Zaira Sellerio Receives the Belli-Lami Award

On June 25, 2026, the prestigious G. Belli – F. Lami Literary Competition Awards Ceremony will take place at Guglielmo Marconi University in Rome, organized by the Department of Literature of the historic Accademia Tiberina and directed by Professor Antonietta Micali.

The event is one of the most significant cultural gatherings dedicated to literature, poetry, and the promotion of Italian identity, bringing together authors, poets, and leading figures from the cultural world from both Italy and abroad.

L'autrice Zaira Sellerio — L’autrice Zaira Sellerio

Among the protagonists of the event will be Sicilian writer Zaira Sellerio, who will receive an important award for her book “Courage Is Female” (Il coraggio è femmina), an intense and deeply human work that retraces, through personal experiences and stories linked to Italian emigration, a journey marked by sacrifice, hardship, and redemption.

The award will be accepted on her behalf by Claudia Cammarata and Anna Rea. In her book, Sellerio sincerely recounts her life story, focusing on the challenges she faced during her youth and on the fundamental role that reading and writing played in her personal and cultural development.

For Swiss Federalism, this recognition is a source of great pride and satisfaction. Zaira Sellerio has long collaborated with our newspaper through short stories, poems, and literary contributions that have captivated readers with their emotional depth, narrative sensitivity, and ability to give voice to memories, feelings, and life experiences.

Her works, often inspired by themes of memory, roots, identity, and the human condition, represent a valuable cultural contribution to our publication. This important recognition honors not only the quality of her literary work but also the commitment and passion with which she continues to convey messages of hope, courage, and humanity through her writing. For all of us at Swiss Federalism, this is a particularly meaningful and well-deserved achievement.

During the ceremony, several other prestigious awards will also be presented, including the “Guglielmo Marconi Award”, which recognizes individuals who have distinguished themselves in the fields of culture and social commitment. A special award will also be presented to Hon. Simone Billi, President of the Committee for Italians Abroad.

Special thanks have been extended to the organizers of the event, particularly Professor Antonietta Micali, Executive President of the Award, Franco Antonio Pinardi, President of the Accademia Tiberina, Professor Marco Abate, Rector of Guglielmo Marconi University, and Marco Belli, Director General.

The initiative once again confirms itself as an important meeting point between culture, memory, and national identity, reaffirming the value of literature, journalism, and cinema as powerful instruments of social and human testimony, with particular attention to Italian communities around the world.

The management and editorial staff of Swiss Federalism extend their heartfelt congratulations to Zaira Sellerio for this further well-deserved recognition and achievement.