On Saturday 24 June, in the evocative setting of the Abate Castle of Castellabate, a well-known town in Cilento (Campania), the "Pio Alferano Award" was presented. A yearly award sponsored by the Pio Alferano and Virginia Ippolito Foundation, it is given to people, bodies and institutions that have committed themselves to art, culture and the environment.

Among the winners of this edition were the President of our Foundation Nino Foti, the former President of the Chamber of Deputies Fausto Bertinotti, former footballer and World Champion Marco Tardelli, architect Cristina Mazzantini, journalist Pierangelo Buttafuoco and film director Liliana Cavani. These are the words of the Undersecretary for Culture and Artistic Director of the "Pio Alferano” Award Vittorio Sgarbi during the awarding ceremony:

"It is difficult to boil down Magna Graecia to just one name, that of Nino Foti, despite being president of a renowned Foundation and a consummate politician. The vastness of Magna Graecia as a civilization and as a concept is such that it does not need to be defined or celebrated. The Magna Grecia Foundation is a testament to its commitment and vocation, indicating the peculiarity of a geographical area rich in cultural heritage. From Elati to Paestum, great cultural and philosophical thinking was born in Magna Graecia, and is still alive and well. Since I can't add anything more to what Magna Graecia represents and neither can I talk at length about its esteemed president, I want to put forward, on behalf of the institution I represent, my proposal: that Magna Graecia be indicated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

During the opening ceremony held at the Abate Castle, the exhibitions "Risanamento. Alfonso Tortora Collection", "Massimo Listri. Il Visibile e l’Invisible" and "Edoardo Bennato. In cammino" were inaugurated. All the works will be on display until October 2023.