The Nonino Prizeis being relaunched, expanding its international scope, and establishing dialogues and events in the most important European and global institutions in the name of Benito Nonino (1933–2024).
A time of change for the Nonino Prize—the international award established over half a century ago by Giannola and Benito Nonino to promote rural civilization and to preserve the endangered native Friulian grape varieties, later expanded over the years to include literary and international sections. A visionary project that has, since its inception, brought together in its jury personalities such as Mario Soldati, Father David Maria Turoldo, Luigi Veronelli, Gianni Brera, Ermanno Olmi, Mario Rigoni Stern, Jorge Amado, Peter Brook, Emmanuel Le Roy Ladurie, Natalia Ginzburg, Claudio Magris, V.S. Naipaul, James Lovelock, Adonis, Antonio Damasio, Edgar Morin, John Banville, Fabiola Gianotti, Giorgio Agamben, and Amin Maalouf.
For over 50 years, it has honored winemakers, writers, intellectuals, philosophers, thinkers and scientists from around the world, anticipating the Nobel Prize six times.
Starting this year, the Prize will be held biennially, strengthening its symbolic and cultural significance. This decision—always in the spirit and in honor of Benito Nonino, who passed away on July 8, 2024—stems from the desire to give the Prize a broader period for listening, observation, and maturation, fully consistent with the principles that have always guided the Nonino family and Company: quality, depth, and long-term vision, values shared with the prestigious international jury chaired by Antonio Damasio and composed of Adonis, Suad Amiry, John Banville, Luca Cendali, Mauro Ceruti, Jorie Graham, Amin Maalouf, Claudio Magris, Norman Manea, and Edgar Morin.
The new biennial format will allow the Prize to become even more international, with events and dialogues organized in the most important institutions of European and global capitals, starting with Paris in 2026—a moment of international exchange and communication with jury members and laureates, to explore issues concerning respect for the earth and humanity in a constantly evolving world.
Ermanno Olmi defined the Nonino Prize as “an invitation to reflect on our duties and responsibilities toward the earth and humanity, especially for the benefit of future generations”.
“The next edition of the Nonino Prize in Friuli will be held on January 30, 2027, at the Nonino Distilleries in Ronchi di Percoto, in the province of Udine—a special edition, designed to convey even more strongly the connection between culture, territory, and the entrepreneurial vision of our Family”, stated Giannola, Antonella, Cristina, and Elisabetta Nonino together with the Prize Jury.
The Nonino Prize has anticipated the choices of Nobel Prize winners six times: Rigoberta Menchù (Premio Nonino 1988, Premio Nobel 1992), V.S. Naipaul (Premio Nonino 1993, Premio Nobel 2001), Tomas Tranströmer (Premio Nonino 2004, Premio Nobel 2011), Mo Yan (Premio Nonino 2005, Premio Nobel 2012), Peter Higgs (Premio Nonino 2013, Premio Nobel 2013), Giorgio Parisi (Premio Nonino 2005, Premio Nobel 2021). Tra gli altri premiati nomi come: Jorge Amado, Claude Levi Strauss, Peter Brook, Leonardo Sciascia, Ermanno Olmi, Mario Rigoni Stern, Tonino Guerra, Tzvetan Todorov, James Lovelock, Claudio Abbado, Andrea Zanzotto, Renzo Piano, Antonio Lobo Antunes, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Martha Nussbaum, Alain Touraine, Javier Marias Michael Pollan, Anne Applebaum, Mauro Ceruti, Fabiola Gianotti
(The Nonino prize becomes biennial and more international – Barchemagazine.com – January 2026)
