Statements from the Key Actors
During the panel discussion, key topics were addressed, such as the importance of an organisational model that can adapt to new challenges, the central role of volunteers and the strong participation of the younger generation, a symbol of the vitality and inclusiveness of this edition.
‘There are so many people who want to be volunteers or torchbearers, driven by a strong sense of belonging and the desire to feel like an active part of the Games. The desire to be there, even if only for a short time, represents the true strength of the Olympic and Paralympic Games,’ said Giovanni Malagò, President of Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026.
During the meeting, the importance of promoting Italy’s sporting and cultural heritage was also emphasised, proudly recalling the Torino 2006 Games and looking with renewed responsibility to Milano Cortina 2026, which promises to be an inclusive, modern edition capable of representing an example of contemporaneity and innovation in the international Olympic and Paralympic landscape.
“The Games must be able to reinvent themselves. The pandemic has forced some editions to be postponed or held without an audience, as was the case in Paris, which has shown great adaptability. Milano Cortina 2026 represents an innovative model; for the first time, it is not the territories that are changing for the Games, but the Games that are adapting to the location, enhancing existing infrastructure and respecting the territorial context. This is a model for the future, a legacy that we will leave to the Olympic and Paralympic world. The fact that the next Winter Olympics in the French Alps will adopt the same approach is proof of this,” added Andrea Varnier, CEO of Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026.
The greatest benefit that the Italian edition of the Games aims to achieve is to convey Olympic values to young people, spreading the importance of sport among the younger generations. “We have a dual responsibility: to inspire young people to take up sport and to accompany the new generations of athletes on their journey towards the Olympic and Paralympic dream. In an age where virtual reality often takes over, sport helps us reconnect with the real world,” said Carolina Kostner, official Ambassador for Milano Cortina 2026.
