- The Award, organized by the Biomedical University Foundation, was given to two individuals, one Senior and one Junior, who have contributed to the improvement of society through solidarity and benevolence.
- The new fundraising campaign for scholarships at the Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome has begun, aimed at promoting and supporting deserving students from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds.
Rome, July 8, 2024 – Lina Tombolato Doris in the Senior category and Nicolò Govoni in the Junior category are the winners of the second edition of the Joaquín Navarro-Valls International Award for Leadership and Benevolence. The award ceremony took place at the Protomoteca Hall of the Capitoline Museums in Rome, in the presence of numerous distinguished guests.
The Biomedical University Foundation, a non-profit organization supporting the development of the University and the Campus Bio-Medico University Hospital Foundation, promotes the event in memory of Joaquín Navarro-Valls.
Navarro-Valls was a physician and journalist, spokesperson for Pope John Paul II, and director of the Holy See Press Office for 22 years, from 1984 to 2006, as well as a founder of the Foundation alongside Paolo Arullani.
“The goal of the Award is to identify and recognize distinguished individuals who embody the values of leadership and benevolence in their efforts,” states Alessandro Pernigo, President of the Biomedical University Foundation. “Lina Tombolato Doris and Nicolò Govoni, by dedicating their skills and commitment to development and solidarity projects, in alignment with the teachings of Joaquín Navarro-Valls’ life, have contributed to the betterment of society and represent positive role models to be inspired by,” concludes Pernigo.
Lina Tombolato Doris, born in the province of Padua in 1947, established the Ennio Doris Foundation in 2022 in memory of her husband who passed away the previous year. She demonstrated her leadership by working alongside her husband to infuse humanity into their family activities, promoting benevolence for the well-being of individuals. She has spearheaded numerous projects supporting disadvantaged children, providing scholarships for university and technical education to young people from underprivileged backgrounds, and supporting activities for families and the elderly, with the aim of assisting those in need. Her generosity and solidarity have inspired many, creating a positive and lasting impact in the communities served.
“Ennio and I spent our entire lives together, we came a long way and shared an extraordinary journey. We started very young from the poorest part of post-war Veneto, but with an enormous wealth in terms of humanity, altruism, mutual help, and, as stated in the motivation for your prestigious award, a lot of benevolence,” said Lina Tombolato Doris upon receiving the Award. “When life is so generous, it must be lived with a strong sense of gratitude, sharing, giving back, and helping those who have not been as fortunate. In conclusion, I would like to address some words to young people, to tell them to dream, to look to the future with hope and confidence, and to plan for tomorrow without losing heart or giving up in the face of difficulties that are an integral part of life,” concluded Tombolato Doris.
Nicolò Govoni, born in 1993, is the President and CEO of Still I Rise, an association founded in 2018 on the island of Samos in Greece, with the aim of opening Emergency Schools and International Schools for refugee and vulnerable children. Today, the non-profit operates in Syria, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Yemen, Colombia, and India. Nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2020, Nicolò Govoni has consistently demonstrated generosity and humanity in his commitment to education and support for children and adolescents in vulnerable situations.
“I am grateful and deeply honored to receive the Joaquín Navarro-Valls International Award for Leadership and Benevolence. Every day, with Still I Rise,
we do our best to contribute to a better and fairer tomorrow: this Award is further encouragement to continue on this path,” said Govoni upon receiving the Award.
The candidates were nominated by the Award’s Scientific Committee, consisting of Federico Eichberg, Matteo Colaninno, Giuseppe Cornetto Bourlot, Stefano Lucchini, and Luisa Todini.
The Jury that awarded the Prize to the winners is composed of the President of the Biomedical University Foundation, Alessandro Pernigo, along with Paolo Arullani, Ferruccio De Bortoli, Maria Bianca Farina, Gianni Letta, and Lucia Vedani.
The award initiative represents an opportunity to recognize the recipients and a moment to reflect on the importance of exercising ethical and cultural values in contemporary society with the aim of promoting the “Good of the person.”
The Award aims to contribute to the education of young students through the University Campus Bio-Medico of Rome’s Scholarship Fund named after Navarro-Valls.
In 2023, funds were raised to award 10 full-tuition scholarships for students with a family income of less than 28,000 euros, enrolled in various degree programs for the 2024/25 academic year: Medicine and Surgery “Medtech,” Nursing Sciences, Intelligent Systems Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Sustainable Development Engineering, and Food Science and Technology and Supply Chain Management.
The evening, moderated by journalist and television host Safiria Leccese, also featured an address by Ferruccio De Bortoli of Corriere della Sera and the roundtable discussion “Communicating Leadership, Inspiring Benevolence,” with journalist and writer Alberto Michelini, Televisa Italia correspondent Valentina Alazraki, and deputy director of Vatican Media Alessandro Gisotti. The event concluded with remarks by Federico Eichberg, vice president of the Biomedical University Foundation.
