The first prize to publicly acknowledge people who cultivate a passion, ordinary and extraordinary alike. Creative eccentrics, risk takers and innovation lovers - tell us about your passion and win 26,000 Euros!

Is your hobby your passion? Have you turned your passion into a profession? Then the European Award for Lifelong Passions is looking for you!

The European Award for Lifelong Passions is a prize conceived to discover extraordinary people and their passions. A special prize is dedicated to the Passion for Scientific and Technological Innovation. The total prize money is 26,000 Euros. Entries are open until the 16th October 2012. 

The European Award for Lifelong Passions acts as a vessel designed to uncover and acknowledge human passions of all kinds. The award is primarily aimed at amateurs, but a special prize is reserved for professionals who cultivate a lifelong passion for scientific and technological innovation. 

“We are looking for builders of fantastic architectures, designers with personal dreams, entrepreneurs pursuing impossible challenges and explorers of scientific novelties. Throughout history there are fantastic examples of enthusiasts: extraordinary people, who breathe deep, taking energy from what surrounds them” – this is how Denis Isaia, founder and artistic director of the Award, describes the project.

The story so far
In 2009 over 1,000 passionate people from Italy submitted applications for the 1st edition of the award. The Jury decided to grant a special prize for the Passion for Scientific and Technological Innovation to a noteworthy team. Andrea Giacomelli and Francesco Giubbilini were awarded 2,000 Euros for their Participatory Darkometry project, aimed at mapping areas of the earth that are free from light pollution. The Jury appreciated the authors' innovativeness as well as their ability to raise awareness about the link between technology and environmental protection.

The 2012 Award – What’s new?
The main novelty of the second edition is the decision to open the Award to passionate people throughout Europe. Searching for those genuinely passionate is no easy task, for this reason the Awards committee set up a full blown communications lab. Five agents, resident in and responsible for five language areas in Europe – English, French, German, Spanish and Italian – are already at work publicising the award and searching for examples of passion.

In addition, the award relies on the strength of informal communication networks. To activate them, a nomination reward has been set up: anyone can recommend a potential candidate and be rewarded with 10% worth of their prize.

The winners will be selected by a jury comprised of intellectuals, journalists and experts in various disciplines, including Patrick Ohnewein, manager of the Free Software & Open Technologies Centre at the TIS Innovation Park in Bolzano. Out of the total money prize of 26,000 Euros, the Award for Passion for Scientific and Technological Innovation foresees 3,000 Euros for the first place, 2,000 for the second and 1,000 for the third place.

Applications are welcome online until the 16th October 2012. (The final date for submitting the printed application form and documentary evidence of the passion is the 31st October 2012).

Registration is free. The official call for entry and additional information about the award can be obtained from www.lifelongpassionsaward.eu or by writing to info@lifelongpassionsaward.eu.

The European Award for Lifelong Passions – La Seconda Luna is sponsored by the City of Laives Award Committee, with the support of local cultural institutions. The special award for Passion for Scientific and Technological Innovation is sponsored by the Department for Innovation of the Autonomous Province of Bolzano.

Know someone with a great passion? Nominate them and win a share, too:http://www.lasecondaluna.it/en/apply/nominate

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