(Adnkronos) – Sardinia’s resort of Olbia will host Medfest 2025 in September, and the four-day event’s focus on sustainable development and its diverse programme will lure buyers from the US to the Mideast and India, transforming the trade fair into a high-impact international B2B platform, the organisers stated on Monday.
Medfest is positioning itself as a key hub for the Mediterranean – a region of crucial economic, cultural, and environmental importance – by integrating four fundamental ‘pillars’: business, sustainable tourism, renewable energy, and biodiversity, said the statement.
The 25-28 September event’s innovative approach aims to foster lasting connections and synergies between companies, institutions, and global economic players, generating concrete and tangible opportunities for its partners, according to the statement.
Medfest 2025 will offer a platform for strategic dialogue, featuring high-level institutional meetings, discussions and content enriched by live-streaming and contributions from top experts, the statement noted.
Tourism and diplomacy will also play key roles in Medfest 2025, which aims to become a powerful engine for growth for all its partners, the statement said.
To boost its strategic growth and international expansion, Medfest has unveiled two important new partnerships that will draw select buyers from key markets like the United States, Latin America, the Mideast and India, as well as from the wider Mediterranean region.
The first of these new partnerships is with ISN – International Strategic Network, a company specialised in international relations, supported by four prominent Italian ambassadors – Gianni Castellaneta, Sebastiano Cardi, Ettore Sequi, and Francesco Talo – who have held top diplomatic posts in Washington, Beijing, Nato, and the United Nations in New York.
Gaetano Castellini Curiel, a business consultant, will help drive Medfest’s global outreach.
“Hosting ambassadors from all Mediterranean countries and their respective tourism authorities and ministries represents a vital opportunity for growth and global visibility,” said Gianni Castellaneta, ISN president and secretary-general of the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative.
“These encounters strengthen diplomatic and cultural ties while promoting economic and tourism exchange,” Castellaneta continued.
Medfest’s second new partnership is with Mancini Worldwide (MWW), a company with extensive experience in international relations and foreign market development. MWW played a key role in the success of Expo Milan 2015 world trade fair, which welcomed over 22.5 million visitors, and has since continued to support major world expos and institutional events.
With over 100 international assignments carried out in the past five years, MWW brings invaluable expertise in promoting Italian regions on a global scale, the statement underlined.
“Now more than ever, it is essential to build authentic connections between territories, institutions and global markets,” said Alessandro Mancini, CEO of MWW and general-director of the Medfest Business Hub.
Medfest 2025 is working with a raft of prestigious partners such as Italy’s National Research Council (CNR), National Biodiversity Future Centre, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and its tourism, environment and foreign ministries, as well as with leading international experts in the tourism, aerospace and renewable energy sectors, the statement added.
Another cornerstone of Medfest 2025 is the Med Young educational and design competition. Involving over 30,000 students, it aims to raise awareness among young people about environmental protection, regional enhancement and sustainable tourism and to train them for a ‘proactive’ role in the future of the Mediterranean, the statement explained.
“Youth represent the future and are the heirs of our legacy. The Med Young project will educate over 400,000 students across Italy, Spain, Egypt, and Turkey by 2028,” said Medfest vice-president Daniela Ropolo.
“In September, over 2,000 students will be in Olbia to present the reports they’ve created as part of their Med Young educational journey,” Ropolo added.
Medfest 2024 took place in Sardinia’s capital, Cagliari, and is a source of pride for the island region, whose politicians believe the annual event will not only boost Sardinia’s economic growth but will soon expand across Europe and the Mediterranean.
“Medfest does not only enhance our region but also presents an extraordinary opportunity for growth… Over time, it will become a key fixture in the European and global event landscape,” said regional tourism minister, Franco Cuccureddu.
“Choosing Olbia as the host city for Medfest 2025 rewards a Sardinia that is strongly investing in scientific research and technological innovation,” said regional planning minister Giuseppe Meloni.
“Our universities, centres of excellence, and innovative companies will play a leading role in an event that looks to the Mediterranean’s future through a sustainable and international lens,” Meloni added.
