Mayor Marco Bonini said the awards recognised people who had helped to raise Barga’s profile across the world.
It was important that we did something to honour the citizens of Barga. Many places do it but Barga was not one of them so we decided to use our patron saint as a symbol of pride and identity for the town. Every year we honour people who have stood out and done something in Barga or across the world.
The President of the Italian Senate, Pietro Grasso was in Barga this morning to receive the gold St. Christopher medal for 2015, At the ceremony in the Teatro dei Differenti, he was also named an honorary citizen of Barga.
Pietro Grasso is an Italian anti-mafia magistrate and politician who has been President of the Italian Senate since 16 March 2013. Grasso became Acting President of Italy on 14 January 2015, upon the resignation of President Giorgio Napolitano. He served as Acting President until the swearing in of Sergio Mattarella on 3 February, as the new President.
As President of the Senate, it was his responsibility to decide whether the Senate would declare itself as an injured part in an indictment against Berlusconi. The former Prime Minister was accused of bribing majority senators to have them withdraw support from the Prodi government. Grasso decided to go ahead against the advice of a Senate parliamentary committee, who voted 10 to 8 against the indictment
Also awarded the highest honour that the city can bestow, the gold St. Christopher medal, was Francesca Orlando who’s family first started the foundry in Fornaci also 100 years ago.
The Premio San Cristoforo d’Oro (Golden St Christopher medals) 2014 | 2013 | 2012 |
