The Jury responsible for evaluating the nominations for the Vedovato Prize has decided to award the 2026 Prize to two doctoral dissertations. The winners are Jean-Gabriel Bela, for his dissertation defended in the Faculty of Social Sciences of the Collegium Maximum Mission, entitled "Women, Human Development and Religion in the Rural Milieu: Rethinking the Economy of Offense and the Principle of Participation in the Church," moderated by Professor Emilia Palladino; and Sanae Miyatake, for her dissertation defended in the same Faculty, entitled "What is Behind Prosocial Behavior in Japan? An Empirical Study on the Ethos of Japanese that Promotes Cooperation and Its Relation to Reputation Concern and Religion," moderated by Fr Paul Tang Amobo, SJ.

• The Prize will be awarded during the Dies Academicus, on May 19, 2027.
   

The Vedovato Prize is established to stimulate scientific research and promote the best dissertation defended at the Pontifical Gregorian University in the fields of social ethics and/or international relations, with an in-depth focus on one or more disciplinary dimensions, to propose possible responses to the current challenges of the Church in the world, including through a perspective on local issues of undoubted general interest.

Nominations for the Prize must be submitted by January 15th of each year.

• For more information, see the Vedovato Prize Regulations (Italian).