Alessandro Scotti is an Italian author and photographer.

He is a member of the Ordine dei Giornalisti (Association of Journalists) and the International Federation of Journalists.

His work has been published by major international magazines including: Time Magazine, Le Monde, Der Spiegel, Geo, Rolling Stone, Sportweek, Wall Street Journal, Expresso, Magazin Literario, Wired, Stern, Courier International and Afrique Magazine.

He has covered European film and cultural topics for Italpress Press Agency and for the magazine supplements of the Corriere della Sera and Repubblica newspapers.

He has produced articles and documentaries from over thirty countries, including: Afghanistan, the Antilles, Argentina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Egypt, India, Iran, the Philippines, Jamaica, Japan, Guinea Bissau, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Malaysia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Senegal, Serbia, U.S.A., Sweden, Tajikistan, Thailand, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.

For eight years he has mapped drug trafficking routes around the world. This led to exhibitions, books and articles in the international press. At the same time he has worked as a columnist for the monthly magazine Rolling Stone. He has also been called each year to present his reports to Member States of the United Nations in plenary sessions of the International Commission on Narcotic Drugs and the International Crime Commission.

His work won the Amilcare Ponchielli Prize for the Best Photojournalistic Project. His project was chosen by the photoeditors of the major Italian print media, belonging to GRIN (Gruppo Redattori Iconografici Nazionale) on the following grounds: “Alessandro Scotti’s images are an exemplary example of reporting: they reveal, inform, disturb, demand reflection and appeal to both reason and emotion. The author’s work is based on the categorical imperative of visual storytelling: creating a bond between different worlds and promoting dialogue, awareness and mutual understanding.” In Germany Alessandro Scotti won the Bronze Lead Award for Journalism and the prestigious Henri Nannen Prize, named after the founder of the magazine Stern. In France he was honoured with the 3PPP, a prize for “international authors, of all ages and nationalities, (…) whose works, activities and commitment are recognised internationally and whose photo projects represent an important contribution to the understanding of mankind in the twenty-first century”.

In July 2005 the Under Secretary General of the United Nations appointed Alessandro Scotti Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. This honorary role is conferred by the United Nations to "acknowledged figures in the world of arts, science, literature, theatre, sport or other fields of public and cultural life (...) whose influence extends beyond national boundaries".

Alessandro Scotti’s published books include:

- Narcotica (Italian text) – the account of his experience on the drug trafficking routes, published by ISBN Edizioni, Il Saggiatore Publishing Group.

- Atelier la Scala (Italian and English texts) – visual research initially commissioned by Le Monde, which depicts the work of artisans in the world of opera, published by Il Saggiatore with a text by Enzo Mari.

- De Narcoticis Colombia (Spanish and English texts) – this work illustrates the situation of illegal drug trafficking in Colombia, published by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

- De Narcoticis Golden Triangle (English text) – this work illustrates the situation of illegal drug trafficking in Thailand, Myanmar e Laos, published by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

- De Narcoticis Afghanistan and Neighbouring Countries (English text) – this work illustrates the situation of illegal drug trafficking in Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan e Tajikistan, published by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

- Chasing The Dragon (Italian and English texts) – this detailed, illustrated work traces the author’s investigations of drug trafficking. The idea behind it was a to create an easy to transport, portable exhibition. With an introduction by the author and a preface by Roberto Saviano.

The author is also a contributor to the anthology Terza Cultura (Third Culture), edited by Vittorio Lingiardi and Nicla Vassallo for Il Saggiatore; and for the book Internet è un dono di Dio (The Internet is a Gift from God) published by Skira.

International institutions and media have given in-depth coverage to Alessandro Scotti’s work, with interviews, articles and comments. Among these are: Aftab-e Yazd daily newspaper in Iran, AkiPress News agency in Kyrgyzstan, All Africa Nigeria, ApCom, Asrar Daily newspaper Iran, ANSA, Avvenire, Correio de Uberlandia Brazil, Corriere della Sera, Daily Sun Nigeria, Diario, Diguai Brazil, Duellanti, El Semanal, Elle, Etemad Melli Daily newspaper Iran, Ettela'at Daily newspaper Iran, Europa, Flair, FM4 ORF Austria, Fotos für Pressefreiheit, Geo, Giornale di Sicilia, GQ, Hamshahri Daily newspaper Iran, Harpers Bazar, Il Giornale, Il Giorno, Il Manifesto, Il Pais, Il Sole 24 Ore, IRNA Islamic Republic News Agency, ISNA Iranian Students News Agency, Jahan-e Eghtesad Iran, Jornal Nossa Cidade Brazil, Kargozaran Daily Newspaper, L'Espresso, La Repubblica, La Stampa, Le Photographe, Left, Liberazione, MTV, Narcomafie, News Edge Daily Newspaper Kyrgyzstan, New Star Nigeria, On Planet Art, Panorama, PDN News New York, Photo France, Radio Montecarlo, Radio Svizzera, Radio 24, Rai Televisione Italiana, Rai Radio, Reuters, Sarmayeh Iran, Sedaye Edalat Iran, Syndigate Kyrgyzstan, The Nation Nigeria, Transnational Radical Party, United Nations News Service, UN World Radio, Vanity Fair, WU Magazine.

Alessandro Scotti’s photography has been on show in museums and institutions, including the Triennale di Milano and the Biennale di Architettura di Venezia.

The author has chaired conferences and held lectures at universities and institutions in China, the Philippines, Iran, Mozambique and Sweden. He also works for the International Institute on Territorial and Environmental Dynamics where he held workshops for international students.

Alessandro Scotti has worked as an advisor to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), for the United Nations Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking (UN.Gift) and for the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN Habitat). In this role he investigated the main human trafficking routes in the Balkans and East Europe. Besides this, for UN Habitat, he developed a project to explore the dynamics behind the expansion of mid-sized cities in four continents. This led to an exhibition in the United Nations pavilion at the Expo di Shanghai (China) in 2010 and at the World Urban Forum in Medellin (Colombia) in 2014. This project has also given birth to nine films.

The author was commissioned by the European Union and the United Nations to document the penitentiary system in the Kyrgyz Republic. A series of exhibitions and two films were produced by his research.

Further, for Censis (Italian Centre for Social Investment Studies) and Fondazione FarmaFactoring he investigated the impact of migration on the National Health Service in the South of Italy. The results of his investigation will be published as a book in autumn 2015, and result in a series of exhibitions in Palermo, Rome and Milan between late 2015 and 2016.

Alessandro Scotti has worked with Societas Raffaello Sanzio on the script for a performance based on Chekhov with references to the war in ex-Yugoslavia. The performance, called GolA, had its premier at the Festival di Pergine in June 2015.

Alessandro Scotti’s literary agent (worldwide) is Agenzia Letteraria Berla e Griffini; for photography the agents are Contacto Photo in Madrid (for the Spanish speaking market), Agentur Focus in Hamburg (for the German speaking market) and Panos Pictures in London (for the English speaking market).

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