ROME (ITALPRESS) – Italian-Moroccan entrepreneur Abderrahim Naji has won the “Mattei Plan for Africa” Award as part of “Visioni Made in Italy”—a project promoted by SIMEST (a company within the Cassa Depositi e Prestiti Group) in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation—which aims to showcase Italian entrepreneurial excellence and its contribution to international development through the medium of film.

The award was presented on Wednesday at the Teatro Sistina in Rome, during a ceremony held as part of the “Alice nella città” section of the Rome Film Fest.

Naji received the honor in the “Large Enterprises” category for an audiovisual work highlighting the initiatives of Italian companies on the African continent. The project focused on innovation, sustainability, the enhancement of skills, and the economic and social impact on local communities—all in line with the objectives of the Mattei Plan for Africa.

The Italian-Moroccan entrepreneur emerged from a group of 30 national finalists, selected from over 100 applicants. A jury chaired by actor and director Alessandro Preziosi—comprising experts from the audiovisual sector as well as representatives from the business and institutional worlds—evaluated the entries based on criteria including creativity, innovation, internationalization, sustainability, and the integration of production supply chains.

“I am particularly proud to receive this award, which represents a story of Moroccan entrepreneurial excellence and testifies to the strength of the ties between Morocco and Italy,” Naji stated to the MAP news agency. “My experience is that of a Moroccan who found an opportunity in Italy to build a business, create jobs, and contribute to industrial development, all while maintaining a strong bond with his home country and the values ​​of his origins,” he added.

Having already been named “Immigrant Entrepreneur of the Year” at the 2015 MoneyGram Awards, Naji stands as an example of economic integration and entrepreneurship within the Italian industrial landscape.

The ceremony was attended by, among others, the Chairman of Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, Giovanni Gorno Tempini, and the Chairman of SIMEST, Vittorio de Pedys, alongside representatives from the economic, diplomatic, political, and cultural spheres.

The “Visioni Made in Italy” (“Visions of Made in Italy”) initiative—developed as part of the export action plan promoted by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani—aims to use the language of cinema as a tool for economic and cultural diplomacy.

The award-winning documentaries will be showcased through a permanent digital platform, the network of Italian embassies and Italian Cultural Institutes, and national television programming, thereby contributing to the international promotion of the “Made in Italy” brand and economic partnerships with African nations.

– Photo Map –
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews