The Fincantieri Foundation began a new chapter in its history, expanding its mission with ambitious projects devoted to culture, innovation and inclusion. A new era in which the Foundation will be strongly committed to building a more inclusive world by bridging the past and the future, placing a vast historical heritage and its cultural contribution at the service of communities and new generations.

Chief of Staff Italian Navy, Enrico Credendino, CEO and General Director of Fincantieri Pierroberto Folgiero, Fincantieri Foundation President Fausto Recchia, Fincantieri Chairman Biagio Mazzotta – also Honorary President of the Foundation – and Lorenza Pigozzi, EVP Group Strategic Communication, spoke during the presentation held this morning in Rome.

Established in March 2008, over the years the Fincantieri Foundation has been committed to the protection of a unique heritage of documents and artefacts related to civil and military shipbuilding, an “industrial archaeology” that also represents a cultural legacy for the country. Today begins a new season of development, with the appointment of a new Board of Directors, chaired by Recchia himself and comprising Alessandra Battaglia, Loretana Cortis, Lorenza Pigozzi and Claudio Sforza.

Adding further significance to the relaunch of the Fincantieri Foundation is the creation of a book series edited by Roberto Giulianelli, Professor of Economic History at the Marche Polytechnic University. The project, of which the preview volume “Fondazione Fincantieri. Un viaggio nella storia della navalmeccanica italiana” (“Fondazione Fincantieri. A Journey Through the History of Italian Shipbuilding”) was presented today, relates the history of the industry from its birth during the unity of Italy up until today in five volumes, one for each period, while pointing out the major role Fincantieri played over more than two centuries.

“Fincantieri’s strength lies in the balance between deep roots and lush foliage, just like a healthy tree”, observed Pierroberto Folgiero, Fincantieri’s CEO and General Manager. “With over 230 years of history, we are building the future with the pride of those who have been able to evolve every day, translating the past into innovation. The Fincantieri Foundation allows us to recount not only our roots, but also the greatness of our foliage and our ambition to make it grow further, projecting ourselves towards a sustainable future that can weather any storm”.

“In this new chapter of its life, the Fincantieri Foundation will be the guardian of the past and a promoter of change, combining tradition and modernity to build a shared future“, concluded Fausto Recchia, President of the Fincantieri Foundation. “The history of Italy’s maritime communities and that of Fincantieri are intertwined. Embracing the values of culture, innovation and inclusion, we pursue a concrete goal: promoting change and strengthening the bond between the Group, its communities and its people”.

Projects

On the history front, the Fincantieri Foundation has embarked on a path to preserve the heritage of Italian shipbuilding through the digitisation of historical archives, the creation of an interactive and multimedia museum to offer the public an immersive experience in the history of Italian shipbuilding, and the setting up of a new exhibition hall dedicated to the history of Fincantieri at the Monfalcone Shipbuilding Museum (MuCa), developed in collaboration with the municipality.

In terms of innovation, the Foundation works to promote technological progress and cultural development in the maritime sector. Hence the establishment of study programmes, workshops and scholarships with institutional, academic and research partners. Together with the Centro Alti Studi per la Difesa, the Foundation has set up a prize for the best research project submitted by PhD students, dedicated to the memory of the recently deceased Fincantieri Chairman, General Claudio Graziano.

With regard to the issue of inclusion, the Fincantieri Foundation has already launched Italian language courses in the Monfalcone and Sestri Ponente shipyards in cooperation with the Dante Alighieri Association, designed to foster the cultural integration and social solidarity of foreign workers employed in the Group’s shipyards. The high number of participants led to the extension of the programme with other courses, strengthening the Foundation’s commitment to promoting intercultural dialogue and social cohesion in the communities where Fincantieri operates.