Centrecare Inc Director and Member of the Order of Australia, Tony Pietropiccolo, has been honoured in his birthplace of Ortona, Italy, receiving the prestigious Premio 28 Dicembre Award in recognition of his lifelong commitment to community service and bringing distinction to the city on the international stage.
The award was presented on 28 December 2025 during a formal civic ceremony at the F.P. Tosti Theatre in Ortona, marking one of the most significant dates in the city’s calendar.
The Premio 28 Dicembre commemorates the end of the Battle of Ortona in December 1943 and honours individuals whose lives reflect the values of resilience, service and social responsibility forged in the city’s post-war recovery.
Mr Pietropiccolo, who left Ortona as a child migrant and has spent more than four decades working in Australia’s social services sector, was recognised for his leadership in supporting vulnerable individuals and families, and for maintaining a strong connection to his hometown while contributing at an international level.
“For me receiving this award is like a dream,” Mr Pietropiccolo said during his acceptance speech.
“It is something I never could have imagined. It is an incredible honour to be recognised in this way by this wonderful city.”
Born in Ortona, Mr Pietropiccolo migrated to Australia in 1960 after his father, Maturino, spent several years working in remote regions of Western Australia to reunite his family.
Reflecting on that experience, he spoke of the hardships faced by post-war families and the sacrifices made by migrants of his generation.
“I left my hometown when I was ten years old,” he said.
“Post-war life here was very difficult, and many of us lived in severe poverty. This award acknowledges not only individual achievement, but also the struggle of rebuilding a devastated city and the courage of those who were forced to leave their land.”
Under Mr Pietropiccolo’s leadership, Centrecare has become a major provider of counselling, family support and community services across Western Australia, particularly within Catholic social welfare.
His work has focused on dignity, inclusion and care for those experiencing disadvantage – values he credits to his upbringing and migrant experience.
Mayor of Ortona Angelo Di Nardo said the Premio 28 Dicembre was not simply a ceremonial honour, but an expression of collective memory and civic pride.
“We celebrate the memory of what Ortona has experienced,” Mayor Di Nardo said, “but above all the way in which this city has been able to transform suffering into values, relationships and civil commitment. Those values live on through people like Antonio Pietropiccolo” .
Mr Pietropiccolo spoke emotionally about his enduring connection to Ortona, describing his frequent returns as a way of “returning to country”, a phrase borrowed from Australia’s Aboriginal people.
“It is here that an important missing piece of my life is found,” he said. “Even if only for a short time, there is a sense of completeness.”
He was quick to acknowledge that the honour reflected the support of others, particularly his family and colleagues.
“No one achieves anything worthwhile on their own,” he said. “This award also honours my wife Vicki, my family, my close friends and my colleagues at Centrecare, who each day work for the wellbeing of others.”
The ceremony also honoured other recipients for contributions to historical memory, culture and public service, reinforcing Ortona’s commitment to recognising lives shaped by service and responsibility.
For Mr Pietropiccolo, the award stands as both a personal milestone and a tribute to the enduring bond between migrant communities and their places of origin — a bond that continues to enrich both Australia and Italy.