Through its Awards, Grants and Funding Foundation, the University of Pisa has financed a research grant in memory of Antonio Megalizzi, the student from the University of Trento and journalist at Europhonica, who died as a result of the Strasbourg attack on 11th December. The announcement has come exactly two months after the death of the young man and on the day in which Europhonica has turned its microphones on again. The research grant of 8,000 euros is for a period of study of six months and will deal with themes related to new models of journalism to talk about the European Union and its values. These were the themes that Antonio proposed daily on the radio on a voluntary basis.
“The idea of the research grant came from the students of our own web radio, Radioeco, who, over the years, have been part of the editorial staff of Europhonica and have worked alongside Antonio Megalizzi,” explains Nicoletta De Francesco, the Deputy Rector and president of the foundation. “Together with the Rector Paolo Mancarella and Professor Sandra Lischi, the Delegate for communication and the diffusion of culture, we welcomed their proposal wholeheartedly, in the belief that this type of initiative could be the best way to remember the young student and his commitment to the radio where he worked, not only to talk about an institution, but also to recount the idea of a united Europe beyond political convictions.”
At the time of the attack, Antonio Megalizzi was the editor-in-chief of Europhonica, the radio format which was the result of a European Commission tender in 2015 with the participation of RadUni, the association of Italian university radios, and their French, Spanish, Portuguese, German and Greek counterparts. Megalizzi had been part of the project from its foundation, having previously been editor-in-chief. The aim of Europhonica has always been to talk about the European Union and its policies in simple language, suited to students. RadioEco, affiliated to RadUni, was able to take part in the initiative through Fabiano Catania (in the photo on the left with Antonio), who was, at the time, president and station manager of the radio and a student of the university. Over the years, other young people from Radio Eco have also joined the editorial staff of Europhonica. The RadioEco studios have hosted numerous episodes from Italy conducted by Fabiano Catania.
11th February 2019