Cefalù awards Federico II prize to Lo Giudice, Romano, and Scimeca

Last Updated: October 21, 2023

The International Federico II Award ceremony was held in the Capriate hall of the municipal palace of Cefalù, organized by the Federico II Study Center in collaboration with the Municipality of Cefalù. The prestigious award, now in its third edition, was given to three Sicilian personalities: Giovanni Lo Giudice, publisher of Kalós publishing house and its eponymous magazine, for his contribution to the dissemination of Sicilian art, history, culture, and traditions; director Pasquale Scimeca, recognized as one of the most consistent figures in European independent cinema, with a vast filmography distributed internationally; and journalist Marco Romano, editor-in-chief of Giornale di Sicilia, Tgs, Rgs, and Gds.it, for his high-profile professional commitment to journalism. The Deputy Mayor of Cefalù, Antonio Franco, received an honorary plaque from the Federico II Study Center during the award ceremony. Throughout 2023, eight personalities were chosen by the scientific committee and honored with the Federico II recognition in Italy, Rome, and Cefalù, as well as in New York, United States. Italian Ambassador Maurizio Massari and Hafez Haidar, a scholar of interreligious dialogue and Arab culture, were also awarded during these events. At the ceremony, two Federician Seals were awarded to Caterina Di Chiara, president of Zonta Palermo Triscele, for her social commitment, and to Antonio Barracato, a poet and writer from Cefalù, who has received over 500 awards and honors throughout his career. The Federico II Study Center is a non-profit private institution and has recently become a partner of the United Nations for its support towards the goals set forth in the UN’s new 2030 Agenda. President Giuseppe Di Franco stated that the center aims to promote intercultural and multicultural dialogue, tolerance, and openness to the world as essential values for meaningful multilateralism and building ideal bridges between peoples.