Roberto Tommasi, Shine a light Fellow

Roberto Tommasi was born in Padua, Italy, but currently resides in San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico. He earned his degree in the Economics of Tourismo from the Università Cá Foscari in Venice and wrote his thesis on “Motives and principles of responsible tourism.”

Mr. Tommasi has conducted responsible tourism projects in Cuba and Chiapas and has helped grass roots organizations in Nicaragua and Guatemala to develop tourism that will benefit the commuity. In Chiapas, he also worked as a human right monitor with the Centro de Derechos Humanos Fray Bartolomé de Las Casas and with Enlace Civil A.C. In addition, he has worked in Italy to make people more aware of the consequences of tourism and of economic and social needs of people in the third world.

In addition to his continued research into the impact of tourism on poor and indigenous children in Chiapas, Mr. Tommasi’s fellowship will allow him to begin the process of creating a foundation, based on the money of Italian tourists, to aid NGOs that work with street children in Mexico.