On Wednesday, July 5, which marked the sixth anniversary of the death of Joaquin Navarro-Valls, the first International Joaquín Navarro-Valls Prize for Leadership and Benevolence was awarded at the Palazzo della Cancelleria in Rome. 

The recipient of the prize was Italian designer Brunello Cucinelli, a man born into a farming family who grew up in the Umbrian countryside. He has dedicated much of his time to the conservation and restructuring of the small town of Solomeo, Italy, where he was raised, which now has the nickname of “the town of cashmere and harmony.” 

The prize is an initiative of the Biomedical University Foundation, where Navarro-Valls was the president of the board of trustees. 

A Scholarship Fund for the Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome was established in the name of Navarro-Valls, with the aim of fostering inclsuion, development, and a recognition of talent by promoting social mobility and valuing merit-worthy individuals.  

Paolo Arullani, President of the Biomedical University Foundation, expressed his admiration for the initiative, stating, “It’s an initiative that recognizes Joaquin Navarro-Valls, five years after his death, and permits us to continue the activity that he carried out, assisting with the growth of the Campus Bio-Medico.” 

Gianni Letta, a member of the Advisory Board of the Biomedical University Foundation, highlighted the significance of receiving an award in the name of Joaquín Navarro-Valls: “I believe, award winners, that receiving an award in the name of Joaquin Navarro-Valls for this dual purpose of leadership and benevolence, is the highest award you can achieve. There are so many awards around Italy, but this one is unique.” 

The Biomedical University Foundation has decided that the annual award will have a cultural and artistic value. The work awarded to Cucinelli was created by the artist Oliviero Rainaldi.