Narrating America to Italians: a Book that Celebrates 10 Years of the Amerigo Award

Translation by Yulia Lapina

The ceremony for the publication of the book “Raccontami l’America” (Tell Me About America), celebrating 10 years of the Amerigo Journalism Award with all the photos and biographies (in Italian and English) of the 98 journalists who have received that recognition since 2009, took place on Thursday, July 11 at the Center for American Studies in Rome. Born from the initiative of the Florentine Chapter of the Amerigo Association, the Amerigo Journalist Award, which is conferred every year at the US Consulate in Florence, represents a unique recognition of its kind for the contribution made by Italian media professionals to the knowledge of the United States of America in Italy.

The President of the Amerigo Association, Avv. Vito Cozzoli, and Dr. Lillian deValcourt-Ayala, spokesperson of the US Embassy in Rome, took part in the ceremony. In fact, the Amerigo Association, as well as its journalistic award, has always enjoyed the patronage of the American diplomatic mission in Rome, and the US ambassador is the honorary president of the award. The volume thus opens with a speech by the current Ambassador Lewis M. Eisenberg, who wrote: 

Among the many values we share, few are more cherished than our support for a free and transparent press. We know a well-informed citizenry is key to having a healthy and robust public debate based on facts and reason, not opinions and emotions. (…) American playwright Arthur Miller said, “A good newspaper is a nation talking to itself.” The Amerigo Media award winners have facilitated the ongoing dialogue that serves to strengthen the bonds between our two nations. I extend my most heartfelt congratulations to a decade of meritorius awardees, and to the Amerigo Association on the tenth year of its Media Awards. 

The president of the Amerigo Association, Vito Cozzoli, stated in his speech that the Amerigo Award is “a moral recognition for those journalists who narrate America to the Italians. And these prestigious journalists have contributed with their daily commitment to guarantee  continuous, objective, full information, telling us about the America that remains the continent that makes us dream, keeping alive the close ties that bind America to our country”.

Lillian deValcourt-Ayala, spokeswoman for the US Embassy, recalled how in her book “Quel giorno sulla luna” (“That day on the moon,” ndr)  journalist Oriana Fallaci described to Italians the excitement that Americans experienced, exactly 50 years ago, on the occasion of the moon landing. As was also the case for the legendary voice of the running commentaries by the RAI journalist Tito Stagno. “I think back to my days as a student of Italian in Florence,” said the spokeswoman, “when I first discovered, watching TV, how much attention Italian journalism paid to US affairs. Your work,” continued deValcourt-Ayala, addressing journalists in the hall,  “contributes to maintaining strong relations between our two countries. I sincerely hope that you can continue to narrate America to Italians; about the deep friendship that binds us to each other, and about how much of America is already present in your country and vice versa.”

Senator Alberto Barachini (Forza Italia), president of the Parliamentary Commission for the Supervision of Radio and Television Services, also spoke at the ceremony. He related that, “Just a few days ago, meeting with RAI’s correspondent in New York Giovanna Botteri, we spoke about how difficult it is to convey information about this extraordinary country–the US– without seeing it through an Italian lens. This is the most important take-away: to think of America in terms that are different from the Italian ones.”

The publication, “Raccontami l’America,” celebrating ten years of the Amerigo Award, was curated by Dr. Michele Ricceri, from the Florence Chapter of Amerigo, who was also present at the evening with the General Secretary of the Association, Dr. Massimo Cugusi, and the sponsors of the editorial initiative: Dr. Riccardo Galli of the Fondazione Cassa Risparmio di Firenze and Dr. Gianluigi Traettino, of Landolfi Traettino, who is also vice-president of Amerigo. Amerigo was also attended by Andrea Gumina, vice-president, and Gian Luca Petrillo, coordinator of the Rome Chapter. The event was moderated by Avv. Rosa Giovanna Barresi, member of the Advisory Committee of Amerigo.

A touching moment occurred in the great hall of the Center for American Studies when two recently deceased journalists, former recipients of the Amerigo award, were remembered for their outstanding achievements, and whose beautiful photos and bios stand out in the volume: Vittorio Zucconi and Massimo Bordin.

The evening at the Center for American Studies was also dedicated to the presentation of the digital version of the Martin Waldseemüller’s (c. 1470 – 1521) Map, considered the “birth certificate” of America, a project carried out by the Museo Galileo in Florence. The large map, presented by Professor Filippo Camerota, deputy director of the Museo Galileo, is in fact the oldest document (1507) in which appears the name of America in homage to Amerigo Vespucci. The only known specimen was acquired by the Library of Congress in 2003 and is now exhibited in the Thomas Jefferson Building.

The Amerigo Association brings together Italian alumni of international cultural exchange programs promoted, in their various forms, by the US State Department (Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs). Founded in May 2007 on the initiative of eight founding members from the Italian academic, business, journalistic and institutional worlds, it aims to promote exchanges of knowledge, personal and professional experiences, and the achievement of common projects.

Here is the video that Radio Radicale made of the evening at the Center for American Studies in Rome.

The Amerigo Award is divided into several sections: News Agencies, Daily Newspapers, Magazines, Radio, Television, Photography, Web, Social Network and Under 35, as well as a Special Award.

Below all the 98 winners of the Amerigo Award, divided by years and sections.

PREMIO GIORNALISTICO AMERIGO

Giornalisti Premiati 2009 -2018

Premio  2009

Sezione Quotidiani

Cesare De Carlo (Resto del Carlino), Ilaria Ciuti (La Repubblica)

Roberto Baldini (La Nazione)

Sezione Periodici

Andrea Battistuzzi (Libro Aperto)                                     

Cristina Lombardi (Fellow)

Sezione Web Daniele Magrini (Portale intoscana.it)

Premio  2010

Sezione Quotidiani Viviana Mazza (Corriere della Sera),                           

Gerardo Ausiello (ll Mattino di Napoli)                                      

Sezione Periodici Massimo Gaggi (Sette – Corriere della Sera)           

Sezione Radio Vittorio Zucconi ( Radio Capital)

Sezione Televisione Giorgio Pacifici (Rai International)                                

Faccioli Pintozzi (Sky Tg24)

Sezione Web Martino Mazzonis ( www.America 2012.it)

Premio Speciale Giovanni Lani (Gruppo Qn Quotidiano Nazionale)

Premio  2011

Sezione Agenzie Giornalistiche Cristiano Del Riccio (Ansa)

Sezione Quotidiani Maurizio Molinari  (La Stampa)

Sezione Periodici Marzio G. Mian (Io Donna – Corriere della Sera)

Sezione Radio Mario Calvo Platero (Radio 24-Sole 24 Ore)

Sezione Televisione Gerardo Greco (Rai)                                                        

Menzione Speciale Matteo Minasi (Rai 3)

Sezione Fotografia Giampiero Corelli fotoreporter (QN-IL Resto del Carlino-La Nazione-Il Giorno)

Sezione Web Oscar Bartoli

Premio Speciale Federico Rampini (La Repubblica)

Premio  2012

Agenzie Giornalistiche TMNews (direttore Paolo Mazzanti)   

Sezione Quotidiani Giampaolo Pioli (Gruppo QN)                

Sezione Settimanali Antonio Carlucci (l’Espresso)

Sezione Radio Radio Radicale (Direttore Paolo Martini)

Sezione Televisione Giovanna Botteri (Rai)

Menzione Speciale Stass Gawronski (Rai educational)

Sezione Fotografia Alessandro Cosmelli (Io Donna)                          

Sezione Web Il Post (Direttore Luca Sofri)

Menzione Speciale Marzio Fatucchi (c. fiorentino on line)           

Premio Speciale Beppe Severgnini (Corriere della Sera)

Premio 2013

Agenzie giornalistiche 9 Colonne (Direttore Paolo Pagliaro)     

Sezione Quotidiani Anna Guaita (Il Messaggero)

Sezione Periodici Limes (Direttore Lucio Caracciolo)

Sezione Radio Pino Cicala (Radio Antenna Italia)

Sezione Televisione Maria Luisa Rossi Hawkins (Mediaset)

Sezione Fotografia Federica Valabrega

Sezione Siti Web Aspenia on Line (Roberto Menotti)       

Sezione Social Networks (Twitter) Giampiero Gramaglia

Premio Speciale Gianni Riotta (La Stampa)

Premio 2014

Sezione Agenzie giornalistiche Alessandra Baldini (Ansa) 

Sezione Quotidiani Paolo Mastrolilli (La Stampa)

Sezione Periodici Internazionale (Direttore Giovanni De Mauro)

Sezione Radio Zapping Radio Rai (Conduttore Ruggero Po)      

Sezione televisione Monica Maggioni ( Direttore Rai News 24)

Sezione Fotografia Andrea Pistolesi

Sezione Siti Web L’Huffington Post (Direttore Lucia Annunziata)

Sezione Social Network (Twitter) Marco Bardazzi (La Stampa)

Premio Under 35 Stefania Spatti (America-Radio 24-Il Sole 24 Ore)

Premio Europa (Enam) Felipe Marana Marco-detto Felipe Sahagun (Spagna)

Premio Alla Memoria Simone Camilli –Video Fotoreporter

Premio Speciale Alessandra Farkas (Corriere della Sera) 

Premio 2015

Agenzie giornalistiche RadioCor Il Sole 24 Ore

Sezione Quotidiani Francesco Guerrera (La Stampa)

Sezione Periodici Marco Panara ( La Repubblica)                                          

Sezione Radio Gaetano Barresi (Giornale Radio Rai)                               

Sezione Televisione Marco Fratini (La 7)

Sezione Fotografia Michele Petruzziello

Sezione Sit Web Guido Moltedo (www.ytali.com)

Sezione Twitter-Social Network Marco Pratellesi (G. Espresso)       

Premio Under 35 Valeria Robecco Collaboratrice Ansa, New York 

Premio Europa Secunder Kermani (Bbc) (Regno Unito)

Premio Speciale Paolo Valentino (Corriere della Sera)

Premio  2016

Agenzie giornalistiche – Stefano Polli – Ansa Roma

Quotidiani Giuseppe Sarcina – Corriere della Sera

Periodici – I.S.P.I. direttore Paolo Magri

Radio – Radio Vaticana – direttore Andrej Majewski       

Televisione – Francesca Forcella – Mediaset                                   

Fotografia – Nanni Fontana e Massimo Di Nonno (Sette – Corriere della Sera)

Siti Web – Luca Ciarrocca – www.Italia.co                                       

Under 35 Silvia Berzoni – collaboratrice di CLASS TV e CNBC TV

Premio Europa Nikola Vafiadis (Grecia)

Premio Speciale – Mario Calabresi – direttore di La Repubblica

Premio 2017

AGENZIE GIORNALISTICHE – Riccardo Luna (Agi Nazionale)

QUOTIDIANI  – Francesco Semprini (La Stampa)                                                   

PERIODICI  – Dario Fabbri (Limes)                                                                      

RADIO – Sylvia Poggioli Radio Europe

TELEVISIONE – Luca Rigoni  (Capo Redattori Esteri News Mediaset)               

FOTOGRAFIA – Valerio Nicolosi (free lance)

SITI WEB – Formiche.net (Paolo Messa fondatore)                                                    

TWITTER – Davide Mancini (MediaVoxpop)                                                               

UNDER 35 – James Fontanella-Khan (Financial Time, classe 1983)

PREMIO EUROPA – Hesna Al Ghaoui (Ungheria)

PREMIO SPECIALE – Mario Sechi (List sito indipendente, già direttore de il Tempo di Roma)

RICONOSCIMENTO SPECIALE – Antonio Lovascio già vice direttore de La Nazione

Premio 2018

Agenzie Giornalistiche LUIGI AMBROSINO (Ansa)                          

Quotidiani MATTIA FERRARESI  (Il Foglio)                             

Periodici     ENRICO DEAGLIO

Radio ANNA MARIA GIORDANO (Giornale Radio 3, Rai)

Televisione GIOVANNA PANCHERI (Sky Tg24)     

Fotografia PAOLO QUADRINI                                                                  

Siti web STEFANO VACCARA (www.lavocedinewyork.com)                  

Twitter JACOPO IACOBONI (La Stampa)

Under 35 FILIPPO BRUNAMONTI (La Repubblica – New York)

Premio Speciale LUCIA ANNUNZIATA  (Huffington Post)