Rome, June 23, 2026 – Maestro Andrea Bocelli and entrepreneur Giulia Lapertosa are the winners of the fourth edition of the Joaquín Navarro-Valls International Award for Leadership and Benevolence, conferred during the official ceremony held in the Sala della Protomoteca of the Capitoline Museums in Rome, in the presence of distinguished guests from the institutional, business, academic, and religious worlds.
The Award is promoted by the Biomedical University Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports the Campus Bio-Medico University and University Hospital Foundation, and is dedicated to the memory of Joaquín Navarro-Valls, a physician, journalist, and historic spokesman for Pope John Paul II.
Pope Leo XIV sent a message for the ceremony. The Holy Father expressed his deep appreciation for an initiative aimed at valuing those who exercise responsibility for the benefit of the community, urging everyone to “join forces to build up the good, so that humanity may never lose its beauty and the world may once again recognize, in the heart of the human being, the place where God desires to dwell.”
“This is precisely the spirit that the Foundation intends to enhance through the Award: the recognition of personalities who interpret a leadership oriented toward the common good, social responsibility, and caring for others, according to the idea of benevolent leadership developed by Navarro-Valls,” stated Alessandro Pernigo, President of the Biomedical University Foundation. “Andrea Bocelli and Giulia Lapertosa are two significant examples of this. Figures who, through different paths, unite talent, commitment, and a concrete focus on their neighbors.”
The ceremony, hosted by journalist Safiria Leccese, opened with a lectio magistralis by H.E. Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi titled “Unity and Benevolence for the Challenges of the Modern World.” The round table “Leadership and Benevolence: Building Bridges and Spreading Good” then featured Andrea Monda, Director of L’Osservatore Romano, Anna Fiscale, Founder of Progetto Quid and 2025 Junior Awardee, Simona Quadarella, Italian swimmer, and Rocco Papalia, Rector of the Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome. During the evening, the special “Builder of Unity” recognition was awarded to Prof. Paolo Arullani for having dedicated his life to the birth and development of the Campus Bio-Medico of Rome, founded on the centrality of the person and the idea that science, healthcare, and education must always be united in the service of mankind. Closing remarks were entrusted to Federico Eichberg, Vice President of the Foundation.
The Award, for the senior category, recognizes Maestro Andrea Bocelli, an icon of Italian music in the world, for his extraordinary ability to combine artistic excellence, human depth, and a commitment to solidarity, also evidenced by the activity of the Andrea Bocelli Foundation which, with its mission of “empowering people and communities”, promotes social innovation, helping to create a world where children, youth, and vulnerable communities are empowered to fully express their potential.
“I accept this recognition with profound gratitude, and as a spur to continue in the path of the Gospel, the supreme moral philosophy of all philosophies, an inexhaustible mine that gives meaning to every journey. I wish to ideally share this award with the staff and all the friends of the great family of the Foundation that bears my name, because good is never built alone. I am deeply moved that it is named after Joaquín Navarro-Valls, a man of faith and harmony, whose testimony I have always admired,” commented Maestro Andrea Bocelli.
In the Junior category, Giulia Lapertosa was awarded for successfully transforming entrepreneurial vision and social sensitivity into concrete tools for inclusion, promoting access to education and skills as a lever for growth and opportunity for the new generations.
“I have always believed that initial economic conditions should not represent an obstacle to talent, commitment, and the desire to achieve one’s goals. It is a conviction that has guided my path, leading me today to build valuable educational opportunities accessible to as many people as possible. I am deeply honored to receive the Joaquín Navarro-Valls International Award for Leadership and Benevolence: it represents an incentive to continue with ever greater determination and responsibility in this mission of mine, so that a person’s starting point never determines their finish line,” commented Giulia Lapertosa.
The Award is part of the broader commitment of the Biomedical University Foundation in favor of the education of young talents, through the Navarro-Valls Scholarship Fund of the Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, which has already allowed the allocation of 30 scholarships dedicated to deserving and underprivileged students, some of whom were present in the hall. In past editions, the Award has been conferred to prominent figures such as entrepreneur Brunello Cucinelli in the first edition, Lina Tombolato Doris and Nicolò Govoni in the second, and Silvano Pedrollo and Anna Fiscale last year.
