Ambrogino awards: the University of Milan wins the Great Gold Medal

The University of Milan is the proud winner of an Ambrogino: the Commission for the Granting of Civic Merit of the Municipality of Milan has made public the names of the 41 people and organisations who will receive this prestigious recognition on 7 December, the feast day of St. Ambrose, Milan’s patron saint.

The awards to be conferred are one Great Gold Medal, five Gold Medals in memory of deceased persons, 15 Gold Medals and 20 Certificates of Civic Merit. The Great Gold Medal will go to the University of Milan, which is currently celebrating its 100th anniversary. The award will be conferred by Mayor Giuseppe Sala during the traditional awarding ceremony scheduled for 7 December at the Dal Verme theatre. 
The Ambrogini, literally “Saint Ambrose Civic Merit awards”, are the highest recognitions conferred by the Municipality of Milan. The winners are chosen by the Commission for the Granting of Civic Merit, which is made up of members of the municipal council. 

"This is an exceptional honour – Rector Elio Franzini said, – which confirms and celebrates the strong ties that our University has always had with its city since its very origins, even before its actual foundation. We are humbled by this award, for which I truly thank the Municipality of Milan. I would like to dedicate this award to our whole academic community, to our professors, researchers and technical, administrative and library staff, who have made this University great over the last hundred years, creating a hub of science, culture, knowledge and innovation for the benefit of Milan and our country. And I know that I am not mistaken when I say that this award will touch the hearts of the many generations of Milanese citizens who grew and learnt within these walls. Here, they were always free to debate their ideas, often in heated tones, on any topic and even in the darkest hours of our recent history. This way they came to be deeply attached to our University, and now they can feel this strong connection whenever they come back and go through these doors. I believe this too, is the duty of a great public university. Thank you Milan, from the bottom of our hearts”.