Golden Radicchio Award: Minister Nordio and the Afghan cyclists that Italy has saved

The stage of the Academic Theater of Castelfranco Veneto, jewel of Giorgione’s city. It is here that every year the magic of the Radicchio d’oro award is repeated, the event organized by the consortium and the Radicchio restaurateurs, chaired by Egidio Fior. Born in 1999 and now in its 23rd edition, the award has become the meeting point of leading figures at national level, a celebration of excellence, a symbol of people sharing the same values.

The most important guest was the Minister of Justice Carlo Nordio, originally from Treviso, who is at home with Egidio Fior and also follows the cycling team, a point of reference for our movement (Fondriest, Cunego, Basso, Figueras, for example): to him the Casatella prize, which exalts the value of Treviso. Minister Nordio then met the Afghan cyclists, dressed in their traditional clothes, who fled the fury of the Taliban and found salvation in L’Aquila: they arrived in Italy on July 27 with the first humanitarian corridor between Italy and Pakistan ( where they had taken refuge). Their story of heroism and struggle for life through sport (there are 18 in Abruzzo, all from the Afghan national team), told by journalist Francesca Monzone who kept in contact with them in the darkest moments of their escape to Pakistan and managed to open the humanitarian corridors to save them, moved all the spectators in the theatre. For solidarity, prizes also went to the actress Manuela Arcuri for the film “Hoganbiiki” and to the creators and authors of the short film “Julian Ross’ second half”.

In the sports field, awards to the world champion swimmer Thomas Ceccon; to the sprinter Elia Viviani, twice world champion on the track, symbol of the Italian movement and point of reference for Ganna’s generation;

to Fausto Pinarello, the manufacturer from Treviso who supplies the national team, the Ineos-Grenadiers team and is the most successful ever in the Tour de France (15 triumphs out of 109 editions); to Daniele Santarelli, coach of Serbia, world champion in volleyball and coach of Conegliano.

The Luigi Agnolin Award went to Nicola Rizzoli, one of the three Italian referees to have officiated the World Cup final, and to Maria Sole Ferrieri Caputi, the first female referee in Serie A. For culture, awards to the journalist Fausto Biloslavo and the musician Andrea Griminelli . Great attention to the world of food and wine and entrepreneurship, with awards to journalist and writer Alberto Marcomini, chef Isa Mazzocchi, entrepreneurs Sabrina Carraro, Andrea Dallan and the Lando family.