Pietrangelo Buttafuoco won the Laurentum ‘The Values of Culture’ award because “with his cultural and intellectual path he embodies a shining example of dedication to culture and critical thinking”. Thus begin the motivations behind the recognition that the president of the Venice Biennale received this evening during a ceremony held in the Sala della Regina of the Chamber of Deputies.
“Born in Catania and deeply linked to Sicilian traditions – we read again in the motivations – he was able to combine his philosophical training with a journalistic and literary career of the highest level, characterized by refined speech and brilliant writing. Among the most influential Italian intellectuals contemporaries, Buttafuoco has distinguished himself for his acute ability to analyze the social, political and cultural dynamics of our time complex themes with a style that mixes rigor and passion. An author who is not afraid to deal with the major issues of the current world, Buttafuoco explores themes such as identity, historical memory, religion and politics with an often counter-current and profoundly original perspective. His work serves as a bridge between past and present, with a focus on the cultural roots and challenges of modernity. His recent appointment as president of the La Biennale di Venezia Foundation confirms the value of his contribution to Italian culture. His ability to reinterpret spiritual and cultural traditions, including through the personal experience of conversion to Islam, demonstrates an extraordinary intellectual openness that enriches the contemporary cultural panorama.”