Chiavenna, October 31, 2025 – The award ceremony for the Federbim “Premio FederBIM – Valsecchi 2025” took place today in the Sala delle Capriate of the former Capuchin Convent in Chiavenna. The event was promoted by Federbim in collaboration with the Mountain Community of Valchiavenna and the BIM Consortium of the Adda River.
Federbim, the National Federation of Mountain Basin Consortia, is a key institution representing Italy’s mountain territories. For over sixty years, it has united mountain basin regions to advocate for their interests and promote concrete actions for the overall development and enhancement of mountain environments. Today, Federbim represents around 2,000 mountain municipalities and works to foster collaboration among local authorities, institutions, and alpine communities, supporting the sustainable growth of hydroelectric and mountain areas.
This year’s award was presented to Professor Marina Brambilla, Rector of the University of Milan, for her commitment and achievements through the UNIMONT Hub – a centre of excellence based in Edolo – that for nearly thirty years has been dedicated to higher education, research, and innovation for the sustainable development of mountain areas.
UNIMONT is now a national and international reference point for mountain-related studies. With a community of over 250 students from across Italy and abroad, an active research program at regional, national, and European levels, and a growing number of graduates – nearly 600 to date – who are now professionals contributing to the enhancement of alpine regions, the Centre plays a crucial role in building skills and models of innovation for the growth of mountain territories.
The ceremony opened with institutional greetings from Luca Della Bitta, Mayor of Chiavenna and President of the BIM Consortium of the Adda River; Davide Trussoni, President of the Mountain Community of Valchiavenna; and Athos Valsecchi, representing the Valsecchi family.
Speakers included Mauro Guerra, President of ANCI Lombardia; Massimo Sertori, Lombardy Regional Minister for Mountain Areas and Local Authorities; Attilio Fontana, President of the Lombardy Region; and Giancarlo Giorgetti, Minister of Economy and Finance, who presented the award to Rector Brambilla.
In her remarks, the Rector stated:
“We are very proud to receive this award from FederBim. It recognizes UNIMONT’s strong commitment to affirming the need for a dedicated strategic vision and integrated policies for mountain regions, to generating innovation through scientific research, and to training a new generation of professionals who understand the specific challenges of mountain contexts — thereby enhancing their value through an innovative, systemic, and interdisciplinary approach.”
The ceremony concluded with remarks from Gianfranco Pederzolli, President of Federbim, who emphasized that the “Premio FederBIM – Valsecchi 2025” was established to honor individuals and institutions committed to the growth of mountain and hydroelectric regions through collaboration and sustainable development.
Moderated by Emanuela Zecca, the event reaffirmed the role of the Federbim Award as a key forum for dialogue among institutions, universities, and local communities, contributing to new perspectives for the growth of Italy’s mountain areas.
A delegation from the University of Milan, including the UNIMONT team and a group of students, also attended the event.
