Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Italian Republic
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Italian Republic
10/16/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 10/16/2024 06:22
“Grande Torino: 75 anni di leggenda” exhibition in Lisbon
The exhibition "Grande Torino: 75 anni di leggenda" (Great Turin: 75 years of legend) was inaugurated at the Benfica Museum in Lisbon on 14 October, and will remain open until 4 May 2025.
The initiative was promoted by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation on the occasion of the First Italian Sports Day in the World and sponsored by the Embassy of Italy in Lisbon. The exhibition, curated by Luis Lapão and Andrea Ragusa, is the result of the collaboration between the Benfica Museum and Museo del Grande Torino e della Leggenda Granata, testifying to the bond created following the tragic event occurred 75 years ago: on 4 May 1949, after a match against Benfica played in Lisbon, the plane taking Grande Torino back to Italy crashed at Superga, a few kilometres from its destination. A total of 31 men died in the crash, including the three journalists who were travelling with the players.
The Cosme Damiao Museum wished to honour the history of Torino by hosting for the first time an exhibition dedicated to another team in the presence of Club Benfica president Manuel Rui Costa. Thanks to the dedication of the president of Museo del Grande Torino Domenico Beccaria and of its director Giampaolo Mulinari, a number of memorabilia that had only been exhibited in Italy were also displayed.
The exhibition was opened with a speech by Ambassador Claudio Miscia, who recounted the history of Grande Torino and emphasised the importance of sport as a means for communicating and creating international ties. This was followed by speeches from the President of Museo del Grande Torino e della Leggenda Granata Domenico Beccaria and the Vice President of Sport Lisboa e Benfica Jaime Antunes.
Among the memorabilia displayed was a photo showing a large crowd of Lisbon citizens who, on 5 May 1949, in the aftermath of the tragedy, had spontaneously gathered inside and outside the Embassy of Italy as a sign of solidarity.
Crediti fotografici: João Freitas/SL Benfica