Lecce – Delivery Ceremony of the High Recognition of VIRTUE AND KNOWLEDGE 2024 – PugliaLive – Online information newspaper

LECCE – It will be held on Thursday June 13, 2024hours 11:00 amin the conference room of ADORNO Palace (headquarters of the Province of Lecce), the press conference for the presentation of the VIII edition of the VIRTUE AND KNOWLEDGE Festival.

They will speak: Cosimo Damiano ARNESANO (Creator and organizer of the Festival), Stefano MINERVA (President of the Province of Lecce), Antonio PASCA (President of the TAR Puglia), Silvia TARANTINO (Mayor of Porto Cesareo), Anthony CHINDAMO (Record producer, Artistic Director of the Festival), William SATURNINUS (President of Servizi Sicurezza Italia), Olsi PAJA (President Agim Academy ADS), the hosts of the GALA Ceremony and some of the winners of the High Recognition of VIRTUE AND KNOWLEDGE 2024: Don Gianni MATTIA (President of Cuore e Mani Aperte OdV), Saida AFFOUNEH (Dean of the Faculty of Educational Sciences and Teacher Training, “An-Najah” National University of Nablus, Palestine), Fabio MASSA (Director and Screenwriter), Faty BA (Actress and Writer), Luigi RENIS (CONI Lecce Delegate), as well as the relatives of the winners of the Memory Award.

Cosimo Damiano ARNESANO – creator and organizer – reports: “This event, now in its eighth edition, organized by MediterraneaMente APS in agreement with the Municipality of Porto Cesareo, with the collaboration of numerous partners and with the support of various companies, rewarding the genius, talent and creativity of the Mediterranean people , wants to promote peace, environmental protection and respect for human rights, enhance diversity, encourage intercultural integration, facilitate interreligious dialogue and the exchange of knowledge, give resonance to the reference territory with its human resources and its immeasurable landscape, artistic and cultural heritage”. And he adds: “They have been scheduled for the 2024 edition musical moments (Final of SASINAE FESTIVAL – International Song Contest) and sportsmen (Mediterraneanly AQUATHLON, in collaboration with Agim Academy), exhibitions and conferences, book presentations, visits to museums, excursions in the natural park and in the protected marine area of ​​Porto Cesareo, as well as other cultural initiatives”.

The Delivery Ceremony of theHigh Recognition “Virtu’ and Knowledge” which will be held on Saturday 15 June, entry at 8.00 pm, in Piazza Enrico Berlinguer – Slipway.

There Technical-scientific jury which had as President Dr. Antonio PASCA (president of the TAR Puglia) has chosen, among the many applications received, all of them high profile, the characters to be rewarded, to whom the reproduction freely inspired by the statuette representing the god ThothEgyptian deity of science and wisdom, dating back to the 4th century BC, found in the sea of ​​Porto Cesareo in 1932 and exhibited in the National Archaeological Museum of Taranto:

Luigi RENIS (Furno port): “Multi-decorated lieutenant of the military air force, athlete and CONI Lecce delegate, awarded the honor of Knight of the Republic by President Sergio Mattarella, for his extraordinary commitment to sport and society, for having promoted sporting activity as an educational value linked to health and training of the person, as a factor of aggregation and tool of inclusion”.

OPEN HEART AND HANDS OdV (Messapia): “Volunteer Organization, Andemblem of goodness, founded and presided over by Don Gianni MATTIA, for his mission of charity, of service to the poorest, of assistance to the sick and their relatives, with particular attention to the little ones”.

Gianna FRATTA (Japigia): “Talented pianist and brilliant conductor, charismatic teacher of Composition at the “Umberto Giordano” Conservatory of Music in Foggia, for the love that keeps her tied to her roots, for her commitment to gender equality and the fight against cancer, for her passion and energy with which he holds his lessons, for tenacity, the perseverance in her studies, the sense of sacrifice that characterize her and have opened the doors of the world to her most prestigious theaters in the world”.

Gennaro DELLA VOLPE – RAIZ (Mare Nostrum):

“Italian singer-songwriter and actor, profound connoisseur of Mediterranean culture, unmistakable voice of Almamegretta, for having revolutionized the sound of Italian electronic music and projected, with his lyrics, reflections on social solidarity, peace, migration, dialogue between religions and different cultures”.

Michael HADDAD (Mare Nostrum):

“Lebanese, leading figure in the global fight against the climate crisis and for the rights of people with disabilities, goodwill ambassador of the United Nations Development Programme, for the inexhaustible commitment to raising public awareness of the effects of climate change, the disappearance of biodiversity and the melting of Arctic glaciers”.

Quintino Alessandro PISANÒ (Memory Award): “Bold and innovative entrepreneur, generous philanthropist, for his social sensitivity and indissoluble bond with the territory of origin, for having invented a revolutionary device that improved the working conditions of fishermen and favored a significant impact on the entire fishing industry fishing in the Mediterranean”.

Franco SIMONE (Special Mare Nostrum): “Songwriter of inestimable value and artistic grace, for the love that keeps him united with his Salento roots, for his cultural humanitarian commitment to the valorization of the Latin language, for having been able to express, with his song, an original and energetic act of accusation against the dangers of drugs, for his valuable work of research, writing and musical development, which has made him famous throughout the world for the emotions he manages to arouse with each of his compositions”.

Saida Jaser Mahmoud AFFOUNEH (Special Mare Nostrum): “Dean of the Faculty of Educational Sciences and Teacher Training, as well as Founder and Director of the E-Learning Center (ELC) of the “An-Najah” National University of Nablus, Palestine; for his unwavering commitment and exceptional contribution to digital education and online learning, becoming, in the world, beacon of inspiration for an open, accessible, engaging, innovative and transformative education model”.

Faty BA (Special Mare Nostrum): “Little girl with a kind and extroverted soul, writer, model and actress, for her innate talent and intellectual vivacity, for having written, at just seven years old, an editorial masterpiece and acted, as a protagonist alongside world-famous actors, in “Global Harmony”, an Italian-American film in support of the fundamental rights of the child”.

Fabio MASSA (Special Mare Nostrum):

“Passionate actor, far-sighted director and screenwriter, for having been able to address and narrate with originality in his film “Global Harmony”, an Italian-American production, the themes of violence, immigration, equal opportunities, fundamental human rights and of children, opening spaces for reflection, impressing emotions and awakening from indifference”.

Pietro BETTANI: (Special Mare Nostrum – To Memory): “A man of great cultural depth, of immense humanity, the first doctor brought to Porto Cesareo, for his commendable dedication to work and high competence which ranged across the various fields of medicine”.

Luisa RUSSO (Special Mare Nostrum – To Memory): “Midwife of great culture, wisdom, generosity and humanity, known in Porto Cesareo as “Midwife”, for her marked dedication to her work, for having guided, reassured and encouraged the women of an entire community, before, during and after labour, for making the birth of a child a magical, exciting and unforgettable moment”.

The Artistic Direction will be handled, as always, by Antonio (Aki) CHINDAMO, arranger and record producer, owner of Auditoria Records (Como). The students of the Bachelet Institute of Cupertinoalready engaged in the PCTO courses in a series of activities, including press releases and graphic design, will carry out the reception and photographic service.

The Gala Ceremony will be hosted by Clio EVANS (Actress and Writer), Manuela SPARAPANO (Telerama presenter) e Francesco VITULANO (Radio-television presenter). The musical interventions will be curated by the Orchestral Ensemble “EUPHONIC” directed by the violinist Maestro Joele MICELLI.

During the evening the finalist artists of the SASINAE FESTIVAL: Vocal Singergy (Soleto – LE), Joia B (Fourth – NA), Roberta INTRIERI (Rende – CS) e Vinicio SIMONETTI (Ascoli Piceno).

Special guests, the dancers Aurelia PELUSO And Francesco ERROIChampions of Latin Show and Latin Style.

The security service will be managed by Italian Security Services (leading company in the sector) in collaboration with la Italian Red Cross of Lecce and the Civil Protection “The Eagles of the Sea”, with the coordination of Guglielmo SATURNINO and Eng. Salvatore ALEMANNO.

The event benefits of the collaboration of numerous partner subjects and enjoys the patronage of the Regional Council of Puglia, National Councilor for Equality – Ministry of Labor and Social Policies, Province of Lecce, Union of Mediterranean Universities, “Aldo Moro” University of Bari, University of Salento and Confindustria Puglia, “Tito Schipa” Conservatory of Music of Lecce, CONI Puglia, Sporto and Salute Puglia.