English
The idea for Ayzoh! World was born from a poem by Jorge Luis Borges, “The Righteous.” In his words, we find the essence of those who, in their quiet and unassuming ways, “are saving the world.”
This poem captures the spirit of everyday heroes: people who, through small acts of kindness, generosity, and wisdom, weave the fabric of a more just and humane world. It is in honor of these “righteous” individuals that we created Ayzoh! World.
Throughout the years, in our journeys and work, we have met and photographed countless “righteous” souls: hundreds, even thousands. We’ve encountered them on every continent where Ayzoh! has operated. We found them in times of peace and conflict, in the chic streets of Milan and the slums of Ouagadougou, in workplaces, theaters, McDonald’s restaurants, the highlands of Ethiopia, and the deserts of the Sahara, everywhere.
These men and women, through their actions, kindness, struggles, and sacrifices, quietly build fragments of peace, justice, freedom, and love: both for themselves and for others. Like Jorge Luis Borges’ “righteous” or like the man envisioned in Giorgio Gaber’s song “Se ci fosse un uomo” (“If There Were a Man”), they embody a strength that comes from facing reality with a smile, from holding onto their dreams without yielding to cynicism or despair.
In a world that often seems lost, driven by power, greed, and an insatiable hunger for more, these “righteous” stand as beacons of a new humanism. They remind us that a different way is possible: a way where men and women are at the center of life, driven not by the empty pursuit of power or ego, but by the genuine desire for human elevation, respect, and love.
These are people who, often without knowing each other, are creating a new Renaissance: a world populated by bodies and souls who know how to enter the heart of things, who live without hypocrisy, respecting themselves and the world around them. They are those who believe in a faith beyond religious dogma, in a God that lives within each person.
We have met these people. They do not know each other and are often unaware that their small actions are “saving the world.” Yet, their presence, scattered across cities, towns, and villages worldwide, is powerful. It is for them that we decided to create Ayzoh! World: the new foundation of Ayzoh!’s movement.
We began by including those we have photographed over the years: friends, supporters, sponsors, clients, and beneficiaries of Ayzoh!. We added those who helped us in times of difficulty, those who did not betray us when it would have been convenient to do so, those who fight for the freedom and justice of all (and not just for the law).
They are those who have risked their safety to protect the most vulnerable, and those who show kindness and solidarity without asking who you are, where you come from, or what you do: they simply do it, often silently, ignored by mainstream media and social networks.
This is Ayzoh! World: a vast family album that, transcending any differences in nationality, ethnicity, religion, age, or social condition, brings together our “righteous” and connects them with one another, wherever they may be. It is a testament to the quiet strength of human goodness and the infinite capacity of ordinary people to shape a better world.
Ayzoh! is a non-profit organization and a movement that connects people and their causes through the transformative power of visual storytelling.
Through photography, social research, design, and publishing, we create communication and advocacy tools that foster trust, collaboration, and mutual support.
Our work bridges communities, organizations, and individuals, weaving a diverse global community that drives lasting change and unity.
Somos / Comunidad Ancestral Viviente is Ayzoh!’s global project and a movement that connects indigenous peoples from diverse cultures with supporters worldwide.
Join our community of supporters: your involvement not only supports a great project but also helps lay the groundwork for sustainable change.
Together, we can build a future where every community has the opportunity to thrive. Let’s work hand in hand to make a lasting impact.
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Copyright 2024 Ayzoh APS. All rights reserved / Made by Cerberus Systems & Ayzoh! Media Lab
A man who cultivates a garden, as Voltaire wished.
He who is grateful for the existence of music.
He who takes pleasure discovering an etymology.
Two employees at a cafe in the South play a silent game of chess.
The potter, contemplating a color and shape.
A typographer who sets this page well, maybe not like
A woman and a man who read the end of a singing trios.
He who strokes a sleeping animal.
He who justifies, or wishes justify a wrong they have done himself.
He who is grateful for the existence of Stevenson.
He who prefers others to be right.
These people, unaware, are saving the world.
Jorge Luis Borges
Se ci fosse un uomo
un uomo nuovo e forte
forte nel guardare sorridente
la sua oscura realtà del presente.
Se ci fosse un uomo
forte di una tendenza senza nome
se non quella di umana elevazione
forte come una vita che é in attesa
di una rinascita improvvisa.
Se ci fosse un uomo
generoso e forte
forte nel gestire ciò che ha intorno
senza intaccare il suo equilibrio interno
forte nell’odiare l’arroganza
di chi esibisce una falsa coscienza
forte nel custodire con impegno
la parte più viva del suo sogno
se ci fosse un uomo.
Questo nostro mondo ormai è impazzito
e diventa sempre più volgare
popolato da un assurdo mito
che è il potere.
Questo nostro mondo è avido e incapace
sempre in corsa e sempre più infelice
popolato da un bisogno estremo
e da una smania vuota che sarebbe vita
se ci fosse un uomo…
Allora si potrebbe immaginare
un umanesimo nuovo
con la speranza di veder morire
questo nostro medioevo.
Col desiderio
che in una terra sconosciuta
ci sia di nuovo l’uomo
al centro della vita.
Allora si potrebbe immaginare
un neo rinascimento
un individuo tutto da inventare
in continuo movimento.
Con la certezza
che in un futuro non lontano
al centro della vita
ci sia di nuovo l’uomo.
Un uomo affascinato
da uno spazio vuoto
che va ancora popolato.
Popolato da corpi e da anime gioiose
che sanno entrare di slancio
nel cuore delle cose.
Popolato di fervore
e di gente innamorata
ma che crede all’amore
come una cosa concreta.
Popolato da un uomo
che ha scelto il suo cammino
senza gesti clamorosi
per sentirsi qualcuno.
Popolato da chi vive
senza alcuna ipocrisia
col rispetto di se stesso
e della propria pulizia.
Uno spazio vuoto
che va ancora popolato.
Popolato da un uomo talmente vero
che non ha la presunzione
di abbracciare il mondo intero.
Popolato da chi crede
nell’ individualismo
ma combatte con forza
qualsiasi forma di egoismo.
Popolato da chi odia il potere
e i suoi eccessi
ma che apprezza
un potere esercitato su se stessi.
Popolato da chi ignora
il passato e il futuro
e che inizia la sua storia
dal punto zero
Uno spazio vuoto
che va ancora popolato.
Popolato da chi é certo
che la donna e l’uomo
siano il grande motore
del cammino umano.
Popolato da un bisogno
che diventa l’espressione
di un gran senso religioso
ma non di religione.
Popolato da chi crede
in una fede sconosciuta
dov’é la morte che scompare
quando appare la vita.
Popolato da un uomo
cui non basta il crocefisso
ma che cerca di trovare
un Dio dentro se stesso.
Giorgio Gaber
