Born in Pieve di Cadore, in the province of Belluno, on 10 September 1945, Ciotti moved with his family to Turin in 1950.
In 1988 Ciotti started to write for newspapers and specialized magazines dealing with social work and public education.
He has authored several books dealing with educational and social problems, such as Genitori, figli e droga (Parents, Children and Drugs), written in collaboration with Vaccaro, and Chi ha paura delle mele marce (Who is afraid of Rotten Apples).
He is a recipient of the Cavaliere di Gran Croce dell'Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana (Cavalier Grand Cross of the Order of Merit) from the President of Italian Republic.
[citation needed] In November 2024, he was inducted at a conference in Florence into the International Adult Continuing Education Hall of Fame.