The International Roadshow, designed to tell the story of the Milano Cortina 2026 project outside the national borders, as well as to enhance the territories involved in the event and the entire Country System, stopped in Oslo on May 7.
The initiative, the result of the collaboration between the Milano Cortina 2026 Foundation and the Italian Embassy in Oslo, saw the participation of a large audience of guests from the world of sport, the press, tourism and the Norwegian sports and leisure industry. The event, moderated by the Director of the IIC Raffaella Giampaola and opened by Ambassador Stefano Nicoletti, allowed the director of the Foundation, Andrea Varnier, to share with the audience the progress made in preparing an edition dedicated to inclusion and sustainability, against the backdrop of the spectacular scenery offered by the Alpine territories that will host the Games. The evening also saw the participation of prominent Norwegian guests such as the Mayor of Oslo Anne Lindboe, the President of the Olympic Committee Zaineb Al-Samarai, the President of the Commission for the Coordination of the Games Kristin Kloster, as well as Marco Rago, Advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani and the Councilor for Tourism, Territorial Marketing and Fashion of the Lombardy Region Barbara Mazzali. The event was enriched by the participation of two legends of Nordic skiing such as Vegard Ulvang and Manuela Di Centa (winner of 5 historic medals at Lillehammer 1994), who in a dialogue much appreciated by the many enthusiasts who attended, retraced with memories and anecdotes the feats of the past and shared thoughts and feelings related to the spirit and the Olympic competitions. During the evening, “People of Milano Cortina 2026” was also presented, the photographic and audiovisual exhibition that tells the faces, stories and emotions of those who live in the territories of the Games, of those who carry on the sporting tradition, and of those who will make the event unique.
“The XXV Olympic and Paralympic Games of Milano Cortina 2026 represent on the one hand an important driver of growth for our country, with significant repercussions on the territory in the fields of tourism, infrastructure and production, on the other an opportunity to strengthen the traditional bonds of friendship that bind us to Norway, a leading nation in winter sports that shares a great culture and sporting tradition with Italy”, declared Ambassador Nicoletti.
“I am sure that a population traditionally attentive to the values of inclusion and sustainability like the Norwegians will appreciate the results of the great work that the organizing committee of Milano Cortina and the territories that will host the Olympics are doing to make it an unforgettable edition, not only from a sporting point of view”. “We are extremely grateful to Ambassador Stefano Nicoletti and his entire team for the warm welcome they have given to the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games,” said Andrea Varnier, CEO of the Milano Cortina 2026 Foundation. “The great interest shown by Norway confirms the deep bond that unites our two nations through sport. Being here today, in the cradle of an extraordinary sporting culture, is a particularly significant experience for us. Norway, an undisputed protagonist of the Winter Olympic history, embodies the values that inspire our project: inclusion, sustainability and international collaboration. We want Milano Cortina 2026 to leave a tangible legacy not only in Italy, but also in the hearts of those who, like the Norwegians, believe in the power of sport and its ability to unite people.”
