Nelida Ancora

Nelida is an expert in sustainable development and social justice, with extensive experience working with government bodies, private companies, NGOs, and IGOs.

After starting her career at the Italian Trade Agency (ICE), Nelida spent several decades working in Italy and across Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America. Main areas: socio-economic development, private-public partnership, space-ICT applications.

She has been CEO of a subsidiary of Italy’s State Mint, policy advisor to Italy’s foreign ministry, member of Network of European Regions Using Space Technologies (NEREUS), representing Regione Molise, and President of the GEOSAT Molise Consortium.

In recent years Nelida has focused professionally on the mining industry, using her extensive experience to develop social and technological innovation strategies for international extractive companies, enriched by her spiritual-religious commitment in the Catholic Church, and commitment in the area of Catholic Social Teaching.

Nelida has been active for many years in extensive voluntary work, including as the delegate for ecumenical and interreligious dialogue at the International Christian Union of Business Executives (UNIAPAC). In 2019 she promoted and organised a conference in the Vatican “Mining and the Common Good” (https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2019-05/pope-francis-mining-indigenous-rights-development-common-home.html )

 In December 2022 she resigned from her role in UNIAPAC in order to contribute, coherently with her belief, to the “interreligious cooperation”, as a new paradigm for a future of peace in the World, based on sustainable development.

 Nelida was born in Buenos Aires (1st December 1955), moved to Italy when she was a child. She holds a law degree from Sapienza University of Rome (1980). Her mother tongue is Italian. She is fluent in English and Spanish.