medtronic.com; www.methodos.com; www.connexia.com) and on their social media channels, with the hashtag #INSIEMEPERILPAESE (#TOGETHERFOROURCOUNTRY).

“We decided to support this initiative,” explains Michele Perrino, President and CEO of Medtronic Italia – “as we found that our own values and our drive to create value for the community in which we operate were reflected in the messages conveyed by the video.” Indeed, in line with our own mission, which has been the guiding principle of our company for 60 years, Medtronic is committed to tackling the most difficult challenges every day – such as the sustainability of care, ageing and the complexity of chronic diseases. These are precisely the problems that affect the older sections of the population, and Medtronic’s engagement with these issues has never wavered; indeed, the company’s efforts were intensified during the most critical period of the Covid-19 crisis.”

“The initiative was born of the need and desire to make a contribution to the culture of the country at a difficult time,” explains Filippo Muzi Falconi, CEO of Methodos Group. “We believe that it is vital to underline the opportunity that each individual has to change and improve, thus participating in the evolution of their country.”

One of the values of this initiative is the fact that it promotes a precise mentality: a mentality that – in the past – led our grandparents (and before them their parents), to believe in the future and to make it a reality by placing their lives in the service of this worthy cause. For them, the past few months have been characterised by extreme sacrifice, and nobody must forget the role that they still play in today’s society.”

“The pandemic has hit grandparents hardest of all. It was natural for us to look to them and to all that they have helped to build over the years, celebrating an entire  generation of elderly people who have given so much for the progress of their country and for the common good,”  comments Paolo d’Ammassa, CEO & Founding Partner of Connexia. “Connexia is a company made up of young professionals who are creative and passionate, with a strong desire to commit and make their skills available to communities and operators, sharing knowledge, and carrying out free communication campaigns to support a number of non-profit organisations that are particularly active during emergencies. We understand the value of the contributions made by previous generations. The idea of paying homage to our grandparents was born from the desire to tell a shared story of civic commitment and dedication: a story of shared values to which Connexia, Methodos and Medtronic are proud to have given a voice, each contributing its own skills and expertise. Because it takes a lifetime to grow old.”