Livio Cinardi

Livio Cinardi joined ND Rome in Fall 2026 as rector of the Villa on the Celio, Notre Dame’s student residence in Rome. Working with the Assistant Rectors and the Director for Student Programs, he oversees the Villa’s organizational and formational activities, ensuring the well-being of students and staff in accordance with Notre Dame’s educational pedagogy and mission.

Originally from Gela, Sicily, he studied Philosophy at the Pontifical Gregorian University and the University of Messina, focusing on Gadamer’s hermeneutics, and later pursued medical studies at the University of Parma. He is currently studying biblical and theological subjects at the Waldensian Faculty of Theology in Rome, with a particular interest in the search for meaning and purpose among young people. He has also studied English in Dublin and London.

Throughout his life, Livio has embraced a “ministry of presence” through service in hospitals, senior residences, and marginalized communities, including volunteering with Centro Astalli in Catania and Rome. He has guided youth groups, including the Scouts and the Eucharistic Youth Movement, and supported Protestant Reformed churches in Italy and the American Episcopal Church in Rome. He sees the ND Villa as a living-learning community where presence, dialogue, and empowerment can flourish, fostering a safe environment for students and staff. Inspired by Italian songwriter Giorgio Gaber’s words, “Freedom is participation,” he brings this principle to his work every day.