PAVIA, Italy, June 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Center for Oncological Hadrontherapy (CNAO) served as the first stop today during Pope Leo XIV's pastoral visit to the city of Pavia. His choice to begin his journey at this center reflects a profound commitment to fostering meaningful dialogue between advanced scientific progress and the alleviation of human suffering.
CNAO President Gianluca Vago and General Manager Sandro Rossi received His Holiness, illustrating the center's distinctive capabilities. CNAO stands out as a unique reality in Italy, remaining one of the very few facilities worldwide capable of delivering hadrontherapy using both protons and carbon ions. The technological core of the facility is its synchrotron, a subatomic particle accelerator that generates ultra-high-precision beams to treat complex, inoperable and radioresistant tumours. This cutting-edge technology allows for the targeted eradication of diseased cells while meticulously preserving surrounding healthy tissues, drastically improving patients' survival and quality of life.
Furthermore, CNAO is expanding its capabilities as a premier multi-center utilizing new ion species, like Helium, later Oxygen and Neon. Soon, treatments will incorporate the Leo Cancer Care upright positioning and imaging system. The immediate future also includes beginning therapies with a Hitachi dedicated proton accelerator and gantry and a BNCT system for metastatic diseases, equipped with an electrostatic accelerator produced by TAE Life Science. With these new technologies, CNAO will become one of the most technologically advanced center in the world.
To date, over six thousand individuals, including approximately three hundred children and adolescents, have benefited from these life-saving treatments.
During his visit, the Pope engaged with CNAO's Board of Directors, a collaborative body uniting national universities, clinical institutions, and research centers. He also extended his heartfelt greetings to the two hundred employees of the center. These doctors, physicists, engineers, and researchers tirelessly operate the advanced technologies in the service of oncology patients.
The emotional pinnacle of the day was the Holy Father's private gathering with a delegation of young children who underwent treatment. The paediatric patients and their families shared a deeply touching moment of closeness, receiving the Pope's comforting embrace.
"The visit of Pope Leo XIV honours us and represents a moment of extraordinary human value", stated CNAO President Gianluca Vago. "In his encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, the Holy Father emphasizes the necessity of a science that constantly safeguards the centrality of the person and directs technology toward the common good. In a time marked by global tensions, CNAO testifies daily how the incredible power of the atom can be used not to destroy, but to heal. The particle beams we utilize against disease are, symbolically, Rays of Hope, sharing and supporting the IAEA project bearing this name. The embrace the Holy Father reserved for our children reminds us that scientific research finds its most authentic purpose when it encounters listening, compassion, and hope".
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Pope Leo XIV embraces paediatric patients at CNAO in Pavia
SHANGHAI, June 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Golden Goblet Awards Ceremony of the 28th Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF) was held at the Shanghai Grand Theatre tonight, bringing together filmmakers, jury members and industry professionals from around the world. As award winners took the stage and audiences responded with warm applause, the ceremony brought this year's ten-day celebration of cinema to a memorable climax. The festival's highest honors were presented across five competition sections: Main Competition, Asian New Talent, Documentary, Animation and Short Film.
The winners are as follows:
Best Feature Film:
ATLANTIC RHAPSODY (China), directed by ZHONG Kaifeng
Jury Grand Prix:
ILUMINADA (Belgium), directed by Nicolás Rincón Gille
Best Director:
Yassine El Idrissi for HALIMA (Morocco)
Best Actor:
ZHANG Songwen in SECRET IN THE BOX (Chinese Mainland/Hong Kong China), directed by Frankie Tam Kwong Yuen
Best Actress:
Khadija Amari in HALIMA (Morocco), directed by Yassine El Idrissi
Best Screenplay:
Reis Çelik for NIGHT OF BLINDNESS (Turkey/Germany), directed by Reis Çelik
Best Cinematography:
HAO Jiayue for ATLANTIC RHAPSODY (China), directed by ZHONG Kaifeng
Outstanding Artistic Achievement:
THE MISERABLE MOTHER (Germany/France), directed by Susanne Heinrich
Asian New Talent Best Film:
HER FIRST TASTE (China), directed by GONG Yiwen
Asian New Talent Best Director:
Sompot Chidgasornpongse for 9 TEMPLES TO HEAVEN (Thailand)
Asian New Talent Best Actor:
Sompop Songkampol in 9 TEMPLES TO HEAVEN (Thailand), directed by Sompot Chidgasornpongse
Asian New Talent Best Actress:
MA Fufu in HER FIRST TASTE (China), directed by GONG Yiwen
Asian New Talent Best Screenplay:
Ridham Janve for HUNTER'S MOON (India/Germany), directed by Ridham Janve
Asian New Talent Best Cinematography:
Samiul Karim Shuptak for THE BLIND GIRL AND AN ELEPHANT (Bangladesh/Germany), directed by Ishtiyak Ahmad Zihad
Best Documentary Film:
NOTES UNHEARD (China), directed by GU Jun
Best Animation Film:
LUCY LOST (France), directed by Olivier Clert
Best Live Action Short Film:
SITTING BIRD (Canada), directed by Athena Han
Best Animated Short Film:
IF ONLY (Belgium), directed by Ada Güvenir
The jury praised the selected works for their artistic originality, cultural diversity and commitment to cinematic storytelling. The awards once again highlighted SIFF's role in showcasing both established filmmakers and emerging voices from around the world.
Acclaimed actor Tony Leung Chiu-wai also headlined a highly anticipated masterclass at SIFF 2026, where the auditorium was filled to capacity as film professionals, students and movie lovers gathered to hear him reflect on his decades-long career in cinema. "You have to watch closely to catch my tiny details and body language—sometimes it's only a slight movement of my fingers," Leung said, adding that such nuances are best appreciated on the big screen.
The 28th edition received approximately 4,100 submissions from 125 countries and regions, setting a new record for SIFF. Among the roughly 3,000 eligible entries, 82% were world or international premieres, reflecting the festival's growing appeal as a launch platform for filmmakers around the world.
Running from June 12 to 21, the 28th Shanghai International Film Festival has served as a platform for international cultural exchange through film screenings, industry events and talent development initiatives. The festival presented a diverse lineup of films from around the world, including numerous world, international and Asian premieres, alongside a wide range of industry activities, project pitching events and talent programs that supported creative exchange and professional development.
As the festival enters its final day on June 21, screenings, audience events and industry activities continue across Shanghai. The 28th Shanghai International Film Festival will officially conclude on June 21, bringing to a close ten days of cinematic celebration, industry exchange and cross-cultural dialogue.
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Golden Goblet Awards Winners Unveiled at the 28th Shanghai International Film Festival
