Communications

Rome, March 27th 2008
 
In the dynamic equilibrium between history and the future that defines the way Finmeccanica has chosen to celebrate it 60th anniversary, it can happen that history - and emotions - dominate at times.
 
So it was, yesterday evening, in Rome's glittering "Auditorium della Conciliazione" where a concert opened Finmeccanica's celebrations for its anniversary, in the presence of the President of the Italy, Giorgio Napolitano.
 
However, music was not the only feature of the event where journalist Franco Di Mare and young TV presenter, Elisa Isoardi, gave centre stage to the sixty years of challenge and effort, skill and expertise, development and determination that have enabled Finmeccanica - born in 1948, the same year as the Italian Constitution - to witness the rebirth and progress of Italy and then become, today, an industrial leader in various areas of activity with an enviable reputation on international markets.

The evening opened with a documentary film, followed by a speech by Vera Negri Zamagni, Professor of Economic History at the University of Bologna who is the author of a book recounting the history of the Group from its birth until today. These two elements did a good job of explaining "who we were", with replies that had a clear link to "who we are" and "who we will become".
 
"All the initiatives we have arranged to celebrate our 60th anniversary," said Finmeccanica's Chairman-CEO, Pier Francesco Guarguaglini, in his opening address, "are not simply a celebration of the past but a re-discovery of the values in our history that will enable us to meet the challenges of today and of tomorrow."

In this orientation towards the future - which Finmeccanica strongly emphasizes - human resources have always been the protagonist. This is why the people guiding the Group today - Pier Francesco Guarguaglini and general manager, Giorgio Zappa - wanted to make this celebration an occasion to recognise the human talent of all those who have contributed over the years to building an internationally-known Group which Italy can be proud of.
 
It was in this key - the human aspect rather than an industrial or business one - that awards were bestowed on the representatives of a workforce comprising tens of thousands of people. They are the people who, over the years, have held the post of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Therefore, Finmeccanica's homage today went to Giorgio Tupini, Franco Viezzoli, Fabiano Fabiani, Roberto Cassola, Giorgio Oldoini, Sergio Maria Carbone, Bruno Steve, Alberto Lina, Giuseppe Bono and Robert Testore, many of whom were present in the hall to receive their awards, signs of continuity between the roots and the future - continuity that signifies awareness and multiplication of energy for the Group's industrial action.
 
Italian excellence in the world: this is what Finmeccanica is known and respected for. However, it is only right and proper to pay homage to the highest authority in Italy, the President of the Republic, Giorgio Napolitano, who chose to honour the Group's anniversary with his presence. Participants also included the transport minister Alessandro Bianchi, the defence minister Arturo Parisi, the minister for youth policies Giovanna Melandri, the vice-president of the constitutional court Giovanni Maria Flick, the president of the Lazio Regional Authority Piero Marrazzo, the prefect of the Vatican library cardinal Raffaele Farina, the president of CNEL Antonio Marzano, and Luigi Ramponi, member of the Senate Defence Commission.
 
Then there was the music - a language Finmeccanica often chooses to emphasize how beauty is an inevitable ingredient of any real growth. So the speeches gave way to the choir and orchestra of the National Academy of Santa Cecilia, conducted by Norbert Balatsch, in a performance of Carmina Burana by Carl Orff - an hour of powerful poetry, vocal and symphonic, that it would be presumptuous to try and describe in words.
 
We would only like to add that, amongst the works set to music by Carl Orff in the 19th century, there is an invocation to the Goddess of Fortune and an ode to the joys of spring, the Veris Laeta Facies. This seems appropriate for a 60th anniversary which is, more than anything else, an occasion for new beginnings - a way of confirming the importance of action.
 
Download video TG5 .zip (1160 KB)