(ANS - Rome) - The General Assembly of VIS (International Volunteer Service for Development) held on 16-17 November elected a new president, Nico Lotta, a 40-year old engineer from Sicily. Mr Lotta had already been elected as Vice-President in 2007 and became Director General in 2012. New members of the Executive Committee were also elected and the Committee is now as follows:

• Nico Lotta, President;
• Fr Guido Errico, Vice-President and Delegate from the National Centre of Salesian Works (CNOS);
• Michela Vallarino, Vice-President;
• Alexander Brescia, Treasurer. He is also coordinator of the VIS Committee of Piedmont;
• Emma Colombatti, Council Member. Former member of the Executive Committee of VIS and former volunteer in Brazil;
• Agostino Sella, Council Member. He is also a member of the VIS Committee of Sicily;
• Gianni Vaggi, Council Member.

"I've always tried to put myself at the service of young people, as an animator in the Salesian Youth Movement, as a scout leader and in my profession” the new President said.  “VIS fitted in naturally with what I was doing. I came simply because I wanted to help missionaries and the young people in their care. VIS seemed to offer me a great opportunity for my own formation and to share my way of life with people who have the same beliefs."

In 2008, Mr Lotta became a Salesian Cooperator. Because of his technical expertise he has been busy over the past few years playing his part in the reconstruction carried out by VIS in Sri Lanka in the emergency that followed after the 2004 Tsunami, in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake and in Pakistan after the floods of summer 2010.

Published 27/11/2013