ITALIAN EXCELLENCES IN GENEVA AND SWITZERLAND: SAIG AWARDS 8 ITALIANS

It took place on May 27 th May 27, in the magnificent setting of the Louise & Parquet halls of the Hotel d'Angleterre, the awards ceremony for the 4th edition of the prize of the Society of Italian Associations of Geneva (SAIG) "Italian Excellence in Geneva and French-speaking Switzerland ”, which saw 8 Italians awarded.

The partnership agreement between the prestigious Hotel and SAIG made it possible to celebrate one of the two annual gala events that SAIG organizes and was greeted very favorably by the numerous guests and professionals.

The "Italian Excellence in Geneva and Frenchspeaking Switzerland" Award, conceived by SAIG in 2018, is intended as a thank you to that group of Italians for the important and continuous work carried out with the professionalism that distinguishes and defines them. Italians who, by choice or necessity, have moved abroad where, thanks to their Italian character, today they hold important positions that not only give prestige to Italy, but also contribute to the local economy and to the development of important projects. A showcase that affirms and confirms the fundamental role of Italian spirit in the Canton of Geneva.

The event, organized by SAIG, with the patronage of the Consulate General of Italy in Geneva, the Italian Cultural Institute in Zurich and the Geneva municipalities partners of SAIG, saw several personalities enrich this 4th Edition with the presence of the President of the State Council of Geneva, Serge Dal Busco, the President of the Municipal Council of the City of Geneva Amar Madani, the Mayor of the City of Vernier Mathias Buschbeck, Mons.Massimo De Gregori, the Director of the Clinique de l'Oeil Raphael Martin, Comm. Claudio Bozzo, the member of the CGIE Toni Ricciardi, the Coordinator of ITAL-Uil Switzerland Angelo Di Lucci, the Deputies of the Grand Council Daniel Sormanni and Jean-Charles Lathion and many other guests.

After welcoming the guests, the SAIG Coordinator, Carmelo Vaccaro, opened the evening and greeted the authorities and those present at the award ceremony. The purpose of the evening is to recognize the added value that our compatriots bring in the various working sectors outside the borders of our homeland, professionals of undisputed value and high level. Countrymen little known to the general public, but widely recognized in the various sectors of their professions. Therefore, SAIG continues to pursue the search for compatriots residing in the Canton of Geneva and one in French-speaking Switzerland, in order to make known the other part of Italianity abroad that works, produces but is less known to the general public.

Presenting the award ceremony for this 4th edition, two high-profile professionals working in the Swiss canton: the Biologist and scientific researcher, Ilaria Di Resta, and the university professor of Literature, Laura Facini. To reward the 2022 Excellencies, the Presidents of the Associations belonging to SAIG (who, together with local and non-local authorities, have delivered the plaques and parchments to the prestigious names that have enriched the palmares of Italian Excellencies chosen by SAIG for this edition).

Also for this edition eight successful Italians, four women and four men, have received this Award named by (SAIG), for having distinguished themselves, in their professional activities in Geneva and in French-speaking Switzerland, and which contribute to the increase of the prestige of the 'Italy abroad.

Philippe Boaron, musician (holder of a Master in Music Performance and Music Pedagogy at the conservatories of Geneva and Lausanne and with further experience through courses and masterclasses with well-known musicians of international caliber. Among other projects, he participated in the making of the Swiss short film Le dernier Cigare, taking part in the filming as an actor and recording the soundtrack. He also plays an important pedagogical activity, mainly as a piano professor at the Conservatoire Populaire de Musique, Danse et Théâtre in Geneva).

Followed by Dr. Fabio Campitelli, a dynamic SwissItalian professional (expert in creating and managing teams to improve performance and achieve goals in all aspects of the business.

He has lived in different countries growing both personally and Last May 27, in the magnificent setting of the Louise & Parquet halls of the Hotel d’Angleterre, the awards ceremony for the 4th edition of the prize of the Society of Italian Associations of Geneva (SAIG) “Italian Excellence in Geneva and French-speaking Switzerland ”, which saw 8 Italians awarded.

The partnership agreement between the prestigious Hotel and SAIG made it possible to celebrate one of the two annual gala events that SAIG organizes and was greeted very favorably by the numerous guests and professionals.

The “Italian Excellence in Geneva and Frenchspeaking Switzerland” Award, conceived by SAIG in 2018, is intended as a thank you to that group of Italians for the important and continuous work carried out with the professionalism that distinguishes and defines them. Italians who, by choice or necessity, have moved abroad where, thanks to their Italian character, today they hold important positions that not only give prestige to Italy, but also contribute to the local economy and to the development of important projects. A showcase that affirms and confirms the fundamental role of Italian spirit in the Canton of Geneva.

The event, organized by SAIG, with the patronage of the Consulate General of Italy in Geneva, the Italian Cultural Institute in Zurich and the Geneva municipalities partners of SAIG, saw several personalities enrich this 4th Edition with the presence of the President of the State Council of Geneva, Serge Dal Busco, the President of the Municipal Council of the City of Geneva Amar Madani, the Mayor of the City of Vernier Mathias Buschbeck, Mons.Massimo De Gregori, the Director of the Clinique de l’Oeil Raphael Martin, Comm. Claudio Bozzo, the member of the CGIE Toni Ricciardi, the Coordinator of ITAL-Uil Switzerland Angelo Di Lucci, the Deputies of the Grand Council Daniel Sormanni and Jean-Charles Lathion and many other guests.

After welcoming the guests, the SAIG Coordinator, Carmelo Vaccaro, opened the evening and greeted the authorities and those present at the award ceremony. The purpose of the evening is to recognize the added value that our compatriots bring in the various working sectors outside the borders of our homeland, professionals of undisputed value and high level. Countrymen little known to the general

He has lived in different countries growing both personally and professionally in multicultural environments, developing managerial skills with excellent ability to relate to people of very varied cultures and traditions. He began his professional career in Fiumicino with US Airways, then in Geneva with Middle East Airlines, then moving on to Alitalia where he held various positions of great responsibility in the Middle East and then returned to Geneva with the role of Head of Switzerland. Finally he managed the transition to ITA Airways where today he holds the role of National Manager of Switzerland and temporarily of Germany).

Another award-winning, Dr. Patrizia Carlevaro (who obtained her doctorate in Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Technologies at the University of Pavia and has dedicated most of her professional career. Co-founder of GenomSys SA, a start-up that develops technologies to improve compression, storage and transport of genomic data. As general manager of Otsuka SA from 2011 to 2015, she created the international branch in Geneva and Russia. Previously, she was Head Unit of Lilly where she developed the international unit , responsible for commercial and philanthropic initiatives, technology transfer and company policies for access to drugs and patents. She is also a member of the board of directors of LFB Biomédicaments, Medicines Patent Poll, Florence Nightingale International Foundation, the Cercle des Dirigeants d ‘ Entreprises of Geneva. Member of the advisory board of the European Association of Women Executives in the Health Sector, HBA, (until 201 8) and the UNCTAD Empretec Women in Business award).

And again, Prof. Paola Gaeta, leader and international expert in criminal law and international criminals (her research interests have focused on public interests such as the relationship between international human rights and humanitarian law. She is currently directing a research project on “Lethal Autonomous Weapons and War Crimes: Whose Criminal Responsibility Is?” In the past, Professor Gaeta was director of the Geneva Academy where she directed the master’s degree in international humanitarian law and human rights; she was adjunct professor at University L Bocconi University of Milan, Adjunct Professor at the Graduate Institute of International Studies and Development and Professor of International Criminal Law at the University of Geneva. He is a member of the editorial board of the Journal of International Criminal Justice and of the International Spectator).

Walter El Nagar, a creative and self-taught Chef in the kitchen (after a few months at the helm of the “FiskeBar” of the Hôtel de la Paix, opens his own “Le Cinquième Jour”, a restaurant enriched by a strong concept of social inclusion: Saturday the brigade cooks free of charge for less well-off customers, refugees, the homeless. In 2020 he founded the MATER Foundation, which manages the “Refettorio Geneva” restaurant, of which he is executive director. Like Le Cinquième Jour, the refectory promotes social inclusion and fights food waste, and offers a free balanced meal every evening to people in precarious or exclusion situations).

Dr. Sabrina Pisu, journalist and writer, currently writes for L’Espresso (over the years she has followed some of the most important Italian and international events, producing services, articles and reports for various newspapers, including Euronews, Radio24-Il sole 24ore, Sky and Rai3. Among the books of which she is the author, we can mention at least The Mattei case. The evidence of the murder of the president of Eni (Chiarelettere, 2017) written with the magistrate Vincenzo Calia, and I take the world everywhere sia. A life as a photographer between civil commitment and beauty (Einaudi, 2020) written with Letizia Battaglia, the greatest Italian photographer in the world, who passed away in April this year. She has received several important journalistic awards, including the Premio Giustolisi “Justice and Truth” for investigative journalism (in 2020) and the Cristiana Matano international journalism award (in 2021), sponsored by the European Parliament).

To conclude the award ceremony, Prof. Daniela Solfaroli Camillocci. Graduated in Modern Literature from the University of Pisa (arrives in Geneva thanks to a scholarship from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the Institut d’histoire de la Réformation of the University of Geneva, obtains a Diploma en études réformées and continues her academic career at the IHR, as research assistant. In 2017 she was appointed associate professor at the Faculty of Letters and at the Faculty of Theology. Since 2019 she has been Director of the Institut d’histoire de la Réformation and co-head of the Directorate of the Maison de l ‘Histoire de l’University of Geneva).

Giovanni Iacomini was unable to attend the event but will receive it next November.

SAIG thanked all those who actively participated in the realization of the evening and all the guests present, as well as the award-winning personalities who, like every year, represent the flagship of Italianness in the world and the national pride of us. Italians.