Every year the Linux User Group Bozen-Bolzano-Bulsan assignes the “South Tyrol Free Software Award” (SFSaward). The award is given to a person who contributed to the introduction of the culture of Free Software in the Province of Bolzano.
The Free Software Award 2019 was delivered to Piergiorgio Cemin and Marco Marinello.
Laudatio SFSaward 2019
This year we have not only one but two winners of the SFSaward, two people who in recent years have distinguished themselves for their contribution to the dissemination and development of free software in the Province of Bolzano.
What do they have in common? Many things. First of all, the fact that both have always dedicated themselves towards a sustainable digitization of schools and on two aspects of digitization that are of fundamental importance for public administrations, including schools, that process citizens’ data: these concepts go under the names of digital sovereignty and digital autonomy. In our schools, they have always spent their time ensuring that these rights were guaranteed and that the software they very often created on a voluntary basis was made available to everyone.
Their work has always been characterized by one main objective which is a mission for every school: knowledge sharing. Together they worked on the development of projects for schools and the Italian School Board. To cite an example, the system for the management of all training courses for teachers and directors, that allowed the school administration, teachers and principals respectively to totally manage on one side and enroll in annual training courses on the other.
We give you a clue. The winners are a teacher and a student and both have been giving their contribution to the FUSS project of digital sustainability in schools.
The teacher: recently retired, is known and respected by his colleagues for his constant availability and tireless desire to help and find educational solutions based on free software. Involved from the beginning in the FUSS project, he served as a member of the FUSS Group until the last day of work and will continue his service at the Open & Linux Desk in Bolzano-Bozen, which is open to all citizens.
The student: he is in his 5th year of high school. Since elementary school he has been passionate about computer science and he started from middle school to give his contribution to the FUSS project, first in the labs, then on many other fronts. Today his first talk at SFSCON: he will present one of his many free software contributions.
The two winners together represent how free software in schools is the vehicle that allows teachers and students to interact, create, and innovate.
The time has come to reveal their names. The winners of the South-Tyrol Free Software Award 2019 are Piergiorgio Cemin and Marco Marinello.
