A cultural award received at the Capitoline Hill. Controversy surrounds the recognition given to Wanna Marchi and Stefania Nobile, who were honored on September 23rd at a ceremony in the Sala della Protomoteca, where they received the "PIC – International Culture Award" for their respective publications.
Stefania Nobile was awarded for "Selling... Dearly Your Skin," a book in which she recounts her story and her relationship with her mother. Wanna Marchi, a former saleswoman of miraculous "belly-melting" creams, received recognition for her cookbook "The Truth Is That I Cook Like This. Here We Don't Weigh Anything: The Only Measure Is Love," published in 2026.
It should be clarified that this was a private initiative conceived by publisher Alessandro Gian Maria Ferri, not an award granted by Rome's City Council or the Capitoline Hill: the Protomoteca Hall can be used for events outside of institutional activities, following a specific authorization process. Over 200 people attended, including city councilor Dario Nanni, who later clarified: "I didn't know Wanna Marchi and her daughter were there. If I had known, I wouldn't have attended. These people are light years away from my outlook on life and my political beliefs."
A delighted mother and daughter, who were definitively convicted for fraudulent telesales by the Court of Cassation in March 2009. "Life is truly strange: from Castelguelfo, one of the ugliest places in the world, to a prison cell, and then you find yourself at the Capitoline Hill, praised, amidst compliments, applause... Of course, the Capitoline Hill isn't for everyone: this time it was a beautiful thing for us. Thank you!", wrote Wanna Marchi on social media . "I will always be the daughter of number 1. Selling isn't always about going around. It's about selling yourself," says Stefania Nobile, who was involved last year in Milan in the investigation into the Gintoneria, a bar run by her ex-partner Davide Lacerenza.
"No limits to decency," one reads in the comments. "We've reached rock bottom, a slap in the face for honest people." And again: "Is it possible? An award for culture. And for the Capitoline Hill?"
(Unioneonline/D)