Michael Severance, Acton Institute (second from left) accepts the Liber@mente International Award alongside fellow honorees.
Montepaone Lido, Italy, Aug. 29, 2026 – The Acton Institute has been honored with the Liber@mente International Award, recognizing its global impact at the intersection of religion, freedom, and economics.
The honor was presented at the 18th annual Liber@mente ceremony, hosted by the Vincenzo Scoppa Foundation at the Municipal Amphitheater on Lungomare Nausicaa in Montepaone Lido, Calabria. Michael Severance, Senior Fellow for Strategic Relationships at the Acton Institute, accepted the award on behalf of the Institute.
The Liber@mente International Award recognizes individuals and institutions that have made significant contributions to culture, freedom, civic responsibility, and community life. The recognition of the Acton Institute highlights its ongoing commitment to advancing a free and virtuous society by exploring the relationship between economic freedom, religious liberty, human dignity, and moral responsibility.
The award was presented alongside honors for Gazzetta del Sud, the historic newspaper of Southern Italy founded in 1952, and Professor Eugenio Capozzi, historian, essayist, and university professor.
Special recognitions were also presented to a number of cultural, social, and community organizations for their contributions to solidarity, education, culture, sports, civic participation, and local life.
“This edition,” said Sandro Scoppa, president of the Vincenzo Scoppa Foundation, “has confirmed the value of a cultural journey based on freedom, personal responsibility, and pluralism. We wanted to pay tribute to prominent individuals and institutions, but also to the many local organizations that, every day, build relationships, promote education and participation, and strengthen civic responsibility.”
The Acton Institute is grateful for the recognition and remains committed to advancing the ideas and institutions that enable individuals and communities to flourish.