The Art, Science and Peace Prize is awarded every 3 years by Man Center, in collaboration with the World Interreligious Center, to a Personality who has particularly excelled in the fields of Arts and Sciences for his or her work for peace and the well-being of humankind.
The profound and symbolic message of the Prize is that the Arts and Sciences can be a wonderful tool for bringing Peace into the world and elevating the Spirit of man, uniting all the peoples of the Earth.
The Art, Science and Peace Prize has to date been awarded to the well-known writer, journalist and essayist Fernanda Pivano (2002), to the great director Franco Zeffirelli (2005), to professor Umberto Veronesi, a world-renowned doctor and former Italian Minister of Health (2012), to the famous tenor Andrea Bocelli (2015), and to the celebrated actor and director Roberto Benigni (2018).
ROBERTO BENIGNI – ART, SCIENCE AND PEACE PRIZE 2018
On 22 November 2018, during a private ceremony in Rome, the Art, Science and Peace Prize was handed to Roberto Benigni.
The Jury gave its reasons for choosing this Italian artist for the 2018 Prize in the following way:
For his incomparable ability to be able to reach the heart of the general public by transmitting a message with elevated artistic, human and civil values intended to awaken conscience and to foster understanding and love among individuals and peoples. The Prize for the career of this great actor and director took its cue from the profound seriousness of his art that in the film he directed Life is Beautiful (winner of three Academy Awards) paints a dramatic picture of a society which had erased every authentic value of life and launches a message of hope for humankind from which discrimination and wars are banished. Furthermore, for their elevated moral and spiritual value and for the important endeavor of popularization, his critical interpretation and reading of the Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri, the Ten Commandments and the Constitution of the Italian Republic remain memorable.
ANDREA BOCELLI – ART, SCIENCE AND PEACE PRIZE 2015
In November 2015 the fourth Art, Science and Peace Prize was awarded to the famous tenor Andrea Bocelli, during a ceremony held at his villa in Forte dei Marmi, for this reason:
Ambassador of peace in the world, Andrea Bocelli gives listeners around the world the gift of joy with his enchanting voice, which is unique for its timbre and warmth. With his art he elevates the spirit towards higher values of life and unites men, beyond all barriers of race, nationality or faith. In addition, the Tenor, through the Foundation that bears his name, supports projects throughout the world for marginalized categories and people.
UMBERTO VERONESI – ART, SCIENCE AND PEACE PRIZE 2012
On 5 August in the stateroom of the Municipality of Viareggio the award ceremony was held for the Third Edition of the Art, Science and Peace Prize, unanimously awarded by the Jury to Prof. Umberto Veronesi, a distinguished doctor and former Italian Health Minister, who long devoted himself to research on the prevention and treatment of cancer, to defending the rights of the sick, and to respect for animals:
In recognition of his long and brilliant career successfully devoted to easing the suffering of humanity and to promoting high human, civil and social values of non-violence and respect for all living creatures, a luminous example of Science at the service of peace.
FRANCO ZEFFIRELLI – ART, SCIENCE AND PEACE PRIZE 2005
In the setting of the Third World Conference for the Peace and Welfare of Peoples, held at the Monastery of Sargiano in June 2005, Man Center, in collaboration with the World Interreligious Center, awarded the Art, Science and Peace Prize, having reached its second edition, to the Italian director Franco Zeffirelli. The awarding of the Prize to Franco Zeffirelli was justified with the following words:
For his direction of the films "Jesus of Nazareth", "Brother Sun, Sister Moon" and "Romeo and Juliet", which have spread a message of peace and brotherhood throughout the world.
FERNANDA PIVANO – ART, SCIENCE AND PEACE PRIZE 2002
During the Second World Conference for the Peace and Welfare of Peoples, held at the Monastery of Sargiano, the writer and essayist Fernanda Pivano received the first Art, Science and Peace Prize from the hands of Pier Franco Marcenaro for this reason:
For translating and promoting the great North American pacifist writers and for her peace work carried on for decades among the younger generations.
