Casa Italia opens its doors with its 'mirabilia'. Malagò: "it is our added value"

TOKYO 2020

22 July 2021

There is Casa Italia also in Tokyo 2020. Despite the pandemic, Italian hospitality, a point of reference in the Olympic world from Los Angeles 1984 to today, raises the curtain ready to accompany the five-circle adventure of the Italian team at the Japanese Olympic Games. Casa Italia has been set up at "The Kihinkan - Takanawa Manor House", a building characterised by Art Nouveau architecture from the beginning of the last century in the Minato district, about 10 kilometres from the Olympic Village and the Main Press Centre. "I believe that given the restrictions we are experiencing, having Casa Italia is a real added value. Of course, there will not be the situations that you know, but we have done the maximum possible," said CONI President Giovanni Malagò at the opening ceremony. IOC member Ivo Ferriani, President of the IBSF and the Association of Winter Olympic Sports Federations, Ivo Ferriani, honorary IOC members Franco Carraro and Mario Pescante, President of the Association of Summer Olympic Sports Federations Francesco Ricci Bitti and President of the International Baseball and Softball Federation Riccardo Fraccari were present.
The Japanese edition of Casa Italia, produced as always under the direction of Marketing and Development Director Diego Nepi Molineris, is dedicated to Italian Mirabilia. The term refers to the famous rooms of wonders where, between 1500 and 1700, collectors brought together pieces of art (artificialia) and natural objects (naturalia), keeping them together and displaying them with no difference or hierarchy between them. Thus, all the objects were called 'mirabilia', in other words, wonderful things (photo Pagliaricci/Ferraro - GMT Sport).
A Casa Italia as a showcase for Made in Italy, in compliance with the anti-Covid regulations that will contact the athletes less possible, so much so the medallists can only go to Casa Italia at the end of their participation in the Games. A difficult edition of the Games, "but a beautiful one," said Malagò, "where each of us will be able to say I was there.