Calia Italia celebrates 25 years death of Founder

Calia Italia, which has been an Active AIRC Company for more than 25 years and is deeply committed to social causes and cancer research in particular, celebrated two highly significant milestones on 3 and 4 June last.

The first event, on 3 June, took place at Cineteatro Gerardo Guerrieri in Matera, where Calia Italia promoted the conference“La forza di AIRC sul territorio. L’impatto per la cura del cancro” (“The power of AIRC on the territory. Its impact in the fight to cure cancer”) in collaboration with the region Basilicata Committee of the AIRC Foundation, of which Saverio Calia is President. The event counted on the participation of the highest officials from the regional government and was entirely open to the public. Its main scope was to trace the history of the Foundation’s commitment in order to raise awareness, prevent, and support research about cancer as well as highlighting the crucial role of volunteers on the territory (with 17 Regional Offices and 20,000 volunteers).

Following the speeches by the Councillor for Labour and Economic Development, Michele Casino, the Mayor of Matera, Domenico Bennardi, and the Archbishop of Matera-Irsina, Antonio Giuseppe Caiazzo, architect Saverio Calia, General Director of Marketing Development at Calia Italia and President of the Basilicata Committee of the AIRC Foundation, as well as the region’s “first AIRC volunteer”, took the floorHe stated, “Holding the conference here in Matera is particularly meaningful to me, as it is ideally dedicated to the memory of my father, Liborio Vincenzo Calia, on the 25th anniversary of his passing. It was thanks to him that Calia Italia began its commitment to supporting cancer research.

The national President of the AIRC Foundation, Andrea Sironi, emphasized the importance of the volunteers’ work and dedication, noting that the event was held in Basilicata because it is the most virtuous region in Italy for donations in relation to population density. Scientific Director Federico Caligaris Cappio then talked about the Foundation’s commitment to creating new opportunities for young researchers.

This was followed by a testimonial from Dr. Giovanna Grimaldi, a researcher from Basilicata supported by AIRC through an SIS grant, and a speech by Professor Alberto Mantovani, an internationally renowned immunologist, Scientific Director of the Humanitas Clinical Institute, and President of the Humanitas Foundation for Research. He encouraged young people to never be afraid to dream, stating, “Scientific research is built on details and precision: these are the bricks of our knowledge, making it accessible to everyone.”

It was a truly engaging moment, where speakers effortlessly translated complex research insights into accessible language, bridging the gap with the enthusiastic audience. The event underscored the power of collaboration and the passing of knowledge from one generation to the next, ensuring that scientific progress continues to benefit society at large.