The president of the Tuscany Region this morning handed over the Pegasus to the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Italia association, represented by president Stefano Lucchini and by Senator Robert Francis Kennedy’s daughter, Kerry, honorary president of the association.
The recognition, which comes to 30 years since the Golden Pegasus that the Region handed over to the Kennedy Foundation and celebrates 10 years of activity of RfK Italia in Florence, rewards the training activities, awareness of human rights and closeness to the community carried out by the association. An award reserved for local entities that have particularly distinguished themselves in the social and cultural fields.
In awarding the recognition, the president of the Tuscany Region underlined the deep ties of the Kennedy family and the association with Florence and Tuscany, recalling the presence of Ted Kennedy in the city among the “mud angels” during the difficult days of the November flood of 1966 and of his social commitment which made him the interpreter of those demands for renewal, respect for human rights and social progress which inspired an entire generation and which today are represented by Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Italia.
The association deals, among other things, with the training of school teachers of all levels and educational activities in schools, socio-work inclusion projects for migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, people in a state of vulnerability; awareness-raising activities for companies to pay ever greater attention to the issues of rights and sustainability, support for communities in times of difficulty, as happened during the Covid-19 pandemic and during the war in Ukraine. A point, the latter, that the President of the Region highlighted by recalling the collaboration with RfK in 2022, when the best and most authentic Tuscany, that of solidarity and industriousness, mobilized to help women, children and the entire population Ukraine suffering under bombing. In the president’s words, the relevance of the values of solidarity and freedom, democracy and respect for human rights and the tireless work of volunteering which in Tuscany represents a high expression of identity and civilization: we are a generous and hard-working people.
“We thank the Tuscany Region – commented Stefano Lucchini – for an award that fills us with pride and which we want to share with the many citizens, companies, institutions, associations that in these ten years of intense activity have helped us achieve very important results in the region and throughout Italy. Our association has become a point of reference in the area and this is a reason for great responsibility for us. Pegasus is a strong encouragement to continue on the path undertaken to continue to keep alive with concrete projects the moral legacy of Senator Robert F. Kennedy who wanted a more just and peaceful world”
“It is truly significant and touching that the presentation of this important award comes 30 years after the Golden Pegasus awarded to the Kennedy Foundation and collected by my mother in a wonderful city like Florence,” said Kerry Kennedy. “We have built a splendid relationship with Tuscany and Florence and I am really happy to note that time has not damaged but rather strengthened this union born in the name of many concrete projects inspired by the values of solidarity, freedom, democracy, respect for human rights ”.
