Niccolò Rinaldi (www.niccolorinaldi.it) was born in Florence in 1962. He has been head of the U.N. Afghanistan Information Office as well as assistant secretary general to the European Parliament. He is at present a member of the European Parliament, elected within the constituency of Central Italy, which includes the area of Florence. Within the European Parliament, he is head of the IDV (Italia dei Valori) party group as well as vice-chairman of the ADLE (Alliance of Democrats and Liberals for Europe). He is the author of travel books and reportage on Central Asia and Africa, as well as books on Florentine travellers.
Paola Maresca is a Doctor of Architecture and a researcher. She was born in Florence where she lives and works. From the start of her university studies, she developed an interest in the sapiential tradition. She has specialised in the study of Hermetic symbolism in architecture and the art found in gardens, and is the author of many books and essays on these subjects. In 2014 she was elected an honorary member of the Academy of the Arts and Design. She is currently president of the Associazione Firenze Alchemica (Alchemy Association of Florence).