Milan, Feb. 6 (LaPresse) – “It is clear that Milan-Cortina 2026 will not be just about sport: it will be, above all, about development, innovation, and a vision for the future. With an estimated economic impact of 5.3 billion euros, the Games will leave a legacy of infrastructure and territorial growth. But once again, they will serve as a powerful tool of soft power, strengthening Italy’s international standing in a lasting way.” This is stated by Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani in an article for Il Messaggero and Il Mattino. Tajani emphasizes that “at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we have accompanied the arrival of the Games with an integrated strategy, launched two years ago with the Office for Sports Diplomacy and developed through an international roadshow in Europe, North America, and Asia, involving athletes, media, and businesses. The goal was twofold: to enhance the territories and communities involved and to strengthen Italy’s image as an innovative, sustainable, and welcoming country. The Games have been at the center of numerous initiatives, at Expo Osaka 2025, in Business Forums abroad, and during Italian Sports Day in the World. This is why Italy has chosen to invest decisively in sports diplomacy, making it a structural component of its international action.
The Olympic Games represent values such as fair and peaceful competition among young people worldwide, and they have always been universal symbols of peace, respect, and inclusion. In an international context marked by conflicts, sport remains a credible space for dialogue. The Olympics were born for peace. Italy has promoted this by facilitating the adoption of the UN Resolution on the Olympic Truce, supported by the Holy Father and the President of the Republic: a concrete appeal for sport to silence weapons.” For Tajani, “Milan-Cortina 2026 represents a unique opportunity to reaffirm who we are and what we believe in. Through these Games, we want to speak to the world of Italy as a builder of peace, growth, and international cooperation. Our ‘Games of Peace’ will be a commitment shared by all of us.”