The “Avv. Giovandomenico Barone” Award turns twenty and is renewed. Participating in the competition will no longer be only fifth-grade students, but also third-, fourth- and fifth-grade students of the scientific high school and Ipsia. For whose works, 200, 300 and 500 euros will be up for grabs respectively. The new regulation was presented by the lawyer’s niece. Barone, Roberta Carbone, in the auditorium, during a conference organized by the family and the all-inclusive Institute, during which, with a power point created by her niece Mariaelena Magro, the twenty years of life of the Prize were retraced.
«A meritorious initiative, which contributes to keeping local traditions and history alive – states the head teacher, Maria Viscone – which occupies an important place in our school. In fact, it is the “small” local stories that have made the history of Italy.” The mayor, Anna Bartucca, was also present: «The life of the lawyer. Barone was an example of dedication to the territory, of attention to the common good, of love for our history and our roots. The Award aims to enhance the fundamental role that education has in building and transmitting the values of which he was the bearer: legality, respect for institutions, attachment to one’s land, culture as a tool for emancipation and growth. And it has become, year after year, an eagerly awaited event, a moment of collective reflection, an opportunity for our children to question themselves about the past, to better orient themselves in the present and the future.”
Immediately afterwards, the intervention of the mayor of Francavilla Angitola, Giuseppe Pizzonia: «The lawyer. Barone was also a point of reference for our country, for the values he spread and transmitted. Principles of legality, correctness, loyalty and transparency. I am sure that we will continue to learn from him, despite his absence.” Then, the memory of the lawyer is moving. Antonello Bevilacqua, former president of the Bar Association of Lamezia Terme, who outlined his figure as a professional and historian, recalling his friendship with his father and underlining his strong sense of belonging to the territory.
The greeting of the new director of the AT of Vibo Valentia, Roberto Lofaro, was Gabriele Runca, also president of the Proloco: «Twenty years ago, the Barone family had the foresight to turn the spotlight on local history, not only by leafing through old documents, but by giving value to testimonies, recovering those traditions that form our cultural heritage. The Award extended to middle and high school students is a commendable step forward. In an era in which cultural roots can sometimes fade, projects like this become essential for educating new generations in the values of identity, tradition and belonging.” Finally, the intervention of the journalist Antonio Sisca: «The lawyer. Barone was a multifaceted figure in the field of culture. A man, and it is not rhetorical to say it, who was trained on books, especially on the book of life. A man who loved his country, pushing him to explore boundaries unknown to most. Thanks to him, excavations began at Castelmonardo, the ancient site of medieval origin destroyed by the earthquake in 1783, and other initiatives that made Philadelphia known and appreciated beyond national borders.”