ROME - This year's Cambridge English Awards have recognised two Italian schools, one in Palermo and one in Naples, as having achieved "excellence" in the field of language certifications. 

 The prestigious award, the Italian Preparation Centre Awards 2023, now in its seventh edition, was established by Cambridge English to celebrate Italian excellence in the field of language certifications and the best Preparation Centres in the country, i.e. those schools and institutes that help students to tackle the Cambridge English exams in the best possible way.

 The prize is awarded by Cambridge Assessment International Education, the department of the University of Cambridge responsible for Cambridge English language certifications, and recognises the school's commitment to teaching English and accompanying students towards the attainment of language certifications recognised throughout the world.

 The Thomas More, a bilingual parish school in Palermo, has been awarded the Best Preparation Centre Lower Secondary School as the third best school in Italy for preparing students for English language certifications.

 "The Thomas More project started only a few years ago," explained Stefania Guccione, president of the Thomas More cooperative that runs the school, "and we are very proud to see that the results are already so visible. We invest in training very young people to bring them closer to the English language because we believe that ... knowing how to communicate in such an important language is a way to bring people closer together and open up new opportunities for young people".

 Receiving the award for the school was Veronica Onesta, Centre Exam Manager at International House in Rome. The award ceremony took place in Rome, at Villa Wolkonsky, residence of the British Ambassador.

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