Alberobosco Prize awarded to Tropea-born surgeon Luigi Bonavina: “He has placed his knowledge and experience at the service of the Calabrian community”
A celebration in Tropea for the “Antonio Mamone Scholarship-I Build My Future” award ceremony
“My own specialization path also began with a scholarship. It was pointed out to me by a person of immense culture from Tropea, Monsignor Francesco Pugliese, known as ‘the theologian.’ It was offered by Rotary International; I won it, and that is how I arrived in the United States, where I then remained for several more years to complete my PhD in reconstructive surgery of the upper digestive tract.”
These were the words of Professor Luigi Bonavina, recognized by the American College of Surgeons as one of the world’s leading surgeons and currently involved in the creation of an esophageal surgery center at the University of Calabria. Bonavina received the Alberobosco Prize during the award ceremony for the “Antonio Mamone Scholarship-I Build My Future.”
Now in its eighth edition, the event is organized by the La Sterlizia ODV Association to honor the memory of Antonio Mamone, an enlightened entrepreneur who believed in young people and who died prematurely in 2018 at the age of 49.
The award ceremony took place at the Tropis Hotel in an atmosphere of celebration and enthusiasm. It opened with greetings from Mayor Giovanni Macrì and concluded with the testimony and congratulations of the Bishop of Mileto, Nicotera and Tropea, Monsignor Attilio Nostro.
This year, six students from the Higher Education Institute of Tropea received scholarships totaling €15,000: Sara Sterlina, Sofia Porcelli, Carmen Bistricean, Marina Nadile, Clara Parisi, and Miriam Michelizzi.
“Among the many educational opportunities offered by our institute,” said Principal Nicolantonio Cutuli, “there is therefore the possibility of presenting this scholarship to our best students, thanks to the initiative of the La Sterlizia Association, with which the IIS of Tropea has collaborated for eight years.”
Part of the evaluation process—based mainly on the students’ academic records—leading to the awarding of the Antonio Mamone Scholarship is assigned to a practical test managed by Randstad, the Dutch multinational company specializing in the recruitment, selection, and training of human resources.
“This test,” explained Nicola Mastroianni, Unit Manager of Randstad Italia, on the stage of the Tropis Hotel, “consists of a simulated job interview.”
For candidates of the evening course at the Hospitality Institute, the test consisted of a written project featuring a recipe connected to a journey through Calabria’s traditions and typical products. The candidates were evaluated by a jury composed of chef Enzo Barbieri, set designer Luisa Paglialunga, and journalist Pasqualino Pandullo.
“To those who wish to pursue a career as a cook, because that is what I prefer to call myself,” said Enzo Barbieri, a longtime reference point for Calabrian cuisine, “I recommend not moving away from our traditions and our products. Some of them risk being overwhelmed by constant refinements, whereas they are exactly what people want to taste at the table, especially those arriving from outside the region.”
Among the most moving moments of the evening were the accounts shared first by Domenica Mamone, president of the La Sterlizia Association, who retraced the origins of the name Alberobosco and the powerful image of the symbol through which her brother Antonio continues to live; and then by raku artist Vanessa Cariati, who explained how she translated its meaning into an artwork titled Il Dono, with the flower and the fruit enriching the piece year after year through the phrases chosen by the awarded students.
Alongside the scholarships offered by La Sterlizia, this year also featured the Unitalent Scholarships. Unitalent is an innovative training school that organizes, implements, and manages refresher, qualification, and professional retraining courses, as founder and CEO Marco De Nino explained, both in person and through distance learning and e-learning formats.
The opportunity to attend an IT or English course offered by Unitalent was awarded to Chiara Mazzitelli, Anna Pietropaolo, Mariaceleste Mazzitelli, Sara d’Andrea, Asia Scrugli, and Serafina Lavia.
This year’s new addition—six further scholarships of €250 each, totaling €1,500 and offered by Banca Generali—was presented by the bank’s financial planner, Vincenzo Ferrara.
“The special Orizzonte Futuro awards,” said Ferrara, “aim to be a small initial capital of trust, a reminder that every path of growth needs allies who believe in the future of young talents.”
The Banca Generali awards went to students Luigi Ciro, Chiara Stella, Maria Carone, Clara Gurzì, Rosa Brosio, and Nadia Zangone.
The evening, featuring musical interludes by singer Katia Valente and saxophonist Francesco Soldano, was hosted by journalist Pasqualino Pandullo and director Francesco Carchidi, a teacher for Laboart, the event’s partner association, which promotes social inclusion through theater together with his life partner Maria Grazia Teramo.
The optimization and scenography of the event were curated by wedding and event planner Marilena Armenio.
