Trentino 2013, a Major Opportunity for Promotion and Networking

MEZZOCORONA/TRENTINO – It was the biggest sporting event ever hosted in Trentino and the most important event scheduled in Italy until at least 2020, but it was also a major opportunity to promote the image of this segment of the Alps, hemmed in between Lake Garda and the Dolomites, as well as an ideal occasion to build networks, directly linking worlds and areas of expertise that represent one of the greatest assets in this autonomous province.

The 26^th Winter Universiade 2013 was a major success for the image of Trentino, thanks to an organisational structure drawing on sport and culture, tourism and the environment, experience and youth, tradition and modernity and history and innovation. This was underlined by Tiziano Mellarini (Councillor for Sport and Culture in Trentino), Alessandro Andreatta (Mayor of Trento), Prof. Paolo Bouquet (representing the Rector Daria de Pretis) and Mauro Nasciutti (representing CUSI) – namely the representatives of the four bodies promoting this major event – at the last official meeting of an organisational apparatus that his involved thousands of people (7,000 accreditations issued). This included organisers, volunteers, offices of the Autonomous Province, autonomous bodies funded by the province, the police, companies responsible for systems, the world of sport and the university, local authorities and cultural organisations. The organisational structure acted with incredible synchrony, proving itself capable of solving any problems.

“Trentino has shown it can work effectively as a system” recalled the Chairman of the Organising Committee, Sergio Anesi as he opened the ceremony hosted by the Rotari vineyards in Mezzocorona. With the Secretary General Filippo Bazzanella he illustrated the economic and social value of the Universiade hosted in Trentino from 11 to 21 December last year. Ultimately, three figures  are sufficient for a very brief summary: investment of 4.5 million euro, economic spin-offs on the area estimated by the specialist company Deloitte as 14.5 million euro and promotion of the area’s image worth 10 million euro, thanks to more than half a million contacts around the world, through television, printed material and web information sites. “Data which allow us to say that in terms of costs-benefits analysis it was without doubt the most positive event ever organised in the history of the Winter Universiade”, he continued “but also as regards to winter sports events, and proportionately also in relation to very important events such as the Olympics. It is not by chance that we have joined two important European Commissions preparing documents on subjects linked to sport, innovation and industry, and we are cited as a case study”.

“The President of FISU, Jean Claude Gallien described the organisational apparatus as extraordinary at the closing ceremony in Canazei, underlining our ability to build networks”, recalled Councillor Mellarini. “Today I recall his words because they illustrate perfectly Trentino’s cultural and sporting organisational model. This is a resource based on the province’s ability to build networks, both in the world of innovation and research and in the fields of sport and culture.”

Mayor Andreatta described the Universiade as a “successfully met challenge to promote Trentino, the city and valleys and the environment, culture and history. We have gained great international prestige”, he added. “Now we must try not to waste this great organisational resource, which should be used for other events”.

The occasion concluded with the handing over of the final report for FISU, the closing report for the partners and the budget.  Awards were then presented to Anesi, Bazzanella, the government commissioner Squarcina, the sponsors and Franco Nones, the great Olympic champion and last torch-bearer in the opening ceremony.

(Source: Diego Decarli, OC Media Press Office)