Research Institution
OCCAM – Observatory on Digital Communication - is a Non-Profit Organization, established by UNESCO. It is associated with the United Nations Department of Public Information and in Special Consultative Status at the UN Social and Economic Council (ECOSOC). As such, it has a permanent secretariat at the UNHQ in New York.
Who We Are
OCCAM is the acting Agency of the Infopoverty Programme and it promoted the related Infopoverty Institute at the University of Oklahoma. OCCAM was founded with the mission of fighting poverty as effectively as possible using new technologies and promoting sustainable development actions in the Least Developed Countries (LDCs). It works to support the UN strategies for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), former Millennium Development Goals (MDGs, 2000-2015). Furthermore, it is engaged in the transformation that the digital revolution induces in global development.
Our Own Experience
Besides its research functions as the Observatory on Digital Communication, OCCAM focuses also on two other main initiatives: the Infopoverty World Conference, held annually since 2001 at the UNHQ, and the Infopoverty Programme, which collects the operational suggestions emerging from the conference to turn them into activities in various parts of the world. Many projects have been launched over the years, including ICT Villages to Redeem Poorer Communities (SDG 1) from Poverty, eMedMed for telemedicine (SDG 3), and World Food & Health Security e-Center for Agricultural Development and Food Security (SDG 2).
Pierpaolo Saporito
I am the President and founder of OCCAM, the Observatory for Cultural and Audiovisual Communication. I have been trained as an Architect and urban planner and throughout my fifty years of experience, I also become a communication expert, journalist, and director. I have been particularly interested in the study of community life, with a focus on developing countries. My innate curiosity to explore the world and to be continuously updated on the most recent technological innovations led to the foundation of OCCAM. Within the EWA-BELT project, as President of OCCAM, I am the general supervisor of the tasks assigned to the organization.
In particular, OCCAM will be involved in WP3 for the creation of the PLANTHEAD platform, and in WP6 for the dissemination activities of the project, both through social media and at the UN level.
Simone Merafina
I am a System Analyst at OCCAM. I studied International Relations at the University of Milan and in 2018 I started my 6 months internship at the Observatory. During my Internship I worked with a great team, managing some relevant issues for the organization of the XIX Infopoverty World Conference at the UNHQ. In 2019 I spent the last year of my master's degree in Paris, at SciencesPo, where I had the opportunity to collaborate with the International Council for Film and Television at UNESCO. There, I participated in several meetings that focused on the implementation of technologies in disadvantaged rural communities for e-learning, e-governance, food security, and telemedicine.
Furthermore, I also coordinated with the OCCAM team the relaunch of the UN Millennium Village in Sambaina, Madagascar. For the EWA-BELT Project, I will be the Task Leader of WP 3.1 and I will manage the creation of the PLANTHEAD Platform and the website.
Martina Baldessin
I have recently obtained my Master's Degree in Economics and Political Science at Università degli Studi di Milano. I have started my experience at OCCAM in 2019 during my undergraduate. Since then, I have worked on a series of tasks, mainly related to the organization of the Infopoverty World Conferences, the Infopoverty Webinars, and various events.
Throughout my academic career, I have been in contact with several cultures and perspectives and I look forward to working together with such an international team. Within the EWA-BELT project, I am managing the financial and administrative office. Since 2023, I am also the Communication and Dissemination Manager.
Giovanni Zanoni
I have recently obtained my Master's Degree in International Relations at Università degli Studi di Milano, where I graduated with a thesis on the participation of the European Union in other international organizations. During my academic career, I had the opportunity to spend a semester in Prague as part of the Erasmus Student Program. At the end of 2022, I started my 6 months internship at OCCAM. Since then, I have worked on several tasks, especially related to the organization of the XXII Infopoverty World Conferences and the XXV Euromediterranean Conference on Cinema.
Since 2023, I work on the EWA-BELT project, where I assist the team in managing communication and developing the PlantHead diagnostic platform.
Giacomo Saporito
I am photographer, graphic designer, and digital artist. I have collaborated with OCCAM on digital communication campaigns since 2000, creating posters and graphics for its various activities I collaborate with the International Film and Television International Council (CICT-IFTC) and his activities within the UNESCO. As Art Director of the Infopoverty World Conference, I created the websites www.infopoverty.net and www.occam.org;
I designed graphics for presentations, posters, and exhibitions for 22 editions of the Euromediterranean Conference on Cinema, and I am the Art Director of Poetry at the Lake International Festival.
Since 2017 official photographer on the red carpet of Venice Film festival, realising much appreciated portraits of the stars, held various exhibitions in Milan, Orta, Geneva.