Gold Mercury Award 2024 for Humanitarian Affairs to Sergio Scapagnini and the ‘Street Children of the World’
The Gold Mercury Award Presentation Ceremony will take place in Kolkata, India, at the Apanjan and Anandaghar Street Children Homes on the 8th of December 2024.
Sergio Scapagnini, an engineer turned humanitarian, movie producer, and author, has long supported the needs of street children through his philanthropy, books and film work. He shares his Gold Mercury Award with the ‘street children of the world’. His book, ‘The Story of LALA’, an epic tale of survival of an Indian street child, has been published in Italian, French, English and several major Indian languages, has now been adapted into the major motion picture “PARIKRAMA”, an Indo-Italian Co-Production directed by Goutam Ghose.
Gold Mercury Award Motivation
“Raising awareness of the plight of the ‘street children’ of the world and providing them with the dignity, respect and education they deserve”.
A LIFE DEDICATED TO SUPPORTING STREET CHILDREN
Sergio Scapagnini is a co-founder and the honorary president of AMAsempre, an Italy-based NGO dedicated to supporting street children. For over forty years, Scapagnini—an engineer, film producer, author, and philanthropist—has devoted his life to humanitarian causes, focusing especially on the plight of street children in India and around the world.
Scapagnini has worked alongside renowned humanitarian figures, including Don Gennaro Matino, founder of AMA; Sister Baptista, the Dutch missionary who served in India her entire life; Major H.P.S. Ahluwalia; Mother Teresa of Calcutta; His Holiness the Dalai Lama; and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus. Together with these humanitarian leaders, Scapagnini has contributed to numerous projects supporting destitute children and leprosy patients across India—in places like Indore, Kolkata, Dharamsala, Bhubaneswar, New Delhi, and Periavillai. Among his achievements, he helped build 547 new homes for survivors of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami in Tamil Nadu, leaving a lasting impact on vulnerable communities.
THE APANJAN AND ANADAGHAR PROJECTS IN KOLKATA, INDIA
Since 1997, Mr. Scapagnini has provided both operational and financial support to the Apanjan and Anandaghar projects founded by Kallol Ghosh. These initiatives serve severely disadvantaged children in Kolkata, surrounding metropolitan areas, and across 17 districts of West Bengal. The two facilities offer housing, care, education, and social reintegration for street children and young adults, including individuals with mental illness, intellectual disabilities, and those affected by HIV.
Anandaghar, an organisation dedicated to supporting children affected by HIV, provides specialised institutional care that includes essential educational support, healthcare, and psycho-social therapy. Beyond conventional anti-retroviral treatments, Anandaghar fosters an enriching environment through cultural and sports activities, such as yoga, music therapy, dance therapy, hippotherapy, Ayurvedic supplements, traditional local cuisine, field trips, and excursions. This comprehensive approach nurtures the children’s physical and emotional well-being, empowering them to lead as healthy and fulfilling a life as possible.
Sergio Scapagnini, alongside Kallol Ghosh, founder of OFFER India, stands with housed street children, united in their efforts to provide shelter, care, and hope for some of the most vulnerable members of society.
CAFE POSITIVE INITIATIVE
To address HIV-related stigma, CAFE POSITIVE was founded in 2018, becoming Asia’s first café operated exclusively by HIV-positive staff. This trailblazing initiative employs individuals over 18, providing not only employment but also a platform to raise awareness about HIV. Thanks to the overwhelming support of Kolkata’s residents, CAFE POSITIVE has been a success, leading to the opening of two additional cafés.
FIGHTING HIV FOR MOTHERS, CHILDREN AND NEWBORNS
Anandaghar’s initiatives also include the ATMAJA programme, championed by Mr. Scapagnini and generously supported by dedicated donors. This programme aims to eliminate vertical HIV transmission in India by implementing a specialised protocol that supports HIV-positive expectant mothers. Through comprehensive medical and educational interventions, ATMAJA ensures that HIV-positive mothers receive treatment that significantly increases the likelihood of giving birth to HIV-free children.
CHAMPIONING THE PLIGHT OF STREET CHILDREN LIVING IN MEGACITIES AROUND THE WORLD
Millions of children depend on the streets for their survival, whether by living on the streets, working there, relying on street-based support networks, or a combination of these. The UN estimates there are now over 150 million street children globally. But no one knows the exact number because they are often unknown to social care and government organizations. Many of these children live in global cities or megacities such as Bombay, Sao Paulo, Jakarta, Dhaka, Istanbul, Lagos, and San Francisco, and each has a unique story to tell. The reasons they end up on the streets are varied and complex, including poverty, displacement due to natural disasters or conflicts, discrimination, abuse, and family breakdown. All these factors contribute to their presence on the streets, making their struggles a pressing global issue that Sergio Scapagnini tirelessly works to address.
SERGIO SCAPAGNINI AND HIS BOOK, THE STORY OF LALA, THE ADVENTURES OF AN INDIAN STREET CHILD
Inspiring the major motion picture Parikrama by indian film director Goutam Ghose about the plight of street children and how environmental issues affect poverty.
Beyond his philanthropic efforts, Sergio Scapagnini is a renowned author, filmmaker, and producer. As a movie producer, he co-created the documentary “Impermanence” directed by Goutam Ghose, offering an intimate glimpse into the life and the thoughts of H.H. the Dalai Lama. Sergio’s humanitarian work, travels to India, and close friendship with Indian businessman Sharwan Choudhary, founder of Royal Gems and Arts, inspired him to write The Story of Lala, an epic tale chronicling the journey of a street child.
BRINGING ‘LALA’ TO THE BIG SCREEN
Alongside acclaimed director Goutam Ghose, he embarked on adapting this story for the screen, resulting in the feature film Parikrama. Today, Parikrama has been brought to life through the combined efforts of production companies Indrapur Cinematografica, La Luna, Life Journey Films Production, RH Media, Trikut Films, and Big Sur, in collaboration with RAI Cinema. This remarkable project was made possible with the support of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting of India, the NFDC, FFO India, the Department of Tourism of Madhya Pradesh, the Italian Ministry of Culture, and Regione Campania.
Scene during the filming of ‘Parikrama’, inspired by the book The story of Lala, by Sergio Scapagnini.
Parikrama storyline: The protagonist, Lala, symbolises "the street children of the world" and the hardships they face. Lala, an 11 year old boy, starts his journey with a purpose and finds himself on a path towards a gigantic and alien megacity. On his journey along India’s sacred Narmada River, Alessandro, an acclaimed Italian director known for his environmental documentaries, encounters Lala—a resilient young “street urchin.” Lala has left his village to find work and secure dignity and land for his family, who were displaced by the construction of a massive dam.
The movie includes an Indian-Italian Cast including Bollywood star Chitrangda Singh (Gaslight), and Italian stars Marco Leonardi (Cinema Paradiso), Cristina Donadio (Gomorrah), and Aryan Badkul as LALA. The film will be launched at the 54th edition of the annual Giffoni Film Festival for Children in Italy in July 2024.
Sergio Scapagnini has received numerous accolades for his humanitarian contributions, including the distinguished Civic Reception from the Municipality of Kolkata in recognition of his work in the field of solidarity. Additionally, he was awarded the esteemed title of Commander of the Order of the Star of Italian Solidarity by the President of Italy, Giorgio Napolitano, honouring his exceptional dedication to humanitarian causes.