At CESIE ETS, we understand that fake news and social media play an important role in vaccine hesitation. However, we also understand that there are many valid, rational, and real reasons why people don’t want to be vaccinated. These reasons must be listened to – not with the goal of changing people’s minds, but with the goal of learning what concerns people have.
Only if we listen to each other, can we improve our healthcare.
So on the 24th July 2025, CESIE ETS hosted a stakeholder event at the B&B Hotel Palermo Quattro Canti, run by our medical anthropologist and CESIE project manager Dr Ritti Soncco. This was an open event: we reached out to the general public using our professional and personal networks. Those who responded to our call are medical students from the University of Palermo, psychologists, but also the interested public. We promised this would be a safe space – a non-judgement environment – in which everyone could freely express their concerns about vaccinations.
Our transnational partners from the coOPERTOR project attended – and our exercise was to listen.
Dr Ritti Soncco led the discussion with provoking questions. She repeatedly said: “I’m not here to tell you what’s right or wrong, nor to convince you to do anything. I’m here to understand how complicated the question of vaccines are. Let’s explore the complication – together!” To do this, she read excerpts from the book “On Immunity: An Occulation” by Eula Biss.
We spoke about medical gender research inequalities and the lack of research on the impact of the COVID-19 vaccine on women’s menstrual cycles. We learnt about the Tuskegee Syphilis Study, medical fascism, and its historical impact on why certain demographics cannot trust doctors. We asked each other: Who does our body belong to? Are vaccines as simple and uncomplicated as putting on a seatbelt when you drive – or does this metaphor try to simplify complicated concerns?
Throughout the event, artist Federico Mallei immortalised our discussion through fascinating caricatures. The audience often burst out laughing when they saw how he was portraying something we had just spoken about – and a crowd gathered around the caricatures afterwards as the public pointed to distinct caricatures and remembered which discussion point it was about.
It was a wonderful event in Palermo – one which reminds us that “education” isn’t only about experts speaking; it’s about experts listening.
About coOPERATOR
coOPERATOR – Developing a Country-Observatory for sharing best practises for vaccination promotion is funded by EU4Health programme.
Partners
- ACN Associazione CittadinanzAttiva Onlus (Italy)
- Technologiko Panepistimio Kyprou (Cyprus, coordinator)
- European Public Health Alliance (Belgium)
- CSI Center for Social Innovation Ltd (Cyprus)
- Ministerio da Saude – Republica Portuguesa (Portugal)
- Università di Pisa (Italy)
- Computer Solutions SA (Greece)
- CESIE ETS (Italy)
For further information
Follow our project for all our updates on the website
Contact Ritti Soncco, ritti.soncco@cesie.org
