Honorary PhD awarded to Cardinal Pizzaballa for his commitment to the defence of international law and human rights

The Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa has awarded an honorary Doctor of Philosophy degree in “Human Rights, Global Politics and International Studies” to the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, His Beatitude His Eminence Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa. The ceremony took place this morning in Pisa, in the presence of the Minister for Universities and Research, Anna Maria Bernini, the Rector of the Sant’Anna School, Nicola Vitiello, and representatives of political and religious institutions.

This award recognises Cardinal Pizzaballa’s role and commitment to the defence of international law and human rights, in particular the right to religious freedom. At a time in history marked by profound tensions, the Cardinal has embodied values of hope and humanity, becoming a beacon for those who call for peace and dialogue. Furthermore, the Cardinal has always recognised the role of schools and universities as ‘forges of a new humanity’ – places where opportunities for dialogue can be fostered and a culture based on respect for others and dialogue can be promoted.

The ceremony opened with official addresses by the Minister for Universities and Research, Anna Maria Bernini, and the Rector, Nicola Vitiello, who highlighted how science diplomacy can transform universities into genuine laboratories of peace – places where knowledge opens up new avenues for dialogue and trust. The Rector’s remarks were followed by those of Caterina Sganga, Director of the DIRPOLIS Institute, who emphasised the Institute’s commitment to human rights, the peaceful resolution of armed conflicts, transitional justice and peace studies.
Following the reading of the citation by Francesco Strazzari, Coordinator of the PhD programme in Human Rights, Global Politics and International Studies, and the laudatory address by Edoardo Greppi, Professor Emeritus of International Law at the University of Turin, which focused on Cardinal Pizzaballa’s life story, Rector Nicola Vitiello presented the Cardinal with the honorary Doctor of Philosophy degree.

The ceremony concluded with a keynote lecture on the theme ‘The humanity of the other: dignity and rights in times of war’. In his keynote address, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa reflected on the relationship between the recognition of the other, dignity and rights, starting from a question made all the more urgent by the international context: how can we safeguard the humanity of the other when the reality in which we live seems to push us to deny it? Recognising the humanity of the other, the Cardinal emphasised, means first and foremost recognising the other in their dignity and in their differences. It is a commitment that is also expressed through language and mutual respect, and which requires us to regard dialogue as a concrete form of coexistence. Similarly, peace cannot remain merely an aspiration or an abstract concept: we must create the conditions for it to be translated into concrete relationships and responsibilities.
Hence the reflection on hope: how can we continue to commit ourselves when results seem fragile and war, violence and mistrust return to destroy what we have sought to build? For the Cardinal, hope is rooted in faith and takes shape in the bonds between people, in the ability to keep building even in the most difficult moments. The great temptation of our time, the Cardinal emphasised, is to believe that security can be achieved without the other, that freedom can be defended against the other. The experience of the Holy Land teaches us, however, that sooner or later, the future we have denied to others ends up impoverishing our own as well. “The humanity of the other is not merely a moral issue. It is a condition of our very future.”