As part of the visit paid to Helsinki by the Minister for Sport and Youth, Andrea Abodi, at the invitation of the Minister for Youth Policies, Sport and Physical Activity of Finland, Sandra Bergqvist, the launch event for the next Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games Milano Cortina 2026 in Italy, entitled “Milano-Cortina Meets the World”,, was held on 21 May at the historic Grand Hansa Hall, in the centre of the Finnish capital.
After greetings from the Italian Ambassador to Finland, Nicola Todaro Marescotti, Minister Abodi introduced the event together with his Finnish colleague, in the presence of the press, and of the Finnish representatives at the International Olympic Committees and the Heads of the Olympic and Paralympic Committee of Finland and of the sports federations involved. Sari Essayah, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry of Finland and Finnish member of the International Olympic Committee, who has closely followed the candidacy process of the Milan-Cortina Games, was also present.
The event, promoted and supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in the framework of the renewed push for “sports diplomacy”, saw the participation of some exceptional guests: Maurizio Margaglio, former figure skater and bronze medalist at the Olympic Games in Salt Lake City in 2002, as well a current coach of the Finnish national team; Jukka Jalonen, “legend” of Finnish ice hockey and head coach of the Italian national team; Nette Kirivanta, promising Finnish paralympic skier. The testimonial of the Milan-Cortina Foundation was the Italian figure skating champion and Olympic champion, Valentina Marchei.
Photo credits: Alessandro Rampazzo
