Adnkronos Berlin, November 15 (Adnkronos) – German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Italian President Sergio Mattarella presented awards in Berlin to the winners of the "Presidents' Award for Municipal Cooperation between Italy and Germany," now in its third year. Established in 2020 by Mattarella and Steinmeier, the award recognizes twinning and projects between municipalities in Germany and Italy, particularly in the areas of culture, youth and civic engagement, innovation, and social cohesion.
After the 2021 edition, held in the German capital, and the 2023 edition, held in Syracuse, this year the Awards were presented again in Berlin, at Palazzo Bellevue, the official residence of the Federal President of Germany.
The awards for the Large Municipalities category (at least one with more than 40.000 inhabitants) went to Bologna-Münster (North Rhine-Westphalia) and Pistoia–Zittau (Saxony). For the Small Municipalities category (up to 40.000 inhabitants), the following were awarded: Gubbio (Umbria)–Wertheim (Baden-Württemberg); Greve in Chianti (Tuscany)–Veitshöchheim (Bavaria); Formigine (Emilia-Romagna)–Verden (Lower Saxony); and Gualdo Tadino (Umbria)–Schwandorf (Bavaria).
Following the awards ceremony, a side event entitled "70 Years of Italian Presence in Germany" was held to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the "Agreement on the Recruitment and Placement of Italian Workers in the Federal Republic of Germany," which Steinmeier called "revolutionary," noting that "it shaped the lives and family histories of hundreds of thousands of people who came to Germany from Italy to work and live." "The role they played," Mattarella recalled, "was, beyond their own work, a unifying and growing integration between Germany and Italy, through their commitment and that of their descendants." Singer-songwriter Vinicio Capossela, a descendant of Italian emigrants, also performed on the occasion.