“Protect Tomorrow” – Youth rap for HPV prevention
The song “Proteggi il domani” (Protect Tomorrow) was composed and performed by young students from schools in Puglia, Basilicata, Calabria, and Piedmont, with the support of professionals in communication, music, and Public Health, who assisted them throughout all phases of the project: from writing the lyrics to audio and video production. The song tells the moving story of a teenager who risks losing his mother to HPV cancer, conveying a clear message: vaccination can save lives.
The project, created as part of the European PERCH (PartnERrship to Contrast HPV) program and coordinated by the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (National Institute of Health), aims to raise awareness among young people about the importance of prevention, including through school initiatives. The goal across Europe is to achieve at least 90% vaccination coverage by 2030, a target that is still some way off in Italy, where uptake varies greatly between regions.
The song will be broadcast during European Immunization Week (April 27–May 3) and promoted by the European Commission, showcasing participatory and creative communication. The full results of the project will be presented in Rome on June 12–13, 2025, at an international conference organized by the ISS.
This is a testament to how schools can become a key element in the fight against HPV-related cancers, thanks to innovative and engaging initiatives.
The schools participating in the rap component of the PERCH project are:
- Istituto IC "E. Bianco" MONTALTO UFFUGO - COSENZA-Calabria
- Istituto Istruzione Secondaria Superiore “Egidio Lanoce” – Maglie LECCE-Puglia
- Istituto Einstein-De Lorenzo - Potenza-Basilicata
- Liceo Scientifico Statale Alessandro Antonelli-Novara-Piemonte
For further information:
- “Proteggi il domani”: il rap per la prevenzione dell’Hpv fatto dai ragazzi per promuovere la vaccinazione - Ufficio Stampa – Istituto Superiore della Sanità
- Project PERCH - PartnERship to Contrast Hpv
- Video "Proteggi il domani"
