On February 17, the conference “Milano Cortina 2026 – The Economy of Sport and the Mountains” was held at Casa Italia – Triennale di Milano. Promoted by Confindustria, the event served as a platform to reflect on major sporting events and their relationship with the economy of mountain regions.
The meeting provided a significant opportunity for dialogue between institutions, universities, and the business world, highlighting the strategic role of sport as a lever for inclusion, economic development, and territorial growth, with a specific focus on mountain contexts.
Professor Anna Giorgi, Head of the UNIMONT Hub at the University of Milan, emphasized that the mountains are not “marginal,” but rather “marginalized.” She pointed out the absence of specific measures at both national and European levels and the lack of a shared definition of what constitutes a “mountain.” Drawing on UNIMONT’s thirty years of experience, Professor Giorgi highlighted the importance of fostering local businesses and economic opportunities—moving beyond a logic of subsidies—and building alliances between academia, governance, and industry, as demonstrated by the collaboration between UNIMONT and Milano-Cortina 2026.
The event confirmed that large-scale shared projects can become concrete tools to connect cities and mountains, leveraging human capital, innovation, and cooperation for the sustainable and inclusive development of mountain territories.
