Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Antonio Tajani, together with Minister for Sport and Youth Andrea Abodi, this afternoon inaugurated the second edition of the Italian Sport in the World Day at Villa Madama. The event was attended by CONI President Luciano Buonfiglio, Italian Paralympic Committee (CIP) President Marco Giunio De Sanctis, ICE President Matteo Zoppas, and numerous federation presidents.

The 2025 edition was dedicated to the theme “Mountains and Sea” and served as a prelude to the major international sporting events that Italy will host in 2026: the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games and the Mediterranean Games in Taranto. To strengthen coordination within the national system in the run-up to these events, a new Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry for Sport, CONI and CIP. The initiative, along with the creation of the Italian Sport in the World Day, the Permanent Table on Sports Diplomacy, and the Memorandum itself, consolidates a system aimed at promoting athletes, enterprises, and institutions within a unified strategy (photo: Mezzelani).

“Sport in practice is a tool for peace,” declared Minister Tajani. “We recall when the thaw in US-China relations began with ping-pong diplomacy, and how, during the Olympic Games, wars would cease. There is also the economic dimension: the sports industry represents an extraordinary driver of export growth, particularly for quality products. It is vital for us to ensure that ‘Made in Italy’ grows even in sectors that are not always sufficiently valued but which present enormous opportunities. Italy’s industrial quality in the sports sector is envied worldwide.”

The Foreign Minister also announced the appointment of eleven new sports ambassadors: Kimi Antonelli (Formula 1), Maurizio Margaglio (figure skating), Gianfranco Zola, Vincenzo Montella, Luigi Di Biagio and Sofia Cantore (football), Niccolò Campriani (shooting and Vice President and Sports Director of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics), Gianluca Pascucci (NBA executive), Alessandro Calbucci (beach tennis), Dario Capelli (Paralympic skiing executive), and Carola Saletta (ice hockey). “They must work to ensure that their personalities serve the Italian system, promoting and showcasing our country to foster its growth,” Tajani added.

“Celebrating when you win is too easy,” observed Minister Abodi. “What we want to celebrate is daily commitment, and that is precisely what we are doing today. Too often we remain prisoners of defeat, while athletes already look ahead to the next challenge: this is one of your greatest lessons. This Day is the clearest expression of the work that Minister Tajani, with our support in the spirit of teamwork, carries out every day. We aim to improve, to grow and strengthen the reputation of our country, to which sport certainly offers an invaluable contribution.”

“Our federation presidents commit themselves every day to our success,” said CONI President Buonfiglio. “And today Minister Tajani has enriched us with new ambassadors — a vital asset for our brand, as these athletes become the diplomatic corps of sport. I will conclude with three words: Commitment, Together, and Italy — three ‘I’s to ensure that our country continues to play a leading role,” Buonfiglio concluded.