Miss Progress International 2022 is Italian: she will produce jams in a building confiscated from the Camorra

The eighth world edition of the contest dedicated to environment, health and human rights took place in Leuca. Francesca Speranza, from Caserta, won among 20 competitors from all continents with a self-sustainable project.

LEUCA, 26/09/2022 (informazione.it - comunicati stampa - arte e cultura)

Sept. 2022 - She will produce jams in a building confiscated from the Camorra in her city, through the planting of fruit trees and concretizing the concept of urban agriculture. Francesca Speranza, 26, from Caserta, with this project that is self-financed through the sale of products, and which can already boast of the support of a large group of volunteers, has asserted herself in the eighth edition of Miss Progress International - Women supporting the World and has allowed Italy to win the title for the first time. 
On Saturday evening, the Messapia Hotel & Resort in Santa Maria di Leuca, in the province of Lecce, hosted the world final of the competition that promotes projects dedicated to the environment, health and human rights presented by director Giuseppe Borrillo and streamed worldwide. 
The winner will also receive financial support from the In Progress Cultural Association, chaired by Giusy Nobile, to launch her the project.
A law graduate, trainee in a law firm and soon to specialize in international law as she is facilitated by her excellent knowledge of English and Spanish, Francesca beat off her competitors: nineteen other young contestants from five continents.

Other awards were also presented during the show: Andrea Pineda (Colombia) won the competition for the Health theme and for the best traditional costume, Beatriz Awatin (Philippines) for Human Rights and the special prize forthe  most popular on the web, and Puerto Rican Gabriela Monserrate for Cultural Integration. 
Francesca Speranza's project was the best on the theme of Environment, but her text received the highest score overall and, therefore, won her the most coveted title as well.
The guest of honor for the evening was Colombian Vanesa Giraldo Lopez, winner of the last edition, who brought to fruition her Almagua environmental project in support of the Amazonian Yaguas tribe, and on Saturday evening she handed over the crown to the Italian directly from her hands.
Thanks to the valuable collaboration of the Inner Wheel Club of Tricase and Santa Maria di Leuca, chaired by Rossana Rossoni, 4,500 euros were raised for the Women's Cancer Center run by the IEO-Monzino Foundation of Milan. 
The only sore point of the event, which enjoyed the moral patronage of the Italian Ministry of Culture and the presidents of the Apulia Region and the Province of Lecce, was precisely the absence of the institutions in an event that turns the spotlight on issues that are too often forgotten although they are always topical and that promotes the Apulian territory worldwide.