18 April. Rome's John Cabot University launches Italy Pitches, the first public speaking programme in English for Italian high school students, at 16.30 on 18 April at the university's campus in Trastevere.

The event will see 30 high school students from the greater Rome area and Naples compete by presenting a persuasive minute-long speech or "pitch" aimed at convincing the public to support a non-profit organisation.

The participants, aged between 16 and 18, will be judged by a jury including representatives from esteemed organisations such as Komen Italy, Casa Scalabrini 634 and Save the Children. Candidates will have just 60 seconds, without any visual support, to convince the audience and the jury that their cause is the most worthy.

The event is designed to offer Italian high-school students the opportunity to develop public speaking techniques indispensable for the realisation of any project, whether academic, professional, or social.

The project is the latest in a series of English-language initiatives created by John Cabot for Italian schools, such as Italy Reads.

The winner of the competition gets to participate in John Cabot's Summer Camp, a three-week English language course offering the skills required for the preparation and production of television show.

For more information see website.