On Monday, 12 July, Deputy Minister Della Vedova chaired the first meeting of the Committee of Honour of the CIDU Human Rights Award, thus inaugurating the second edition of an initiative launched in 2020.
“Within the framework of my assignment at the Foreign Ministry, with responsibility for Human Rights, I consider it important to enhance the importance of this Award granted by the Interdepartmental Committee for Human Rights (CIDU), together with other institutional and civil society representatives of our country,” Deputy Minister Della Vedova said. “At a time when the protection of human rights distinguishes with ever greater force and evidence the political vision on a global level, this Award represents Italy’s commitment in this field.
As was the case for the 2020 edition, the Award’s Committee of Honour, which is tasked with shortlisting the candidates, is made up of representatives of institutional and academic entities and of civil society, who therefore express different approaches and experiences in the field of Human Rights. Among the members of this second edition are the new Presidents of the relevant Committees of the two chambers of Parliament, Senator Giorgio Fede and the Hon. Laura Boldrini, and the former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, as well as former President of the Committee of Honour, Emanuela Claudia Del Re.
The Award – destined to specific “Entities, Associations, individuals and representatives of the Media, who have particularly distinguished themselves, in Italy, for having contributed to spreading knowledge about the various aspects inherent to Human Rights in our country” – will be assigned, this year as well, to seven types of candidates, in order to highlight the variety of themes and interventions concerning the sphere of Human Rights. Specifically, an award will be given to an Institution, an Association; 4 individuals with different age and gender profiles; as well as a representative of the Media, in accordance with the principles of freedom of the press and information.
The award ceremony, scheduled to take place on World Human Rights Day (10 December 2021), will also provide an opportunity to present the plaques from the first edition of the Prize, held during the period of greatest pandemic emergency in 2020.
