«Twenty years seems like a long time, but it’s a very short time. Surely they are an opportunity to take stock of the present, looking back at the past and ferrying us into the future», says Carlo Pesenti, chairman of Fondazione Pesenti Ets opening the evening celebration of the foundation’s birthday.

Amidst stories and emotions, the history of the Foundation was retraced, thanks to the speeches of extraordinary guests who wanted to recount some of the projects undertaken in collaboration with the Foundation and some “archive” videos that revived crucial moments, such as the birth of the Fondazione Cav. Lav. Lav. Carlo Pesenti itself, from an idea of engineer Giampiero Pesenti and in memory of one of the most representative figures of Italian 20th century industry and finance.

The event-in the presence of 240 guests-also made it possible to properly combine the anniversary with a focus on the local area. In fact, on the occasion of the evening an important contribution was donated to the Solidarity Fund that will help support those who have suffered losses and are facing difficult challenges following the recent severe natural disasters of September 9 in Bergamo. «”We are certain that this initiative,” stressed Carlo Pesenti, President of Fondazione Pesenti – is the best way to celebrate this important anniversary and the path of closeness to the city and support in occasions of serious emergencies that has characterized the Foundation in its evolution since it was officially presented at the Donizetti Theater on November 27, 2004.».

The speech by two young scholarship winners Edoardo Filippini and Elena Cioppi highlighted the Foundation’s focus on young people and its commitment to investing in their education and development, promoting their merit and quality in every field through a network of national and international collaborations with prestigious academic institutions.

The touching testimony of Don Dante Carraro, Director of CUAMM, recalled how solidarity and the fight against the most pressing social and humanitarian challenges are another fundamental pillar of the Foundation’s commitment, with projects in Italy and internationally, also recounted by Foundation Board member Marco Imperadori.

Instead, ISAAC’s young founder Alberto Bussini highlighted the importance of looking to the future with optimism, supporting innovation and social entrepreneurship, as the foundation did in supporting the first steps of his business idea, aimed at seismic protection of existing buildings.

Finally, the presence of prominent local and national media figures underscored the Foundation’s role in promoting public debate and reflection on topical issues. Through the organization of conferences and debates, it brought together Nobel laureates and renowned experts internationally to address crucial issues for the future of society, including initiating a collaboration with the Fondazione Corriere della Sera that enabled the streaming of events on Corriere channels, reaching tens of thousands of contacts.

At the same time, the Foundation has always considered culture as a driving force for the development of the area as evidenced by the extraordinary art-cultural center gres art 671 -where Marina Abramović’s exhibition “between breath and fire” is currently on stage-which hosted the evening.