De Sanctis Europa award ceremony at the Brussels Embassy

(ANSA) - BRUXELLES, 08 LUG - Philosopher Étienne Balibar, artist Michelangelo Pistoletto, film directors Alba and Alice Rohrwacher, journalist Christophe Berti and writer Jan Brokken are the winners of the third edition of the De Sanctis Europa Prize, awarded at a ceremony held at the Italian Embassy in Brussels. Ambassador Federica Favi introduced Francesco De Sanctis, president of the foundation of the same name and a descendant of the famous intellectual, who emphasised how the jury had focused on the "European perspective" in awarding the prizes.
    "Nationalism and populism loom over Europe," warned Balibar, participating remotely. "The Ventotene Manifesto had an important social dimension within it but, since the Maastricht Treaty, the focus has been more on the institutional and economic-financial advancement of Europe and now we are paying the price." The Rohrwacher sisters expressed their 'great honour' for the award, even more 'exciting to receive it together'.
    Berti, who is the director of Le Soir and is of Italian origin (his father's family comes from Monghidoro), wanted to share the award with his colleagues. 'Journalism,' he said, 'is a collective craft, both within one's own newspaper and outside, through the international consortia of which Le Soir is a member. "Quality journalism is fundamental for our society," he said again, then dedicated the award, movingly, to his grandparents who emigrated to Belgium. Brokken (author of successful novels such as Baltic Souls and The Garden of the Cossacks) closed the speech, also in attendance. "I would like to recall here the words of Kundera: 'Europe is the maximum of diversity compressed into the minimum of space'. It is a wealth to be treasured'.