Taranto, 10 September 2025 – The Mediterranean Games Taranto 2026 took part in the second edition of the Italian Sport Day in the World, the event promoted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation to highlight Italy’s excellence through sport.
The ceremony, held at Villa Madama in Rome, included addresses by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani, and the Minister for Sport and Youth, Andrea Abodi. Also present were the President of CONI, Luciano Buonfiglio, the President of Italian Paralympic Commettee, Marco Giunio De Sanctis, and the President of ITA, Italian Trade Agency, Matteo Zoppas. This second edition focused on mountain and sea disciplines, told through the voices of leading athletes and champions.
Minister Tajani emphasized that sport is a true national industry, generating €24.7 billion in added value, employing over 400,000 people and accounting for 1.38% of GDP. Italy ranks among the world’s top five exporters of sports goods, with exports worth €4.7 billion, and holds second place within the European Union. He also noted that sports diplomacy is an integral part of the Farnesina’s growth strategy.
The year 2026 will be extraordinary for Italy, as it takes center stage in international sport: from the mountains with the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games of Milano Cortina 2026, to the sea with the XX Mediterranean Games Taranto 2026. Two global events that act as bridges between peoples and cultures, uniting sporting values, territorial identity, and opportunities for development.
Minister Abodi underlined that the Mediterranean Games Taranto 2026 will be not only a sporting competition, but also an opportunity for dialogue and exchange in pursuit of a more peaceful Mediterranean and a world that, despite challenges, continues to strive for peace. He stressed that sport is a powerful tool of diplomacy and cooperation, capable of strengthening Italy’s reputation and prestige on the international stage, contributing to the growth of the national system, and demonstrating the value of daily teamwork and commitment.
“As we reach September 2025, we can look with pride at the work begun less than two years ago: thanks to the commitment and resources provided by the Government, we have been able to recover valuable time, launch construction sites and already complete the first four facilities. Today, the most important projects are in full swing and we are confident that we will deliver to Taranto and its territory not only an extraordinary event, but also a lasting legacy of venues that will remain a heritage for our young people, places of sport, community and growth for the new generations,” said Massimo Ferrarese, Government Commissioner and President of the Taranto 2026 Organizing Committee. “This event, the largest ever staged in Southern Italy, will be our swing bridge to the Mediterranean: a symbol of openness and dialogue between peoples, carrying a message of peace and uniting the shores of the sea that binds us together.”
The XX Mediterranean Games Taranto 2026 are proud to have taken part in the Italian Sport Day in the World, an event that strengthens Italy’s role in the international sports arena and confirms our nation’s ability to unite peoples and cultures through sport, generating lasting value.
