Controversy over awards ceremony at Rome's Campidoglio

Wanna Marchi and her daughter, Stefania Nobile, sparked controversy following an awards ceremony at the Campidoglio in Rome. The event was part of the second edition of the ‘Premio Internazionale della Cultura’ (International Culture Award), held in the Sala della Protomoteca.

Nobile was honored for her book ‘Vendere… cara la pelle’, while Marchi received an award for her cookbook ‘La verità è che io cucino così’. Although the ceremony was a private initiative organized by publisher Alessandro Gian Maria Ferri and not an official honor from Roma Capitale, the use of the prestigious institutional venue drew significant criticism.

Critics, including Senator Susanna Donatella Campione and journalist Jimmy Ghione, expressed indignation over the recognition of individuals with significant criminal histories. Marchi and Nobile were previously convicted of criminal association for fraud, a sentence confirmed by the Court of Cassation in 2009. While city officials clarified that the municipality provided the hall but did not manage the event, the choice of venue and the profiles of the recipients remained subjects of public debate.