BENEVENTO, SEPTEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS. Since 2008, Campania’s (Italy) Europe-Mediterranean Association (Associazione Campania Europa Mediterraneo) is organizing the Creative Mind Festival in Benevento to bestow the Marzani International Award for Journalism and Literature to honor creative minds from all over the world who have dedicated their work of universal value to presenting the truth to the people.

This year, the Marzani Award will be bestowed, among others, to ARMENPRESS Director Aram Ananyan.

The event is organized under the auspices of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, the Senate and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in cooperation with the Benevento City Hall. Politicians, statesmen and public figures from all over Europe are participating in the festival. Italy’s Minister for European Affairs will also attend this year’s awarding ceremony.

As part of the festival, meetings and open discussions featuring the laureates will be organized on Middle East and Northern Africa.

Ananyan is honored with the award for the efficient leadership of the one-century old agency and the courageous commitment for voicing the Armenian Cause and humanitarian problems. Zartonk editor-in-chief Sevak Hakobyan will also receive the award.

At the ceremony on September 15, Armenian Ambassador to Italy Victoria Baghdasaryan will be bestowed the title of Honorary Citizen of San Giorgio del Sannio by the local government.

A panel of jury comprised of academicians, artists and journalists will hand over the Marzani Award this year to people who have distinguished themselves in the news media with their commitment, professionalism and independence.

The Marzani Award aims at encouraging dialogue between different Mediterranean cultures, contributing to integration through free, dynamic, innovative and quality journalism. The president of the jury has said that the laureates have been selected according to specific standards based on the European Council definitions.

Vice-President of the European Parliament Fabio Massimo Castaldo has stated that the awarding of non-Italian diplomats and journalists in Italy will show the importance of united pursuance of universal goals and preservation of values of people’s friendship.

Reported by Talal Khrais 

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan