The awarding of the city seal to Padua's cultural figures took place on Monday, December 5th, at the auditorium of the Altinate San Gaetano Cultural Center. The annual ceremony, which began in 1986, was suspended in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic, and has finally resumed this year. With the awarding of the city seal, it honors those who have distinguished themselves in the cultural and social spheres throughout their lives.
The event is sponsored byAssociation of Padua and its territory, publisher of the bimonthly magazine of the same name (see), which also featured in its end-of-year issue. The recipients are selected based on suggestions from the numerous cultural associations that support the periodical. For 2022, six honorees were chosen in consultation with the municipal administration and the mayor, who attended the ceremony and personally presented the seals.
The delivery of the seal: Don Albino Bizzotto
Born in the province of Vicenza in 1939, Albino Bizzotto He became a priest in 1963. In the 1980s, he traveled through Latin America, where he observed the sad consequences of political conflicts and social unrest. In 1985, he founded the association Blessed Peacemakers which aims to promote peace and disarmament in the world. In 1992, he organized a nonviolent march in Sarajevo, then under siege, attended by hundreds of people. He founded and directs a free counter-information radio station, Radio Cooperative, which he broadcasts throughout the Veneto region. In him, prayer becomes action for peace and solidarity.
Giordana Mariani Canova
Professor for many years at the University of Padua, Giordana Mariani Canova She is the second recipient of the seal. She has taught History of Miniatures, History of Medieval Art, and Museography. She has particularly distinguished herself in the rediscovery of ancient manuscripts and illuminated manuscripts written in the city's main secular and religious centers. She has also investigated the fate of the pictorial heritage following the Napoleonic suppressions.
The delivery of the seal to the absent Don Dante Carraro
Don Dante Carrara He was not present at the delivery of the seal due to business commitments, which is why it was handed over to his representative. Dante Alighieri he is the director of the NGO. Doctors with Africa CUAMM which meritoriously promotes and protects the health of African populations. CUAMM has built numerous hospitals, healthcare facilities, and assistance centers across the continent, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Don Dante's participation in international conferences on healthcare cooperation in developing countries is also significant.
Antonio Rigon
Antonio Rigon For many years, he taught Medieval History at the University of Padua. He studied religious history and civil and ecclesiastical institutions, as well as the Da Romano and Da Carrara families. He also worked extensively as a journalist, contributing to numerous journals and founding the periodical "Quaderni di vita religiosa." He is also a member of several renowned study centers, such as the Italian Historical Institute for the Middle Ages.
Graziano Visintin
Graziano Visintin He is a master goldsmith who trained at the local “Pietro Selvatico” Institute and then became a teacher. Padua School of Goldsmithing (here is the link) plays a leading role and is recognized internationally as one of the leading figures in the Art of Jewelry. Winner of numerous international awards, his compositions eschew the conventions of applied art and simple body decoration. Starting from the very properties of metal, Visintin achieves figuratively simple compositions developed in the contemporary era.
The delivery of the seal to Vittorina Zagonel
Vittorina Zagonel She is a surgeon specializing in oncology. Having graduated in the city, she began a long and distinguished professional career there. Since 2014, she has been director of the Department of Oncology and was a member of the Superior Health Council from 2014 to 2018. She promoted the development of a multidisciplinary approach to neurooncology and coordinates the Luca Ometto Association's REGOMA project. Here, a specific drug has been used to improve survival rates for glioblastoma. Dr. Zagonel, like the other recipients, deeply appreciated receiving the seal. In her case, she confided, it also represents recognition for a work that is now coming to an end, as she is nearing retirement.
The auditorium was packed when the seal was presented, and numerous correspondents from local newspapers and television stations were present at the event.
