The University of Trento has learned minutes ago that Antonio Megalizzi, one of our students in the Master’s programme in European and International Studies and a young journalist, has died as a result of the Strasbourg terrorist attack. Rector Paolo Collini, deeply saddened by this tragic turn of events, expresses his sincere condolences on behalf of the University community to the family and fiancée of Antonio. From tomorrow, the official flags will be flown at half-mast on the balcony of Palazzo Sardagna, home to the Rectorate, to honour the memory of Antonio Megalizzi.
The messages will be published on the dedicated page: www.unitn.it/antoniomegalizzi
These words are from the director of the School of International Studies, Andrea Fracasso:
The loss of Antonio as a result of such a cruel and cynical attack left the community of the School of International Studies and the University in shock. We spent days anxiously waiting for some good news, keeping hope alive, but today our hearts are heavy with sorrow. It is not just because we are unable to understand the meaning of events like these, but because Antonio was loved by students and teachers alike. He was a curious and enthusiastic student, committed to his studies, a convinced pro-European who believed in the values that inspired the European integration project, with a passion for understanding the mechanism and institutions of the European Union. Here is what he wrote in his application letter for the MEIS Master’s: “Then, I began the adventure of Europhonica, a radio program which broadcasts from the EU Parliament in Strasbourg. It was in that moment that I literally fell in love with the EU.” A love that he continued to nurture until that sad day when, while in Strasbourg to cover the plenary session of the European Parliament, his life was taken away. His application letter also included these lines: “I guarantee that, as always, I will never give up. I can promise to give attention, enthusiasm, commitment and dedication”. Antonio never betrayed this promise and that is why the memory of him is so vivid and his loss so painful. All our thoughts today are with Antonio, here at the School of International Studies, and with his sister Federica and his fiancée Luana who are studying with us. The University community is with Antonio’s family, his fiancée, his friends and loved ones. Antonio represents a generation of young people who are studying and working hard everywhere in the world to accomplish something that is well beyond any degree, to translate into reality the principles and ideals of equality and inclusiveness on which our society is founded, the society in which we want to live. He was a victim of senseless violence, and will not be able to achieve is goal: it is our goal to keep his memory alive.
A note from Federico Crotti, President of the Student Council of the University of Trento:
The news came as a shock to the student community. A student like us who dies this way, in our home, Europe... There are no words to describe this. All our thoughts are with his family, his friends, and his loved ones.