Institutional portal - Municipality of Milan

Tajani: “Two research works on the exploitation of black labor and the integration of migrants through work and self-entrepreneurship. Topics that are at the center of the Administration's agenda"

Milano, 18 marzo 2020 - Milano mantiene vivo il ricordo di Marco Biagi anche in questo particolare momento di emergenza, dovuto alla diffusione del Corona Virus. Sono conferiti oggi, in videoconferenza da Palazzo Marino, dall’assessora alle Politiche per il Lavoro Cristina Tajani, i riconoscimenti ai vincitori del premio Marco Biagi 2019, la borsa di studio istituita dal Comune di Milano per onorare la memoria e il lavoro del giuslavorista assassinato nel 2002. 

Winning the prize ex aequo were Dr. Paola Cavanna, with “Forced labor and other forms of labor exploitation in the agri-food sector: a preventive strategy”, and Dr. Diana Pamela Villa Alvarez, with “Discovery Program. Career mentorship for migrants”.

“Even in a particular moment like the one Milan and the entire country is going through due to the Covid-19 emergency, the Administration manages to keep the memory of Professor Marco Biagi alive. The works presented by these two young researchers, to whom we delivered the scholarships today via the web, are valuable contributions to the debate on issues such as the exploitation of illegal work and the integration of migrants through work and self-entrepreneurship. Topics that are at the center of the Administration's agenda. Issues - explains councilor Tajani - which in this period are more relevant than ever and must be addressed with a constructive spirit, open to dialogue and discussion in the name of the work indicated to us by Professor Marco Biagi. The work of these brilliant scholars demonstrates that we have all the ability and energy to face the challenges facing the Municipality and the entire country with a new spirit."

The Marco Biagi award established in 2015 by the Municipality of Milan is aimed at students, researchers, Italians and foreigners under 35, who in the last two years have addressed, through degree or doctoral theses, articles, monographs and essays, the delicate topic of I work with a focus on particular areas such as social and peripheral innovation, work and new migratory phenomena. Studies that can be useful to the Administration to identify adequate policies to understand the social and economic changes present in the area. 

The winners were identified from a shortlist of 24 candidates who responded to the call. A special judging commission made up of internal and external members of the Administration will designate the most deserving ones. In addition to the awards, the two winners were also given two checks worth 2.400 euros.

REASONS

Dr. Paola Cavanna for her PhD thesis “Forced labor and other forms of labor exploitation in the agri-food sector: a preventive strategy”

“The work (PhD thesis) analyzes in a detailed and in-depth manner the phenomenon of forced labor and the exploitation of labor in the agricultural sector, in a global perspective but with a particular focus on the Italian case, and has the specific objective of proposing strategies on how to combat the exploitation of labor in the agricultural sector. The theme is relevant and pertinent to the tender, the work is well done and documented, and the last chapter contains elements of the proposal".

Dr. Diana Pamela Villa Alvarez for her Master's thesis: “Discovery Program. Career mentorship for migrants”.

“The thesis deals with the theme of labor integration of migrants through the analysis of the Discovery Program, a work mentorship service developed in collaboration with local organizations that offer consultancy services for job search, which aims to guide migrants through the evaluation of their interests and abilities, helping them in choosing a career aimed, in particular, at the development of self-entrepreneurship. The thesis is extensive, well documented and excellently executed. The theme and program analyzed are innovative and extremely relevant both from a policy point of view and specifically with regard to the objectives of the Notice".