Bondings 2.0 Contributor Wins International Journalism Prize

Elisa Belotti displays the cartoon journalism report for which she was honored.

Italian journalist Elisa Belotti, who is a regular Bondings 2.0’s contributor, received the Voices Awards, a European journalism prize, in the Cartoons category for her investigative graphic reportage L’ora di religione (Religion Class). The award was presented during the Voices – European Festival of Journalism and Media Freedom, held in Florence, Italy.

Belotti was recognized for an investigation published in December 2025 in the Italian quarterly magazine La Revue, a publication specializing in graphic journalism: long-form reporting told through cartoons. The investigation was written by Belotti and illustrated by Chiara Onofri.

The jury praised the work for its quality, relevance, and contribution to journalism and media freedom. In particular, the project was recognized for bringing public attention to a space that usually remains invisible to those outside it: the everyday life of Italian public schools.

L’ora di religione explores how Catholic religious education works inside Italy’s public school system and what this structure means both for teachers and for students who choose not to attend the classes.

A page from “L’ora di religione”

Unlike many countries where religion is taught from a comparative perspective, Italian public schools include a specific subject dedicated to Catholic religion, rooted in agreements between the Italian state and the Vatican. Students may opt out of these lessons, but the alternative educational activities offered to them are often poorly structured or underfunded.

Belotti’s investigation examines two key aspects of this system: the accreditation requirements imposed on teachers of Catholic religion, and the educational experience of students who do not attend these classes. She conducted interviews with teachers who teach religion and also those who supervise the students who opt out of religion classes. 

The religion teachers must receive formal approval from the local diocese in order to teach the subject in public schools.This accreditation can be withdrawn if a teacher’s personal life is judged to be inconsistent with Catholic doctrine  Teachers can risk losing their position if they live with a partner outside marriage, if they have a child not being married, or if they openly form a relationship with a partner of the same gender.

Belotti’s investigation includes the testimony of a former religion teacher who decided to resign after coming out as gay. The school suggested he hide his sexual orientation to keep his job, but he preferred to live openly and without the risk of blackmail. So he resigned and changed careers.

His story highlights how the accreditation system can place LGBTQ+ educators in an impossible position: choosing between professional stability and living openly. 

The article opened to a page about “
omosessualità” = “homosexuality.”

As for the  students who opt out of religion classes, this group often includes young people from families with other religious traditions or no religious affiliation at all. In many schools, however, alternative activities remain poorly organized. Some students spend hours studying independently, while others are placed in improvised arrangements without a structured educational program. Teachers interviewed by Belotti describe this situation as a form of structural marginalization within the school system.

The cartoon format of the investigation allows these parallel experiences to coexist on the page. Classrooms, corridors, and improvised spaces become visible environments where educational inequalities unfold. 

Because it is presented as a cartoon, L’ora di religione can reach audiences who might not read long policy analyses or institutional reports. Its visual format makes the investigation accessible to a broader public, including educators, students, and readers interested in social issues. At the same time, the work remains grounded in verified testimonies and carefully documented reporting.

The Voices Awards jury recognized this combination of accessibility and rigor as an important contribution to journalism. By bringing investigative reporting into the format of graphic storytelling, L’ora di religione demonstrates how journalism can explore complex institutional realities while opening new spaces for public discussion.

For Belotti, the project shows how cartoons can serve not only as a narrative medium, but also as a tool for accountability: making visible the hidden dynamics of institutions and amplifying voices that might otherwise remain unheard.

—Francis DeBernardo, New Ways Ministry, March 16, 2026