There are 29 of them and all very young, none born before 2000, the youngest was even born in 2015. They are the ones who received the certificates of honor of ‘Standard of the Republic’ from the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella.
Solidarity for the environment and culture is the prevailing theme that inspired the choice of young Alfieri in 2023. The floods that hit our territory in 2023, in particular Romagna and Tuscany, once again brought to light the altruism, generosity and sense of community of many young people. The Certificates valorise voluntary actions, examples of active citizenship, as well as the stories of young people who have been able to transform their passion for writing or science into a “bridge” to reduce inequalities.
The cases chosen, however, do not constitute examples of rare actions, but are representative of widespread behaviors, of spontaneous solidarity: actions and feelings to be encouraged to spread among young people those values that can allow them to become builders of a sustainable future, adults aware of importance of solidarity in a world crossed by conflicts, climate change, environmental crises. Alongside the awards oriented towards the annual theme, there are certificates of honor relating to acts performed with particular courage and emblematic gestures of friendship. President Mattarella also awarded three plaques for collective actions of young people and very young people who have expressed the values of solidarity with great force.
Among the 29 new ‘Alfieri’ there is also a representative of the province of Foggia. This is Michele Vigilante, born in 2006, resident in San Marco in Lamis. He received the recognition “for his commitment to promoting the social value of reading. As a volunteer he spends himself not only among peers, but also among older people, offering them moments of serenity, sharing, reflection”, yes law in the motivation.
Michele is a boy who firmly believes in the importance of culture as a tool for meeting people. Humble and generous, always ready to help others without expecting anything in return, he is a point of reference for his teammates. Michele has a great passion for reading, which he tries to promote among his peers and among older people. Thanks to his readings, he is able to give moments of serenity to the elderly he visits.
